--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're writing, in theory, everybody…" description: "\"When you're writing, in theory, everybody is serving you. When you're directing, you're serving everybody - in the guise of acting like everybody's ser..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/george-c-wolfe-4405_acting_when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody_140410.jpg" --- # When you're writing, in theory, everybody is serving you… ![“When you're writing, in theory, everybody is serving you. When you're directing, you're serving everybody - in the guise of acting like everybody's serving you. But you're really serving the materials. You're serving the actors. You're in charge, but it's not free.” quote by George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/george-c-wolfe-4405_acting_when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody_140410.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/george-c-wolfe-4405_acting_when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody_140410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/george-c-wolfe-4405_acting_when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody_140410.jpg) > “When you're writing, in theory, everybody is serving you. When you're directing, you're serving everybody - in the guise of acting like everybody's serving you. But you're really serving the materials. You're serving the actors. You're in charge, but it's not free.” [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership in creative work serves the material and people, not personal ego. **In simple terms:** Directors serve the art and collaborators. Key Takeaway Lead with humility and purpose. Themes leadership creativity service Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - film production - theatre directing - team management Key Concepts artistic vision collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize material over ego? - What does serving the actors look like? A Different Perspective Balancing service and authority is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [When I came to New York, I told everyone I was a writer/director, and they said, 'No.' There was a rule. You could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/when-i-came-to-new-york-i-told-everyone-i-was-a-writer-director-and/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [I think there's an aspect of my soul, of my personality, that's very suited to directing. I like being in the room with actors;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-think-there-s-an-aspect-of-my-soul-of-my-personality-that-s-very/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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 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/) > [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/) ## More by George C. Wolfe > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [The world doesn't see a lot of gray. The world sees black and white, and then it understands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/the-world-doesn-t-see-a-lot-of-gray-the-world-sees-black-and-white/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [You adjust what you do depending on the actor. You evolve a vocabulary and a way of language and talking with each actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/you-adjust-what-you-do-depending-on-the-actor-you-evolve-a-vocabulary/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [A lot of '20s musicals were a hodgepodge of melodrama, mixed with operetta and romance, and then some sense of modernism and some sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/a-lot-of-20s-musicals-were-a-hodgepodge-of-melodrama-mixed-with/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [There is a real affection for these human beings on these stage that O'Neill really had. Out of that affection comes a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/there-is-a-real-affection-for-these-human-beings-on-these-stage-that/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [Our lives are connected in ways we can't imagine. They're connected even before we know they're connected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/our-lives-are-connected-in-ways-we-can-t-imagine-they-re-connected/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [There's no place more theatrical than history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/there-s-no-place-more-theatrical-than-history/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [If you have the talent and passion and commitment, you shouldn't be locked out of the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/if-you-have-the-talent-and-passion-and-commitment-you-shouldn-t-be/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [Commercial theater, in its agenda to appeal to everybody, is often at the expense of the unique vision of the artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/commercial-theater-in-its-agenda-to-appeal-to-everybody-is-often-at/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [Doing any kind of culture in America in which you are not trying to affirm a European aesthetic is war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/doing-any-kind-of-culture-in-america-in-which-you-are-not-trying-to/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [I was raised to believe that other people's suffering was my responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-was-raised-to-believe-that-other-people-s-suffering-was-my/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [I think we all have a primal desire to know as much as we can to find out about where we come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-think-we-all-have-a-primal-desire-to-know-as-much-as-we-can-to-find/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [I think I am the first person of color to direct a major white play on Broadway. In 1993? That's astounding to me. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-think-i-am-the-first-person-of-color-to-direct-a-major-white-play/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [The hardest thing about a musical is making sure everybody is working on the same damn show. That is the monster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/the-hardest-thing-about-a-musical-is-making-sure-everybody-is-working/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [I think there's an aspect of my soul, of my personality, that's very suited to directing. I like being in the room with actors;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-think-there-s-an-aspect-of-my-soul-of-my-personality-that-s-very/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Explore all 111 George C. Wolfe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're writing, in theory, everybody is serving you. When you're directing, you're serving everybody - in the guise of acting like everybody's serving you. But you're really serving the materials. You're serving the actors. You're in charge, but it's not free.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George C. Wolfe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody-is-serving-you-when-you-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody-is-serving-you-when-you-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/george-c-wolfe-4405_acting_when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody_140410.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/george-c-wolfe-4405_acting_when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody_140410.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/george-c-wolfe-4405_acting_when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody_140410.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're writing, in theory, everybody is serving you. When you're directing, you're serving everybody…” — George C. Wolfe", "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": "George C. Wolfe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're writing, in theory, everybody...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody-is-serving-you-when-you-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/when-you-re-writing-in-theory-everybody-is-serving-you-when-you-re/#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 } } ] } ```