--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought that Hollywood was just for…" description: "\"I thought that Hollywood was just for geniuses and that directors come from three generations of directors. I was worried that I was not up to the chal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a71/fede-alvarez-12117_challenge_i-thought-that-hollywood-was-just-for-ge_819230.jpg" --- # I thought that Hollywood was just for geniuses and that… ![“I thought that Hollywood was just for geniuses and that directors come from three generations of directors. I was worried that I was not up to the challenge of making a movie. Then realized that all a director has to do is know what he wants to do.” quote by Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a71/fede-alvarez-12117_challenge_i-thought-that-hollywood-was-just-for-ge_819230.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a71/fede-alvarez-12117_challenge_i-thought-that-hollywood-was-just-for-ge_819230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a71/fede-alvarez-12117_challenge_i-thought-that-hollywood-was-just-for-ge_819230.jpg) > “I thought that Hollywood was just for geniuses and that directors come from three generations of directors. I was worried that I was not up to the challenge of making a movie. Then realized that all a director has to do is know what he wants to do.” [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A director's success hinges on clear vision rather than lineage or innate genius. **In simple terms:** Vision matters more than pedigree. Key Takeaway Focus on what you want to create. Themes creativity confidence vision Mood determined reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - film projects - career start - skill development Key Concepts artistic intent self‑belief Questions to Reflect On - What vision drives your work? - How can you clarify your goals? A Different Perspective Talent alone doesn't guarantee success; experience matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Directors Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-come-361205/) [Directors Worried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-worried-361207/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Generations Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations-directors-361208/) [Geniuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geniuses/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized/) [Realized Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-director-361206/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-hollywood-361204/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Three generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-generations/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wants/) [Worried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worried/) ## Related quotes > [Some of the screen's best moments were realized because a director went against all reason, all logic. No matter how incredible a story seems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rouben-mamoulian/some-of-the-screen-s-best-moments-were-realized-because-a-director/) [Rouben Mamoulian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rouben-mamoulian/) > [Directors are not worried about casting beautiful women, but they are not sure that they want to cast great-looking men. My looks have prevented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/directors-are-not-worried-about-casting-beautiful-women-but-they-are-2/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [Directors are not worried about casting beautiful women, but they are not sure that they want to cast great-looking men. My looks have prevented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/directors-are-not-worried-about-casting-beautiful-women-but-they-are/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [I am a girl from Cleveland, Ohio, that never thought she would be in Hollywood!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabela-moner/i-am-a-girl-from-cleveland-ohio-that-never-thought-she-would-be-in/) [Isabela Moner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabela-moner/) > [When I started acting, I didn't think of it as a career. I always thought Hollywood was this magical world where a fairy came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/when-i-started-acting-i-didn-t-think-of-it-as-a-career-i-always/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I never thought I would do something in Hollywood after I started with a series in the West, which was a small stint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-fazal/i-never-thought-i-would-do-something-in-hollywood-after-i-started/) [Ali Fazal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-fazal/) > [I know some teams thought I was too Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-know-some-teams-thought-i-was-too-hollywood/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [My mother thought Hollywood was a den of iniquity, and people came to terrible bad ends there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-carlisle/my-mother-thought-hollywood-was-a-den-of-iniquity-and-people-came-to/) [Kitty Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-carlisle/) > [I would definitely be open to more films if the role was right. I haven't thought about a move to Hollywood, but if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mauboy/i-would-definitely-be-open-to-more-films-if-the-role-was-right-i/) [Jessica Mauboy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mauboy/) > [I never thought Hollywood is the life I want to do. I thought acting is the life I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/i-never-thought-hollywood-is-the-life-i-want-to-do-i-thought-acting/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [I think that Phil Kaufman is one of the best directors that I have come across.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-think-that-phil-kaufman-is-one-of-the-best-directors-that-i-have/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I've had really great experiences working with first-time directors. They come at filmmaking with fresh ideas. I've been very lucky that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/i-ve-had-really-great-experiences-working-with-first-time-directors/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [So, when directors come up to me and ask if they should just narrate my role, I would say no and insist on knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalyani-priyadarshan/so-when-directors-come-up-to-me-and-ask-if-they-should-just-narrate/) [Kalyani Priyadarshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalyani-priyadarshan/) > [I've always said that with a lot of the horror franchises that I've started, it's like directing a pilot. I come in, I direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wan/i-ve-always-said-that-with-a-lot-of-the-horror-franchises-that-i-ve/) [James Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wan/) > [Television can become a bit of a treadmill for directors. You come in, nobody knows you, the actors are already doing what they're doing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-bassett/television-can-become-a-bit-of-a-treadmill-for-directors-you-come-in/) [Michael J. Bassett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-bassett/) ## More by Fede Alvarez > [I think violence in movies, for it to work, you have to use it smartly. People get numb very fast. If you have too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/i-think-violence-in-movies-for-it-to-work-you-have-to-use-it-smartly/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [A good story will keep you wondering about what's happening, what's going on, where does this go? Now it's going to go that