---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest directors are the greatest…"
description: "\"The greatest directors are the greatest users. They use people's talents to tell the story that they want to tell.\" — Janusz Kaminski"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/janusz-kaminski-23057_cinema_the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest_3026174.jpg"
---

#  The greatest directors are the greatest users. They use…

![“The greatest directors are the greatest users. They use people's talents to tell the story that they want to tell.” quote by Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/janusz-kaminski-23057_cinema_the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest_3026174.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/janusz-kaminski-23057_cinema_the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest_3026174.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/janusz-kaminski-23057_cinema_the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest_3026174.jpg)

> “The greatest directors are the greatest users. They use people's talents to tell the story that they want to tell.”

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Directors succeed by leveraging others' abilities to realize their vision.

**In simple terms:** Great leaders use others’ talents.

Key Takeaway

Harness team strengths for your goals.

Themes

leadership collaboration creativity

Mood

inspired strategic

Type

motivational professional

When to use this quote

- film production
- advertising campaigns
- theatre direction
- music video creation

Key Concepts

cinematography vision team dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you credit collaborators effectively?
- What talents do you need to achieve your vision?

A Different Perspective

May overlook individual contributions, causing resentment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Directors Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-greatest-4921648/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Greatest Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-directors-999386/) [Greatest Users](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-users-4921649/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Talents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-talents-753881/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Users](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/users/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/)

## Related quotes

> [First time films are hard. Even with some of the greatest directors, you look back at their first film, and you are just going,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/first-time-films-are-hard-even-with-some-of-the-greatest-directors/)

[Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/)

> [But if one could go back in time, I'd love to have been directed by Howard Hawks, who's one of my great heroes. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/but-if-one-could-go-back-in-time-i-d-love-to-have-been-directed-by/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [I was really fortunate from the time I arrived in Hollywood to work with some of the greatest directors from the beginning. I worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilmos-zsigmond/i-was-really-fortunate-from-the-time-i-arrived-in-hollywood-to-work/)

[Vilmos Zsigmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilmos-zsigmond/)

> [It is universally agreed that Jean Renoir was one of the greatest of all directors, and he was also one of the warmest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-universally-agreed-that-jean-renoir-was-one-of-the-greatest-of/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [There have been directors that I did not enjoy working with, but for the most part I realize that I have been unbelievably spoiled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/there-have-been-directors-that-i-did-not-enjoy-working-with-but-for/)

[Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/)

> [Some of the greatest directors never got an Oscar, like Kubrick, or Hitchcock. For me, personally, I think the body of work is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-forster/some-of-the-greatest-directors-never-got-an-oscar-like-kubrick-or/)

[Marc Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-forster/)

> [Oh, I've been ridiculously lucky to work for, I'd say, five of the greatest directors of all time... and a lot of other great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/oh-i-ve-been-ridiculously-lucky-to-work-for-i-d-say-five-of-the/)

[Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/)

> [“You know what the greatest tragedy is in the whole world?... It's all the people who never find out what it is they really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-know-what-the-greatest-tragedy-is-in-the-whole-world-it-s-all-the/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [I would think that other people could see if you had other talents. I grew and expanded from the Elly May role. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-douglas/i-would-think-that-other-people-could-see-if-you-had-other-talents-i/)

[Donna Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-douglas/)

> [But 'Strictly' is meant to showcase people with talents in acting, singing, sports, journalism... not fame-seekers with no discernible talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-revel-horwood/but-strictly-is-meant-to-showcase-people-with-talents-in-acting/)

[Craig Revel Horwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-revel-horwood/)

> [I just had to get in front of the right people to show my talents off and do what I do best. That's play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-just-had-to-get-in-front-of-the-right-people-to-show-my-talents-off/)

[Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/)

> [I've come to appreciate other people's talents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stern/i-ve-come-to-appreciate-other-people-s-talents/)

[Howard Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stern/)

