--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Directing is a way of looking at…" description: "\"Directing is a way of looking at something and then communicating it.\" — Elaine May" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/elaine-may-30564_communicating_directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-somethi_578314.jpg" --- # Directing is a way of looking at something and then… ![“Directing is a way of looking at something and then communicating it.” quote by Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/elaine-may-30564_communicating_directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-somethi_578314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/elaine-may-30564_communicating_directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-somethi_578314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/elaine-may-30564_communicating_directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-somethi_578314.jpg) > “Directing is a way of looking at something and then communicating it.” [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It describes directing as observing a subject and then conveying that perception to an audience. **In simple terms:** Directing means seeing and then sharing that view. Key Takeaway Observe closely, then communicate clearly. Themes creativity communication vision Mood thoughtful inspired Type instructional reflective When to use this quote - film production - advertising - educational videos - live performances Key Concepts visual storytelling interpretation leadership Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure your vision is understood? - What techniques help translate observation into visual language? A Different Perspective The audience may interpret the message differently than intended. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communicating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicating/) [Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) [Directing Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-way-1348912/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking/) [Looking Communicating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-communicating-4758755/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-looking-612430/) ## Related quotes > [“whatever you come up with needs to suggest a voice that you are not trying to control. If you’re lost in the forest, let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/whatever-you-come-up-with-needs-to-suggest-a-voice-that-you-are-not/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [It's so strange that God has had his way of looking after me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neena-gupta/it-s-so-strange-that-god-has-had-his-way-of-looking-after-me/) [Neena Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neena-gupta/) > [Poetry is a way of looking at the world for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/poetry-is-a-way-of-looking-at-the-world-for-the-first-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Silence gives us a new way of looking at something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/silence-gives-us-a-new-way-of-looking-at-something/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [It isn't the oceans which cut us off from the world - it's the American way of looking at things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/it-isn-t-the-oceans-which-cut-us-off-from-the-world-it-s-the-american/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“The best way to find everything that you’re ‘not’ looking for is to head out on some search without having any idea of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-best-way-to-find-everything-that-you-re-not-looking-for-is-to/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [There's nothing wrong with the world. What's wrong is our way of looking at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-the-world-what-s-wrong-is-our-way-of/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [If you spend too much time looking over your shoulder, you're bound to get stuck that way. Always be looking forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-timbre/if-you-spend-too-much-time-looking-over-your-shoulder-you-re-bound-to/) [Jamie Timbre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-timbre/) > [Art points to things. It's a way of giving people not the standard way of looking at the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ligon/art-points-to-things-it-s-a-way-of-giving-people-not-the-standard-way/) [Glenn Ligon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ligon/) > [My way of looking at life has always been just to try and keep it level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-dickinson/my-way-of-looking-at-life-has-always-been-just-to-try-and-keep-it/) [Harris Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-dickinson/) > [“Art is not an object, but a way of looking at an object.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-equi/art-is-not-an-object-but-a-way-of-looking-at-an-object/) [Elaine Equi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-equi/) > [“I am your own way of looking at things," she said. "When you allow me to live with you, every glance at the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stafford/i-am-your-own-way-of-looking-at-things-she-said-when-you-allow-me-to/) [William Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stafford/) > [The good thing about being an artist, is it's a legitimate way of looking at things cross-eyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chamberlain/the-good-thing-about-being-an-artist-is-it-s-a-legitimate-way-of/) [John Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chamberlain/) > [I would say that he has a rather limited and uncreative way of looking at the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/i-would-say-that-he-has-a-rather-limited-and-uncreative-way-of/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [There is a way of looking at an awful place from a certain angle that allows it to take on a beauty because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-gere/there-is-a-way-of-looking-at-an-awful-place-from-a-certain-angle-that/) [Richard Gere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-gere/) ## More by Elaine May > [You know, when I was very young, I thought it didn't matter what happened to me when I died, so long as my work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/you-know-when-i-was-very-young-i-thought-it-didn-t-matter-what/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [Writing is close to acting. In directing, you control. Acting, you can't control how good you are, and you can't control how good you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/writing-is-close-to-acting-in-directing-you-control-acting-you-can-t/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [You know how sometimes you lie in bed at night and think, “What if the law of gravity just wears out and lets go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/you-know-how-sometimes-you-lie-in-bed-at-night-and-think-what-if-the/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [Laugh Line' was sort of the way I am at interviews. I could think of nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/laugh-line-was-sort-of-the-way-i-am-at-interviews-i-could-think-of/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [The only thing experience teaches you is what you can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is-what-you-can/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [I'll know when I'm successful. That'll be when Safeway cashes my check without identification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/i-ll-know-when-i-m-successful-that-ll-be-when-safeway-cashes-my-check/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [We have such respect for the English that, when an Englishman says Hollywood sucks, people listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/we-have-such-respect-for-the-english-that-when-an-englishman-says/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [“Quote of the Day “You know how sometimes you lie in bed at night and think, “What if the law of gravity just