--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a screenwriter, you are so used to…" description: "\"As a screenwriter, you are so used to things going in directions that you wouldn't have taken, so to be able to say, 'This is how I intended it, this i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/james-watkins-20702_directing_as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-thi_533944.jpg" --- # As a screenwriter, you are so used to things going in… ![“As a screenwriter, you are so used to things going in directions that you wouldn't have taken, so to be able to say, 'This is how I intended it, this is how I want to shoot it, and these are the decisions that I'll live by,' I think directing is a logical conclusion of mine.” quote by James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/james-watkins-20702_directing_as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-thi_533944.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/james-watkins-20702_directing_as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-thi_533944.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/james-watkins-20702_directing_as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-thi_533944.jpg) > “As a screenwriter, you are so used to things going in directions that you wouldn't have taken, so to be able to say, 'This is how I intended it, this is how I want to shoot it, and these are the decisions that I'll live by,' I think directing is a logical conclusion of mine.” [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Directing follows screenwriting because it lets the creator control how the story is visually realized, aligning execution with original intent. **In simple terms:** Directing lets writers ensure their vision is filmed as intended. Key Takeaway Embrace directing to preserve your story’s intent. Themes creativity control vision film-making career development Mood determined reflective optimistic Type advice career inspirational When to use this quote - film production - personal projects - independent cinema - studio collaborations Key Concepts authorship visual storytelling decision making Questions to Reflect On - How does control affect creative collaboration? - When should you let others reinterpret your script? A Different Perspective Directing adds new responsibilities and may limit collaborative spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) [Directing Logical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-logical-4478749/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Logical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logical/) [Screenwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenwriter/) [Screenwriter Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenwriter-used-4478750/) [Think Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-directing-492520/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [My dad is a screenwriter, so he always used to watch movies for inspiration when I was a baby. I would watch movies with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wolfhard/my-dad-is-a-screenwriter-so-he-always-used-to-watch-movies-for/) [Finn Wolfhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wolfhard/) > [Writing and directing, to me, was the logical evolution from my life as an actor: going from telling someone else's story to actually creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamzin-merchant/writing-and-directing-to-me-was-the-logical-evolution-from-my-life-as/) [Tamzin Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamzin-merchant/) > [People ask me about that all the time. They say, "Did you ever think of directing?" And I say, "It's completely out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/people-ask-me-about-that-all-the-time-they-say-did-you-ever-think-of/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I think directing and writing are very different jobs. Obviously, directing is a more social and managerial job. The other thing about directing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/i-think-directing-and-writing-are-very-different-jobs-obviously/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [Even when I was an actor in training, one criticism my teachers had was that I should think about directing instead of acting, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/even-when-i-was-an-actor-in-training-one-criticism-my-teachers-had/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [As a screenwriter, you always have frustrations. It's just the nature of the job, and you have to live with it. Your vision is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/as-a-screenwriter-you-always-have-frustrations-it-s-just-the-nature/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [I think directing is part play, part work, not just all work, because I think you always have to play. I think that's ultimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-forster/i-think-directing-is-part-play-part-work-not-just-all-work-because-i/) [Marc Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-forster/) > [I think the only directing I'd be any good at is theatre directing. It's the only thing I can see myself doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-think-the-only-directing-i-d-be-any-good-at-is-theatre-directing-it/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [I think that directing is the ultimate martyred task of filmmaking, that it has nobility to it. It takes three years to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-think-that-directing-is-the-ultimate-martyred-task-of-filmmaking/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [My dad had a big influence on me, and although I was never very bright at school, I used to love philosophising with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/my-dad-had-a-big-influence-on-me-and-although-i-was-never-very-bright/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I think that directing is the ultimate martyred task of filmmaking, that it has nobility to it. It takes three years to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-think-that-directing-is-the-ultimate-martyred-task-of-filmmaking-2/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [When I made my first film, I didn't think of it as directing, so it wasn't like I set out to become a director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/when-i-made-my-first-film-i-didn-t-think-of-it-as-directing-so-it/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [When I think about directing a film, the thing that stops me short is wondering if I'm a natural at it the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/when-i-think-about-directing-a-film-the-thing-that-stops-me-short-is/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [I think directing yourself is a monumental task. Just to self edit as an actor, you work for some directors who don't give you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-think-directing-yourself-is-a-monumental-task-just-to-self-edit-as/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [I thought of myself as part of the general filmmaking effort. And as my scope broadened, I began to think about directing. