--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing that I think a director has to…" description: "\"The thing that I think a director has to have in order to make a movie really work, and to certainly make a film that feels personal, which I hope this..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/george-nolfi-55545_be-good_the-thing-that-i-think-a-director-has-to_2467269.jpg" --- # The thing that I think a director has to have in order to… ![“The thing that I think a director has to have in order to make a movie really work, and to certainly make a film that feels personal, which I hope this one does, is that you have to have a sense of the feeling that you want to create in people, the tone which you want to tell the story, and the…” quote by George Nolfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/george-nolfi-55545_be-good_the-thing-that-i-think-a-director-has-to_2467269.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/george-nolfi-55545_be-good_the-thing-that-i-think-a-director-has-to_2467269.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/george-nolfi-55545_be-good_the-thing-that-i-think-a-director-has-to_2467269.jpg) > “The thing that I think a director has to have in order to make a movie really work, and to certainly make a film that feels personal, which I hope this one does, is that you have to have a sense of the feeling that you want to create in people, the tone which you want to tell the story, and the basic themes you want to come out. You can't compromise on those because you are then not making the movie that you are going to be good at telling.” [George Nolfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nolfi/) ## 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 must maintain a clear emotional tone and core themes to create a personal, effective film; compromising dilutes the story. **In simple terms:** Directors need consistent tone and themes. Key Takeaway Stay true to your artistic vision. Themes film creativity authenticity Mood inspirational reflective Type artistic strategic When to use this quote - film production - scriptwriting - creative workshops Key Concepts narrative voice thematic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What core themes define your work? - How do you preserve tone under studio pressure? A Different Perspective Compromise may alienate audiences or dilute message. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tone/) ## Related quotes > [The thing that I think a director has to have in order to make a movie really work, and to certainly make a film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nolfi/the-thing-that-i-think-a-director-has-to-have-in-order-to-make-a/) [George Nolfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nolfi/) > [Someday, I'd like to sit down with a small group of people, in a relaxed environment, and make a film that feels more independent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-wedge/someday-i-d-like-to-sit-down-with-a-small-group-of-people-in-a/) [Chris Wedge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-wedge/) > [“I feel a sense of betrayal by my body, most strongly when the attacks come, as they do, every week or so for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-kemp/i-feel-a-sense-of-betrayal-by-my-body-most-strongly-when-the-attacks/) [Cathryn Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-kemp/) > [Everything feels so personal when you're an actor because you're so open and vulnerable, and you have to trust your director to guide you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-shor/everything-feels-so-personal-when-you-re-an-actor-because-you-re-so/) [Miriam Shor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-shor/) > [When you're writing something, and you're putting yourself out there, or you're performing and someone comes in and savages that, then of course it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/when-you-re-writing-something-and-you-re-putting-yourself-out-there/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [In a close-knit community like Jasper, every loss feels personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-braun/in-a-close-knit-community-like-jasper-every-loss-feels-personal/) [Mike Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-braun/) > [Do the work and then let the rest speak for itself and know that it feels personal, I knew it for me when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/do-the-work-and-then-let-the-rest-speak-for-itself-and-know-that-it/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [I would never make a movie just for the sake of making a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-potter/i-would-never-make-a-movie-just-for-the-sake-of-making-a-movie/) [Dean Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-potter/) > [Making a movie is a collaborative effort and sometimes all the ingredients don't work out. 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Because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/the-hardest-thing-in-making-a-movie-is-to-keep-in-the-front-of-your/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [When you make a movie, you really have to be clever and smart, find something new for the worldwide audience because you aren't making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-megaton/when-you-make-a-movie-you-really-have-to-be-clever-and-smart-find/) [Olivier Megaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-megaton/) > [I think overall, making a movie is like putting a stamp on the world. Every time I make a movie, I feed in elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamoru-oshii/i-think-overall-making-a-movie-is-like-putting-a-stamp-on-the-world/) [Mamoru Oshii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamoru-oshii/) > [ I like movies that interest me and stories that interest me, I don't think about how much money it's gonna \[cost\] to make the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-pettyfer/i-like-movies-that-interest-me-and-stories-that-interest-me-i-don-t/) [Alex Pettyfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-pettyfer/) > [You know, making a movie is a collaborative effort and sometimes all the ingredients don't work out. I know that every now and again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/you-know-making-a-movie-is-a-collaborative-effort-and-sometimes-all/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) ## More by George Nolfi > [The thing that I think a director has to have in order to make a movie really work, and to certainly make a film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nolfi/the-thing-that-i-think-a-director-has-to-have-in-order-to-make-a/) [George Nolfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nolfi/) > [There is something about dance that is actually a great tension. There is something that is incredibly freeing about dancing for dancers who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nolfi/there-is-something-about-dance-that-is-actually-a-great-tension-there/) [George Nolfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nolfi/) > [I just want to be able to make a movie that takes some chances. 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You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Peace is the result of love, and if love were easy we'd all be good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-mccarthy/peace-is-the-result-of-love-and-if-love-were-easy-we-d-all-be-good-at/) [Colman McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-mccarthy/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Most of us want to live in harmony and peace and be good to others. Right now, however, the world is in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-abu-assad/most-of-us-want-to-live-in-harmony-and-peace-and-be-good-to-others/) [Hany Abu-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hany-abu-assad/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [The producers felt that 24 would be good for the audience, to really get to know who these 12 and 12 are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/the-producers-felt-that-24-would-be-good-for-the-audience-to-really/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. 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He just has to be interesting, and he has to be good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/it-doesn-t-matter-if-your-lead-character-is-good-or-bad-he-just-has/) [David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/) > [What's good for the very rich might not be good for anybody but them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/what-s-good-for-the-very-rich-might-not-be-good-for-anybody-but-them/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) Browse all 1,747 Be good quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing that I think a director has to have in order to make a movie really work, and to certainly make a film that feels personal, which I hope this one does, is that you have to have a sense of the feeling that you want to create in people, the tone which you want to tell the story, and the basic themes you want to come out. 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