--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a great director who directed a…" description: "\"There was a great director who directed a picture that I wrote who barred me from the set quite appropriately and said, \"I'm sorry, Jim. When you're di..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/251/james-l-brooks-9871_actors_there-was-a-great-director-who-directed_319415.png" --- # There was a great director who directed a picture that I… ![“There was a great director who directed a picture that I wrote who barred me from the set quite appropriately and said, "I'm sorry, Jim. When you're directing, you don't need to know everything. You need the illusion that you do." And, you know, and I WOULD be there behind him trying to signal the…” quote by James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/251/james-l-brooks-9871_actors_there-was-a-great-director-who-directed_319415.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/251/james-l-brooks-9871_actors_there-was-a-great-director-who-directed_319415.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/251/james-l-brooks-9871_actors_there-was-a-great-director-who-directed_319415.png) > “There was a great director who directed a picture that I wrote who barred me from the set quite appropriately and said, "I'm sorry, Jim. When you're directing, you don't need to know everything. You need the illusion that you do." And, you know, and I WOULD be there behind him trying to signal the actors in, you know, in a way I wasn't even aware of.” [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) ## 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 demands that a filmmaker appear confident, even if they lack full knowledge, emphasizing the importance of perceived competence in leadership. **In simple terms:** Leaders must project confidence even when uncertain. Key Takeaway Project confidence, even when learning. Themes leadership confidence illusion Mood inspirational reflective Type advice leadership When to use this quote - directing a film - team meetings - public presentations - teaching a class Key Concepts management theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance confidence with honesty? - When is it okay to admit uncertainty? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can lead to mistakes if not balanced with humility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Signals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signals/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [The images are designed, so that after you see the picture two or three times, its no longer my film, it starts to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-tati/the-images-are-designed-so-that-after-you-see-the-picture-two-or/) Jacques Tati > [Seeing someone you know be good at something is really appealing. Seeing how Darren Aronofsky behaved on set, it was another aspect of him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/seeing-someone-you-know-be-good-at-something-is-really-appealing/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [One thing which no one knows about me is I could be very good director. Although I have not directed any movie so far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurpreet-ghuggi/one-thing-which-no-one-knows-about-me-is-i-could-be-very-good/) [Gurpreet Ghuggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurpreet-ghuggi/) > [ I just directed another picture called 'American Dream' with Nick Stahl. Just finished shooting principal photography right before I started \['Lincoln'\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/i-just-directed-another-picture-called-american-dream-with-nick-stahl/) [Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/) > [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/) > [Just trying to get to know what director Bill Condon wanted. He's a great director and knows exactly what he wants. He knew every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-thomas/just-trying-to-get-to-know-what-director-bill-condon-wanted-he-s-a/) [Damon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-thomas/) > [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 played the best role in my life. I had a great director.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/i-played-the-best-role-in-my-life-i-had-a-great-director/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [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 James L. Brooks > [Great things that can happen when you're doing a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/great-things-that-can-happen-when-you-re-doing-a-movie/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I took some time out for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-took-some-time-out-for-life/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I have a rule in research: The third time you hear something, it's generally true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-have-a-rule-in-research-the-third-time-you-hear-something-it-s/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I have a lot of nightmares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-have-a-lot-of-nightmares/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [Nothing is a matter of course when you get to do your own thing. 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Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [Working on any show that works is the best job you can possibly have in any area of the business. You've got so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/working-on-any-show-that-works-is-the-best-job-you-can-possibly-have/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I love it if comedy reflects real life because to me it's more reassuring that we'll get through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-love-it-if-comedy-reflects-real-life-because-to-me-it-s-more/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I love romantic comedy, but I think you have to have another idea that you're chasing along with romantic comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-love-romantic-comedy-but-i-think-you-have-to-have-another-idea-that/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [When you work alongside somebody day in and day out, the relationships tend to be wonderful: they're lifelong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/when-you-work-alongside-somebody-day-in-and-day-out-the-relationships/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [If you write about a process you're about to go through, market research, and you go through it, and it doesn't echo what you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/if-you-write-about-a-process-you-re-about-to-go-through-market/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I laugh every day. There are days when my laughs are pretty hollow. Dust comes out of your mouth, and your bones make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-laugh-every-day-there-are-days-when-my-laughs-are-pretty-hollow/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I always think that the deal, once I do the script, sort of the experience I go through writing, which is everything you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-always-think-that-the-deal-once-i-do-the-script-sort-of-the/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) [Explore all 69 James L. Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [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/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. 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