way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/a-good-story-will-keep-you-wondering-about-what-s-happening-what-s/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [Sci-fi is definitely something that I've been wanting to do again since Panic Attack and I want to do it on a feature scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/sci-fi-is-definitely-something-that-i-ve-been-wanting-to-do-again/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [If you think about it, you can have the best CGI, but you can always tell that it is CGI. Your brain can spot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/if-you-think-about-it-you-can-have-the-best-cgi-but-you-can-always/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [If you think about it, a lot of great horror films have bad sequels just because the market demands you to make the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/if-you-think-about-it-a-lot-of-great-horror-films-have-bad-sequels/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [There are the horror fans that love the 'Evil Dead' because of the humor, but I'm sure it's not all of them. Not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/there-are-the-horror-fans-that-love-the-evil-dead-because-of-the/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [ Comedy is all about the joke. Comedies usually don't do anything fancy with the camera \[or\] the lighting. It doesn't matter. It should never… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/comedy-is-all-about-the-joke-comedies-usually-don-t-do-anything-fancy/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [It doesn't matter the amount of gore, the amount of shocks that you can have in a movie if the movie's not entertaining, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/it-doesn-t-matter-the-amount-of-gore-the-amount-of-shocks-that-you/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [When you're a director you always feel weird with another director watching over your shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/when-you-re-a-director-you-always-feel-weird-with-another-director/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [As a director, there is nothing more fun than seeing an audience screaming and jumping. You are the ultimate puppet master, controlling the emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/as-a-director-there-is-nothing-more-fun-than-seeing-an-audience/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [Usually you always see first cut is an extended version, because it's basically everything you shot, and you have that version and then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/usually-you-always-see-first-cut-is-an-extended-version-because-it-s/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [There's always a tone that you have to hit right in horror. With the blood, you want to make sure that it makes sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/there-s-always-a-tone-that-you-have-to-hit-right-in-horror-with-the/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [I really don't like to go for the stereotypes. I try to give you characters that you don't know until you get to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/i-really-don-t-like-to-go-for-the-stereotypes-i-try-to-give-you/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [I try not to be spectacular with the camera. I try to be a witness of what's going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/i-try-not-to-be-spectacular-with-the-camera-i-try-to-be-a-witness-of/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [I think the more honest you are with the storytelling, the better it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/i-think-the-more-honest-you-are-with-the-storytelling-the-better-it/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) [Explore all 56 Fede Alvarez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) ## More Challenge quotes > [Politics only makes the difficult challenge of marriage even harder, with the demands of the job and the public spotlight it casts on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/politics-only-makes-the-difficult-challenge-of-marriage-even-harder/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [I personally think if something's not a challenge, there's no point doing it, because you're not gonna learn much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-think-if-something-s-not-a-challenge-there-s-no-point/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) [Whitney Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-gaskell/) > [After 'Pink,' I wanted to do something that would challenge me further as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirti-kulhari/after-pink-i-wanted-to-do-something-that-would-challenge-me-further/) [Kirti Kulhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirti-kulhari/) > [Nobody challenges me. I challenge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakuntala-devi/nobody-challenges-me-i-challenge-myself/) [Shakuntala Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakuntala-devi/) > [Our whole thing was that we wanted to challenge ourselves and go out of the box that everyone else was doing, and even what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-real/our-whole-thing-was-that-we-wanted-to-challenge-ourselves-and-go-out/) [B-Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-real/) > [I wake up every morning fearing I am going to fail. But I love a challenge, big or small. There's so much I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-mone/i-wake-up-every-morning-fearing-i-am-going-to-fail-but-i-love-a/) [Michelle Mone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-mone/) > [I don't know about the rest of the world, but I know in our region everyone is gunning to beat us. We have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/i-don-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-world-but-i-know-in-our-region/) [Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/) > [Sometimes the challenge of beating the jet lag and getting a decent sleep can be as hard to solve as finding the right setup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-grosjean/sometimes-the-challenge-of-beating-the-jet-lag-and-getting-a-decent/) [Romain Grosjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-grosjean/) > [LMS is like PMS but totally different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lms-is-like-pms-but-totally-different/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do not underestimate the difficulty of the challenge that global climate change presents to us. It will take a significant effort and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-pena/i-do-not-underestimate-the-difficulty-of-the-challenge-that-global/) [Federico Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-pena/) > [I never back down from a challenge or oppenent!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-back-down-from-a-challenge-or-oppenent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every scene is a challenge. There are technical challenges, but often it's the simplest challenge where you feel a sense of achievement when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/every-scene-is-a-challenge-there-are-technical-challenges-but-often/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) > [Creating something new is easy, creating something that lasts is the challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-braun/creating-something-new-is-easy-creating-something-that-lasts-is-the/) [Adam Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-braun/) [Browse all 2,839 Challenge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought that Hollywood was just for geniuses and that directors come from three generations of directors. I was worried that I was not up to the challenge of making a movie. 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