wears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/quote-of-the-day-you-know-how-sometimes-you-lie-in-bed-at-night-and/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [The only successful person in the world is Bing Crosby. I'm sure he'll be working tomorrow, and that's success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-only-successful-person-in-the-world-is-bing-crosby-i-m-sure-he-ll/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [The only thing experience teaches you is what you can't do. When you start, you think you can do anything. And then you start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-only-thing-experience-teaches-you-is-what-you-can-t-do-when-you/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [If all of the people who hate 'Ishtar' had seen it, I would be a rich woman today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/if-all-of-the-people-who-hate-ishtar-had-seen-it-i-would-be-a-rich/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [As a woman, they think I want to show that I'm a nice person. I'm no one to be feared. When it comes down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/as-a-woman-they-think-i-want-to-show-that-i-m-a-nice-person-i-m-no/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [I feel in opposition to almost everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/i-feel-in-opposition-to-almost-everything/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [Luck is very strange. I'm lucky in that I met the guy who said, Go to the University of Chicago, and I hitchhiked there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/luck-is-very-strange-i-m-lucky-in-that-i-met-the-guy-who-said-go-to/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [The nice thing is to make an audience laugh and laugh and laugh and shudder later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-nice-thing-is-to-make-an-audience-laugh-and-laugh-and-laugh-and/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) [Explore all 17 Elaine May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) ## More Communicating quotes > [I could say that making clothes is my way of communicating, because I was always so shy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-gaultier/i-could-say-that-making-clothes-is-my-way-of-communicating-because-i/) [Jean Paul Gaultier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-gaultier/) > [People love to take sides, but it's not effective. It's not really an effective way of communicating something, because you're either already part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devendra-banhart/people-love-to-take-sides-but-it-s-not-effective-it-s-not-really-an/) [Devendra Banhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devendra-banhart/) > [“Questions are the natural agents of curiosity. To limit question is unnatural, against nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-agon/questions-are-the-natural-agents-of-curiosity-to-limit-question-is/) [Ted Agon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-agon/) > [I do think that if you've got a compelling argument to make in this country, going on television, going online, being on social media,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-gaetz/i-do-think-that-if-you-ve-got-a-compelling-argument-to-make-in-this/) [Matt Gaetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-gaetz/) > [We live in a world in which we are able to communicate very quickly in many different ways, and yet we find communicating more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-we-are-able-to-communicate-very-quickly/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [For one thing, my English isn't fantastic, and communicating in the dressing room is not always easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-tevez/for-one-thing-my-english-isn-t-fantastic-and-communicating-in-the/) [Carlos Tevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-tevez/) > [The serialization through the Internet or through digital portals, means of ways of communicating, and I think that's great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/the-serialization-through-the-internet-or-through-digital-portals/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) > [When I'm not working in a professional capacity, I'm writing, and when I'm at home, it's a way of having contact with people or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-cave/when-i-m-not-working-in-a-professional-capacity-i-m-writing-and-when/) [Jessie Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-cave/) > [Attention is the fundamental instrument we use for learning, thinking, communicating, deciding, yet neither parents nor schools spend any time helping young people learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/attention-is-the-fundamental-instrument-we-use-for-learning-thinking/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [The Spirit is as operative today in communicating the gospel to all who seek the truth as it was on the day of Pentecost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/the-spirit-is-as-operative-today-in-communicating-the-gospel-to-all/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [The art of communicating is to speak with a non judging sensitivity and mean it rather than impulsively verbalizing whatever feelings arise; there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-orloff/the-art-of-communicating-is-to-speak-with-a-non-judging-sensitivity/) [Judith Orloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-orloff/) > [When communicating results to non-technical types there is nothing better than a clear visualization to make your point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/when-communicating-results-to-non-technical-types-there-is-nothing/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [We are part of the zeitgeist, and we are communicating in a human, real way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/we-are-part-of-the-zeitgeist-and-we-are-communicating-in-a-human-real/) [Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/) > [“Those who don't question don't think. Those who don't think don't question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-agon/those-who-don-t-question-don-t-think-those-who-don-t-think-don-t/) [Ted Agon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-agon/) > [Friction and misunderstandings often occur when communicating across generations. It gets even more challenging when working across virtual settings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-arroyo/friction-and-misunderstandings-often-occur-when-communicating-across/) [Raymond Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-arroyo/) [Browse all 305 Communicating quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicating/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Directing is a way of looking at something and then communicating it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elaine May" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-something-and-then-communicating-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Communicating" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-something-and-then-communicating-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/elaine-may-30564_communicating_directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-somethi_578314.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/elaine-may-30564_communicating_directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-somethi_578314.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/elaine-may-30564_communicating_directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-somethi_578314.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Directing is a way of looking at something and then communicating it.” — Elaine May", "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": "Elaine May", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Directing is a way of looking...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-something-and-then-communicating-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/directing-is-a-way-of-looking-at-something-and-then-communicating-it/#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 } } ] } ```