--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great director is someone who makes you…" description: "\"A great director is someone who makes you feel like you're moving forward.\" — Fred Willard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/fred-willard-4425_cinema_a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-yo_3145953.png" --- # A great director is someone who makes you feel like you're… ![“A great director is someone who makes you feel like you're moving forward.” quote by Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/fred-willard-4425_cinema_a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-yo_3145953.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/fred-willard-4425_cinema_a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-yo_3145953.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/fred-willard-4425_cinema_a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-yo_3145953.png) > “A great director is someone who makes you feel like you're moving forward.” [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) ## 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 should create a sense of progress for the audience. **In simple terms:** Directors should make you feel moving forward. Key Takeaway Seek forward momentum in storytelling. Themes storytelling leadership cinema Mood inspired reflective Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - film production - live performance - marketing presentations Key Concepts narrative pacing audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure genuine progress? - When does momentum become style over substance? A Different Perspective A forward feeling may mask lack of substantive plot. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Moving forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-forward/) ## Related quotes > [“A director makes only one movie in his life. Then he breaks it up and makes it again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-renoir/a-director-makes-only-one-movie-in-his-life-then-he-breaks-it-up-and/) [Jean Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-renoir/) > [A Director Makes Only One Movie in His Life. Then He Breaks It Into Pieces and Makes It Again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-renoir/a-director-makes-only-one-movie-in-his-life-then-he-breaks-it-into/) [Jean Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-renoir/) > [A good director makes a playground and allows you to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/a-good-director-makes-a-playground-and-allows-you-to-play/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [“Find a love that makes you feel new, and better. Always like you’re moving and staying still at the exact same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azra-t/find-a-love-that-makes-you-feel-new-and-better-always-like-you-re/) [Azra T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azra-t/) > [Warren Beatty is a great director. I wish Warren would direct another film right now, because I'd love to do another film with Warren.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-forsythe/warren-beatty-is-a-great-director-i-wish-warren-would-direct-another/) [William Forsythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-forsythe/) > [I don't see how it's a risky thing to take a great part with a great director and a great script. That, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-don-t-see-how-it-s-a-risky-thing-to-take-a-great-part-with-a-great/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I'd rather have one good scene in a movie by a great director than a small role in a mediocre movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahar-rahim/i-d-rather-have-one-good-scene-in-a-movie-by-a-great-director-than-a/) [Tahar Rahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahar-rahim/) > [I can't say I am a great director but I am the greatest audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-khan/i-can-t-say-i-am-a-great-director-but-i-am-the-greatest-audience/) [Sajid Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-khan/) > [I don't want people saying, 'Should we get a female director?' I want to hear, 'Should we get a great director for this movie?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-don-t-want-people-saying-should-we-get-a-female-director-i-want-to/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [If you have a smaller role, but if you work with a great director, they make it unforgettable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/if-you-have-a-smaller-role-but-if-you-work-with-a-great-director-they/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [Its always great when a director is just supportive of what youre doing. Theyre not so much critiquing you but giving you more ideas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-roberts/its-always-great-when-a-director-is-just-supportive-of-what-youre/) [Emma Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-roberts/) > [I did this one movie with a great director named Wayne Kramer. It was 'Crossing Over,' and Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-did-this-one-movie-with-a-great-director-named-wayne-kramer-it-was/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [When you work with a great director, you realise you are far from being a director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/when-you-work-with-a-great-director-you-realise-you-are-far-from/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [When you work with a great director, you can have a great partnership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/when-you-work-with-a-great-director-you-can-have-a-great-partnership/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) ## More by Fred Willard > [I remember Johnny Carson laughing effusively when I made my 'Tonight' show debut in the early 1970's as part of a sketch comedy group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-remember-johnny-carson-laughing-effusively-when-i-made-my-tonight/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [My daughter thinks I'm a little more on the straight and narrow than I actually am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/my-daughter-thinks-i-m-a-little-more-on-the-straight-and-narrow-than/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I wish sex could last as long as love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-wish-sex-could-last-as-long-as-love/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I'll talk your ear off if you recognize me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-ll-talk-your-ear-off-if-you-recognize-me/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I once was in a project. They were going to do a remake. Somebody started a rumor I wanted more money. I said, 'This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-once-was-in-a-project-they-were-going-to-do-a-remake-somebody/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I love working with Ty Burrell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-love-working-with-ty-burrell/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [Some of the Christopher Guest movies, when I'm not really like myself, when I have my hair dyed blonde or had a faux-hawk haircut.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/some-of-the-christopher-guest-movies-when-i-m-not-really-like-myself/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [After working with Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and Jonathan Mangum, I said, 'I am never going to talk about improv again.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/after-working-with-wayne-brady-colin-mochrie-and-jonathan-mangum-i/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [Someone I've always admired is Catherine O'Hara... I think she's one of the best actresses in the country, not only comedy. I just think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/someone-i-ve-always-admired-is-catherine-o-hara-i-think-she-s-one-of/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I never got any advice in acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-never-got-any-advice-in-acting/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I've found over the years that for some reason, people either are big fans and have to use me, or they don't quite understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-ve-found-over-the-years-that-for-some-reason-people-either-are-big/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [Suddenly you're like a pirate, you're 65 years old and you've got an earring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/suddenly-you-re-like-a-pirate-you-re-65-years-old-and-you-ve-got-an/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [If you're going to take a risk as a comic, make sure it's surrounded by other things that you're certain are funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/if-you-re-going-to-take-a-risk-as-a-comic-make-sure-it-s-surrounded/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [It's not a bad typecast: the goofy guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/it-s-not-a-bad-typecast-the-goofy-guy/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [You think you want to be famous. Then you see twenty or thirty people with cameras running after somebody coming out of a restaurant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/you-think-you-want-to-be-famous-then-you-see-twenty-or-thirty-people/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) [Explore all 111 Fred Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A great director is someone who makes you feel like you're moving forward.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fred Willard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-you-feel-like-you-re-moving/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-you-feel-like-you-re-moving/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/fred-willard-4425_cinema_a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-yo_3145953.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/fred-willard-4425_cinema_a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-yo_3145953.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/fred-willard-4425_cinema_a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-yo_3145953.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A great director is someone who makes you feel like you're moving forward.” — Fred Willard", "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": "Fred Willard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A great director is someone who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-you-feel-like-you-re-moving/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/a-great-director-is-someone-who-makes-you-feel-like-you-re-moving/#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 } } ] } ```