--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact is, you don't know what…" description: "\"The fact is, you don't know what directing is until the sun is setting and you've got to get five shots and you're only going to get two.\" — David Fincher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/david-fincher-7615_directing_the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directin_2400644.jpg" --- # The fact is, you don't know what directing is until the… ![“The fact is, you don't know what directing is until the sun is setting and you've got to get five shots and you're only going to get two.” quote by David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/david-fincher-7615_directing_the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directin_2400644.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/david-fincher-7615_directing_the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directin_2400644.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/david-fincher-7615_directing_the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directin_2400644.jpg) > “The fact is, you don't know what directing is until the sun is setting and you've got to get five shots and you're only going to get two.” [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Directing is unpredictable; you must adapt when conditions change and resources are limited. **In simple terms:** Directing requires flexibility. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and improvise. Themes creativity leadership film production Mood pragmatic inspirational Type professional creative When to use this quote - low‑budget shoots - tight schedules - weather challenges Key Concepts adaptability resource management Questions to Reflect On - How do you plan for the unexpected? - What resources can you prioritize? A Different Perspective Limited control can hinder vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Sun setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun-setting/) ## Related quotes > [Directing ain't about drawing a neat little picture and showing it to the cameraman. I didn't want to go to film school. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/directing-ain-t-about-drawing-a-neat-little-picture-and-showing-it-to/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I don't want to sound arrogant and say that I know everything about directing and I've got it cracked, but it was just all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mazer/i-don-t-want-to-sound-arrogant-and-say-that-i-know-everything-about/) [Dan Mazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mazer/) > [For many years I thought, "Well, I need to know a lot more to direct." But I looked around and watched all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-foner-gyllenhaal/for-many-years-i-thought-well-i-need-to-know-a-lot-more-to-direct-but/) [Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-foner-gyllenhaal/) > [To write, you have to know how to act and know about directing. To act, you also need to know how to write and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-taylor/to-write-you-have-to-know-how-to-act-and-know-about-directing-to-act/) [Tate Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-taylor/) > [Krishna was conceived in the womb of Devaki mysteriously as the sun setting in the West imparts his rays to the rising moon in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/krishna-was-conceived-in-the-womb-of-devaki-mysteriously-as-the-sun/) [A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/) > [Look what I know about directing; is it goes beyond gender. You might see some qualities that are inherently female in the great male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/look-what-i-know-about-directing-is-it-goes-beyond-gender-you-might/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [If there's anything I know about directing, it's how to make actors comfortable. It's where I started and it's what I know, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/if-there-s-anything-i-know-about-directing-it-s-how-to-make-actors/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [I still don't know much about directing a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/i-still-don-t-know-much-about-directing-a-movie/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [I like acting better than anything else, but, you know, directing's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/i-like-acting-better-than-anything-else-but-you-know-directing-s-good/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [I don't know why directing is not something I'm interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-don-t-know-why-directing-is-not-something-i-m-interested-in/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I don't know anything about directing, but if you love actors, know your story and hire a great company, then anyone can direct a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hedges/i-don-t-know-anything-about-directing-but-if-you-love-actors-know/) [Peter Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hedges/) > [I pretty much know that directing means that you have to answer about a thousand questions every day and you have to answer them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-hanks/i-pretty-much-know-that-directing-means-that-you-have-to-answer-about/) [Colin Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-hanks/) > [But I didn't know much about directing a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/but-i-didn-t-know-much-about-directing-a-movie/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [When shots are going for six and you're playing well, everyone is trying to big you up. Mis=hit one, get out, all the negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/when-shots-are-going-for-six-and-you-re-playing-well-everyone-is/) [Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/) > [For a lot of my childhood, I didn't want to direct movies because I didn't really know what directing was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/for-a-lot-of-my-childhood-i-didn-t-want-to-direct-movies-because-i/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) ## More by David Fincher > [Again, a franchise to me doesn't have to be a billion dollar title.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/again-a-franchise-to-me-doesn-t-have-to-be-a-billion-dollar-title/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [“If you think that you can hide what your interests are, what your prurient interests are, what your noble interests are, what your fascinations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/if-you-think-that-you-can-hide-what-your-interests-are-what-your/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: "You have to get what you need to get out of it." You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [A movie is made for an audience and a film is made for both the audience and the film-makers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/a-movie-is-made-for-an-audience-and-a-film-is-made-for-both-the/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [For me, the scariest thing about a serial killer is that there's somebody who lives next door to you, running power tools late into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/for-me-the-scariest-thing-about-a-serial-killer-is-that-there-s/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I like studios. I just don't like bureaucracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-like-studios-i-just-don-t-like-bureaucracies/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Filmmaking isn’t if you can just strap on a camera onto an actor, and steadicam, and point it at their face, and follow them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/filmmaking-isn-t-if-you-can-just-strap-on-a-camera-onto-an-actor-and/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Entertainment has to come hand in hand with a little bit of medicine. Some people go to the movies to be reminded that everything's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/entertainment-has-to-come-hand-in-hand-with-a-little-bit-of-medicine/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Directing ain't about drawing a neat little picture and showing it to the cameraman. I didn't want to go to film school. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/directing-ain-t-about-drawing-a-neat-little-picture-and-showing-it-to/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [When you go and you tell a studio and that it's an ensemble, that doesn't mean a lot to them. But, my hats off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/when-you-go-and-you-tell-a-studio-and-that-it-s-an-ensemble-that/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [You can’t take everything on. That’s why when people ask how does this film fit into my oeuvre. I say 'I don’t know. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/you-can-t-take-everything-on-that-s-why-when-people-ask-how-does-this/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Look, it's nice. I like the fact that critics liked this movie, but most of the movies that I've made, you'll find a handful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/look-it-s-nice-i-like-the-fact-that-critics-liked-this-movie-but-most/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I don't know how to depict intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-don-t-know-how-to-depict-intelligence/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [When I'm watching somebody act, it's a behavior editorial function - I look at someone act, and I might say, 'I don't believe him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/when-i-m-watching-somebody-act-it-s-a-behavior-editorial-function-i/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [In film, we sculpt time, we sculpt behavior and we sculpt light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/in-film-we-sculpt-time-we-sculpt-behavior-and-we-sculpt-light/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) [Explore all 89 David Fincher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) ## More Directing quotes > [Anybody can direct a picture once they know the fundamentals. Directing is not a mystery, it's not an art. The main thing about directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ford/anybody-can-direct-a-picture-once-they-know-the-fundamentals/) [John Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ford/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [That's what I learned most about directing on my own - you've got to build a family, a filmmaking family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/that-s-what-i-learned-most-about-directing-on-my-own-you-ve-got-to/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I took on the role of CEO, which involves directing the Management Team and overall day-to-day operations of 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/i-took-on-the-role-of-ceo-which-involves-directing-the-management/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [When I see my movies on the editing table, I do think I could have done them a certain way. The satisfaction is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/when-i-see-my-movies-on-the-editing-table-i-do-think-i-could-have/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [For me the dream is the freedom to make all the crazy ideas I have in my head into movies. I truly love directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-ozeki/for-me-the-dream-is-the-freedom-to-make-all-the-crazy-ideas-i-have-in/) [Nicholas Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-ozeki/) > [The producing thing has come quite naturally to me. I feel like for directing, I would like to be more technically-savvy. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/the-producing-thing-has-come-quite-naturally-to-me-i-feel-like-for/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I'm addicted to directing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-shankman/i-m-addicted-to-directing/) [Adam Shankman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-shankman/) > [Making a movie and not directing the little moments is like drinking a soda and leaving the little slurp puddle for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/making-a-movie-and-not-directing-the-little-moments-is-like-drinking/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Directing films is easier said than done. The job needs a lot of sensibility to put many things in place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/directing-films-is-easier-said-than-done-the-job-needs-a-lot-of/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [I starred in a Broadway play that was Sidney Poitier's first directing job and the cast was Lou Gossett, Cicely Tyson, Diana Ladd and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steinberg/i-starred-in-a-broadway-play-that-was-sidney-poitier-s-first/) [David Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steinberg/) > [I don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not like acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-don-t-get-nervous-when-i-m-directing-a-play-it-s-not-like-acting/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [My dad's a prominent theatre director in Toronto, so I grew up in that world, directing and producing theater since I was a teenager.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gass-donnelly/my-dad-s-a-prominent-theatre-director-in-toronto-so-i-grew-up-in-that/) [Ed Gass-Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gass-donnelly/) > [The hardest part about directing is getting everyone on the same page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-marshall/the-hardest-part-about-directing-is-getting-everyone-on-the-same-page/) [Rob Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-marshall/) Browse all 1,163 Directing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fact is, you don't know what directing is until the sun is setting and you've got to get five shots and you're only going to get two.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Fincher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directing-is-until-the-sun-is-setting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Directing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directing-is-until-the-sun-is-setting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/david-fincher-7615_directing_the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directin_2400644.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/david-fincher-7615_directing_the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directin_2400644.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/david-fincher-7615_directing_the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directin_2400644.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fact is, you don't know what directing is until the sun is setting and you've got to get five shots and…” — David Fincher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Fincher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The fact is, you don't know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directing-is-until-the-sun-is-setting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/the-fact-is-you-don-t-know-what-directing-is-until-the-sun-is-setting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```