> [I was one of those lucky people with only one talent. It is harder for people with many talents to decide what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-chancellor/i-was-one-of-those-lucky-people-with-only-one-talent-it-is-harder-for/)

[Anna Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-chancellor/)

> [“You know what the greatest tragedy is in the whole world?” said Ginger, not paying him the least attention. “It’s all the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-know-what-the-greatest-tragedy-is-in-the-whole-world-said-ginger/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [What I do not accept is the fact that so many people's talents were ripped off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-blades/what-i-do-not-accept-is-the-fact-that-so-many-people-s-talents-were/)

[Ruben Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-blades/)

## More by Janusz Kaminski

> [ \[I\] love 'Munich', man. That's a very underappreciated film. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/i-love-munich-man-that-s-a-very-underappreciated-film/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [ \['American Dream' will be released\] probably never.Never in the United States because there's no room for independent cinema. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/american-dream-will-be-released-probably-never-never-in-the-united/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [Occasionally I do movies with other directors. I did 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly' for Julian Schnabel. I did a movie with Jim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/occasionally-i-do-movies-with-other-directors-i-did-the-diving-bell/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [I had very little involvement with 'TinTin'. Very little involvement. So I can't really elaborate on that either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/i-had-very-little-involvement-with-tintin-very-little-involvement-so/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [ 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/)

> [ \["War Horse"\] does have action as well, but we allow the audience to appreciate the environment where these characters are from because the lens… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/war-horse-does-have-action-as-well-but-we-allow-the-audience-to/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [ \[Spielberg\] surrounds himself with great crew members who are at the top of their game and know their stuff. He motivates us by liking… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/spielberg-surrounds-himself-with-great-crew-members-who-are-at-the/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> ['Sugarland Express' was pretty amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/sugarland-express-was-pretty-amazing/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [ \[There, in War Horse\] very little CGI. What happened there - because the horse was running very close to the trench, we had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/there-in-war-horse-very-little-cgi-what-happened-there-because-the/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [There are films that are difficult. There are films that would actually affect your personal life because of the length of the production, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/there-are-films-that-are-difficult-there-are-films-that-would/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [If you take away 'Schindler's List' and 'Saving Private Ryan', I like 'Minority Report' a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/if-you-take-away-schindler-s-list-and-saving-private-ryan-i-like/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [ We have not looked at any particular movies \[in creating War Horse\], but again, it's hard not to see the similarities between those movies… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/we-have-not-looked-at-any-particular-movies-in-creating-war-horse-but/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [It would be horrible to be micro-managed! I don't think directors can really micro-manage people. It's just impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/it-would-be-horrible-to-be-micro-managed-i-don-t-think-directors-can/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [ \[ 'American Dream' \] probably will \[go\] somewhere in Europe. You get 3000 entries \[to\] Sundance, and how many movies get \[screened\]? So, I'm… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/american-dream-probably-will-go-somewhere-in-europe-you-get-3000/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

> [I do like 'Munich'.It's a really wonderful film. I mean, there's 'Schindler's List', there's 'Saving Private Ryan'. But 'Munich' - of all the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/i-do-like-munich-it-s-a-really-wonderful-film-i-mean-there-s/)

[Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

[Explore all 26 Janusz Kaminski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/)

## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "The greatest directors are the greatest users. They use people's talents to tell the story that they want to tell.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Janusz Kaminski"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest-users-they-use-people-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cinema"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest-users-they-use-people-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/janusz-kaminski-23057_cinema_the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest_3026174.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/janusz-kaminski-23057_cinema_the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest_3026174.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/janusz-kaminski-23057_cinema_the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest_3026174.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The greatest directors are the greatest users. They use people's talents to tell the story that they want to…” — Janusz Kaminski",
                "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": "Janusz Kaminski",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The greatest directors are the greatest...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest-users-they-use-people-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/the-greatest-directors-are-the-greatest-users-they-use-people-s/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
