--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People wonder why first-time directors…" description: "\"People wonder why first-time directors can make a brilliant picture, then suck on the second one. It's because they're a little terrified the first tim..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/james-caan-10458_around_people-wonder-why-first-time-directors-c_3048841.jpg" --- # People wonder why first-time directors can make a… ![“People wonder why first-time directors can make a brilliant picture, then suck on the second one. It's because they're a little terrified the first time. So they listen to all the experts around them.” quote by James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/james-caan-10458_around_people-wonder-why-first-time-directors-c_3048841.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/james-caan-10458_around_people-wonder-why-first-time-directors-c_3048841.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/james-caan-10458_around_people-wonder-why-first-time-directors-c_3048841.jpg) > “People wonder why first-time directors can make a brilliant picture, then suck on the second one. It's because they're a little terrified the first time. So they listen to all the experts around them.” [James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker explains that first‑time directors succeed due to fearlessness, while second films suffer from over‑listening to experts. **In simple terms:** Fearlessness fuels first successes; fear hinders later work. Key Takeaway Balance confidence with counsel. Themes creativity fear expert advice Mood reflective practical Type professional When to use this quote - directorial mentorship - creative workshops - project planning Key Concepts film making psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay open to advice? - When should you trust your instinct? A Different Perspective Over‑confidence can be risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Directors Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-make-313749/) [Experts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experts/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listen/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Little Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-terrified-245147/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picture/) [Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second/) [Suck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suck/) [Suck Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suck-second-5061045/) [Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrified/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-directors-479949/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [I have to say a part of me was a little terrified to be only looked at as Shane from 'The L Word.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-moennig/i-have-to-say-a-part-of-me-was-a-little-terrified-to-be-only-looked/) [Katherine Moennig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-moennig/) > [I've never been difficult to anybody or with anybody on a picture. Especially when you're in that nice status of hierarchy of actors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caan/i-ve-never-been-difficult-to-anybody-or-with-anybody-on-a-picture/) [James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) > [I love to take chances. I love first-time directors. I love super-low-budget movies. I've done 80-something movies, and I want to just keep experimenting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-love-to-take-chances-i-love-first-time-directors-i-love-super-low/) [Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/) > [Clark Gregg and I are around the same age. He has been an actor and is a writer. 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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/) > [I can say yes to some directors without even reading a script. But the first-time directors I've worked with, the scripts have not been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/i-can-say-yes-to-some-directors-without-even-reading-a-script-but-the/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [Sometimes, when you work with directors who have done it a lot and are established in the business and know the game, there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-when-you-work-with-directors-who-have-done-it-a-lot-and-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I prefer to work with first-time directors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-prefer-to-work-with-first-time-directors/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The energy of first-time directors is tremendous. They work beyond the limits for a hit in this competitive industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/the-energy-of-first-time-directors-is-tremendous-they-work-beyond-the/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [It's through working with a lot of first-time directors that I realized that people learn on their feet. Everybody works on something for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/it-s-through-working-with-a-lot-of-first-time-directors-that-i/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) ## More by James Caan > [I loved 'Funny Lady' for whatever reason. People say they didn't know I could sing and dance. Well, nobody ever asks me - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caan/i-loved-funny-lady-for-whatever-reason-people-say-they-didn-t-know-i/) [James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) > [It's hard to tell writers, especially in movies, that words are secondary. 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There are a lot of guys who show up every day who shouldn't have showed up at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caan/showing-up-every-day-isn-t-enough-there-are-a-lot-of-guys-who-show-up/) [James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) > [A lot of young actors look up to me, and I wouldn't trade that for any money in the world. I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caan/a-lot-of-young-actors-look-up-to-me-and-i-wouldn-t-trade-that-for-any/) [James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) > [One night I went over to get some dope from some Hollywood tough guy. 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I just had a bigger passion for something else, for my son, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caan/i-lost-my-passion-for-work-no-that-s-a-negative-statement-i-just-had/) [James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) [Explore all 65 James Caan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) ## More Around 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/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [I guess I'm attracted to things that are fun. I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/) [Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/) > [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. 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