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-thought-of-myself-as-part-of-the-general-filmmaking-effort-and-as/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) ## More by James Watkins > [If you think about the traditional mafia stories we grew up on, it is always about the death of criminal organisations - things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-think-about-the-traditional-mafia-stories-we-grew-up-on-it-is/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [The opportunity to be able to tell long-form character stories is something that TV affords and is therefore a terrain that a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/the-opportunity-to-be-able-to-tell-long-form-character-stories-is/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [We want 'McMafia' to be a tense gangster story but also a family story. It's a collusion of those two worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/we-want-mcmafia-to-be-a-tense-gangster-story-but-also-a-family-story/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [We think criminality is something that exists in somehow another world to us. But actually, there is an invisible criminal web in which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/we-think-criminality-is-something-that-exists-in-somehow-another/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [People like to see their lives mythologized in some way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/people-like-to-see-their-lives-mythologized-in-some-way/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Directing is an act of interpretation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/directing-is-an-act-of-interpretation/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Parents fear for their children. Absolutely, I think it's a deep and troubling theme to explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/parents-fear-for-their-children-absolutely-i-think-it-s-a-deep-and/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [There are a lot of horror films out there that are nasty, but what's nasty isn't necessarily scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/there-are-a-lot-of-horror-films-out-there-that-are-nasty-but-what-s/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [If you look at 'The Sopranos,' there's this notion of a criminal element on its last legs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-look-at-the-sopranos-there-s-this-notion-of-a-criminal-element/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [If you look around in London, there is a lot of dirty money. People see it as a safe haven: a bolthole to rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-look-around-in-london-there-is-a-lot-of-dirty-money-people-see/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the Victorian novel with multiple narratives and more discursive material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-akin-to-the-victorian-novel/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [I don't really watch a load of 'Game Of Thrones.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/i-don-t-really-watch-a-load-of-game-of-thrones/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [There's nothing worse in television than what I call 'poor man's Jerry Bruckheimer.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/there-s-nothing-worse-in-television-than-what-i-call-poor-man-s-jerry/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [I've got lots of friends who would just think, 'Horror movies - they're crap, aren't they?' I think there's a cultural snobbery more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/i-ve-got-lots-of-friends-who-would-just-think-horror-movies-they-re/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Where previously the international underworld was a world of local, often-warring mafia territories, it has become globalised. The criminal has become corporate, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/where-previously-the-international-underworld-was-a-world-of-local/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) [Explore all 30 James Watkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) ## More Directing quotes > [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/) > [“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/) > [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 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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not like acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-don-t-get-nervous-when-i-m-directing-a-play-it-s-not-like-acting/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [My dad's a prominent theatre director in Toronto, so I grew up in that world, directing and producing theater since I was a teenager.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gass-donnelly/my-dad-s-a-prominent-theatre-director-in-toronto-so-i-grew-up-in-that/) [Ed Gass-Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gass-donnelly/) > [The hardest part about directing is getting everyone on the same page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-marshall/the-hardest-part-about-directing-is-getting-everyone-on-the-same-page/) [Rob Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-marshall/) [Browse all 1,163 Directing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a screenwriter, you are so used to things going in directions that you wouldn't have taken, so to be able to say, 'This is how I intended it, this is how I want to shoot it, and these are the decisions that I'll live by,' I think directing is a logical conclusion of mine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Watkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-things-going-in-directions-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Directing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-things-going-in-directions-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/james-watkins-20702_directing_as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-thi_533944.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/james-watkins-20702_directing_as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-thi_533944.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/james-watkins-20702_directing_as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-thi_533944.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a screenwriter, you are so used to things going in directions that you wouldn't have taken, so to be able…” — James Watkins", "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": "James Watkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a screenwriter, you are so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-things-going-in-directions-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-things-going-in-directions-that/#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 } } ] } ```