--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it were up to the executives, they…" description: "\"If it were up to the executives, they probably wouldn't have directors at all.\" — Gus Van Sant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gus-van-sant-5023_cinema_if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-pro_1332743.png" --- # If it were up to the executives, they probably wouldn't… ![“If it were up to the executives, they probably wouldn't have directors at all.” quote by Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gus-van-sant-5023_cinema_if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-pro_1332743.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gus-van-sant-5023_cinema_if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-pro_1332743.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gus-van-sant-5023_cinema_if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-pro_1332743.png) > “If it were up to the executives, they probably wouldn't have directors at all.” [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Executives often avoid appointing directors, preferring control over creative decisions. **In simple terms:** Executives may resist hiring directors. Key Takeaway Question hierarchical control in creativity. Themes power creativity leadership Mood critical thoughtful Type industry organizational When to use this quote - film production - corporate media - project management Key Concepts authority decision‑making artistic vision Questions to Reflect On - Why might executives avoid directors? - How does this affect artistic output? A Different Perspective Creative freedom can be limited by bureaucracy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) ## Related quotes > [If I played Bond, my dad probably wouldn't know what to do with himself. He'd probably put his shoes on the wrong way for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-barnard/if-i-played-bond-my-dad-probably-wouldn-t-know-what-to-do-with/) [Aneurin Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-barnard/) > [I did well in school, was the captain of the wrestling team and the football team, and always got along well with people, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-liddell/i-did-well-in-school-was-the-captain-of-the-wrestling-team-and-the/) [Chuck Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-liddell/) > [You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olin-miller/you-probably-wouldn-t-worry-about-what-people-think-of-you-if-you/) [Olin Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olin-miller/) > [If it wasn't for Paul Brown, I probably wouldn't have a job because he basically evolved scouting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dorsey/if-it-wasn-t-for-paul-brown-i-probably-wouldn-t-have-a-job-because-he/) [John Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dorsey/) > [Not everybody is going to like your songs. But you probably wouldn't hang out with those people anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-mcbryde/not-everybody-is-going-to-like-your-songs-but-you-probably-wouldn-t/) [Ashley McBryde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-mcbryde/) > [I could take you down on this sidewalk and be up that skirt of yours in a heartbeat. And you wouldn't fight me, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/i-could-take-you-down-on-this-sidewalk-and-be-up-that-skirt-of-yours/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [If I'd said, 'I'm going to be a director,' it probably wouldn't have happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/if-i-d-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-director-it-probably-wouldn-t-have/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [I mean, if the country's in the middle of a war of something, I probably wouldn't go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-boorman/i-mean-if-the-country-s-in-the-middle-of-a-war-of-something-i/) [Charley Boorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-boorman/) > [You probably wouldn't remember. I probably couldn't forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/you-probably-wouldn-t-remember-i-probably-couldn-t-forget/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [A lot of electronic musicians probably wouldn't be bothered making an album, which strategically makes total sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mura-masa/a-lot-of-electronic-musicians-probably-wouldn-t-be-bothered-making-an/) [Mura Masa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mura-masa/) > [I probably wouldn't kill a spider now, I'd probably try to scoop it up in a cup and put it outside, but not for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-elvrum/i-probably-wouldn-t-kill-a-spider-now-i-d-probably-try-to-scoop-it-up/) [Phil Elvrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-elvrum/) > [We probably wouldn't worry about what people think of us if we could know how seldom they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olin-miller/we-probably-wouldn-t-worry-about-what-people-think-of-us-if-we-could/) [Olin Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olin-miller/) > [If Bret went in there and stunk the place out, then they probably wouldn't have brought the little brother in. So just by being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-hart/if-bret-went-in-there-and-stunk-the-place-out-then-they-probably/) [Owen Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-hart/) > [If I had feelings, I probably wouldn’t have even survived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-had-feelings-i-probably-wouldn-t-have-even-survived/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love a bit of glamour - who doesn't? - but I probably wouldn't be able to pull it off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sawalha/i-love-a-bit-of-glamour-who-doesn-t-but-i-probably-wouldn-t-be-able/) [Julia Sawalha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sawalha/) ## More by Gus Van Sant > [The things that inform student culture are created and controlled by the unseen culture, the sociological aspects of our climbing culture, our 'me' generation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/the-things-that-inform-student-culture-are-created-and-controlled-by/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I mean, I think I'm pretty sentimental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-mean-i-think-i-m-pretty-sentimental/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [Usually people just hire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/usually-people-just-hire-me/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [My family moved a lot as a kid. We started in Colorado, where I lived for five years. We moved to Chicago for two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/my-family-moved-a-lot-as-a-kid-we-started-in-colorado-where-i-lived/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [No construction stiff working overtime takes more stress and straining than we did just to stay high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/no-construction-stiff-working-overtime-takes-more-stress-and/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I've told people who have just started to make a film that the one thing you might experience is this feeling that everybody is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-ve-told-people-who-have-just-started-to-make-a-film-that-the-one/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [A lot of times, I relied on connections through my agency, just for financing and things like that. Even when I'm looking for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/a-lot-of-times-i-relied-on-connections-through-my-agency-just-for/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I'm a junkie. I like drugs, I like the whole lifestyle, but it just didn't pay off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-m-a-junkie-i-like-drugs-i-like-the-whole-lifestyle-but-it-just-didn/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [There are all kinds of ways that people present their films, but that's kind of a good feeling, if you can make it seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/there-are-all-kinds-of-ways-that-people-present-their-films-but-that/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I find it interesting, the different rules that apply to journalism and drama, even though journalism has become more and more about entertainment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-find-it-interesting-the-different-rules-that-apply-to-journalism/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [As I do with most films, I try and find some music that you could use throughout, not just a sampling of lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/as-i-do-with-most-films-i-try-and-find-some-music-that-you-could-use/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [When you're on a film and you're doubting something, it's usually because you don't think the audience is going to like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/when-you-re-on-a-film-and-you-re-doubting-something-it-s-usually/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I don't usually direct actors in the classic sense of that word. Instead, I try to remind the characters before the shoot what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-don-t-usually-direct-actors-in-the-classic-sense-of-that-word/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [When you get to be 23, 24 or 25, you start to freeze up and become an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/when-you-get-to-be-23-24-or-25-you-start-to-freeze-up-and-become-an/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [The artist himself is actually the subject in everything after, say, 1900. Eventually, art becomes so removed from the community that you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/the-artist-himself-is-actually-the-subject-in-everything-after-say/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) [Explore all 102 Gus Van Sant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) ## 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": "If it were up to the executives, they probably wouldn't have directors at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gus Van Sant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-probably-wouldn-t-have-directors/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-probably-wouldn-t-have-directors/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gus-van-sant-5023_cinema_if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-pro_1332743.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gus-van-sant-5023_cinema_if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-pro_1332743.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gus-van-sant-5023_cinema_if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-pro_1332743.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If it were up to the executives, they probably wouldn't have directors at all.” — Gus Van Sant", "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": "Gus Van Sant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If it were up to the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-probably-wouldn-t-have-directors/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/if-it-were-up-to-the-executives-they-probably-wouldn-t-have-directors/#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 } } ] } ```