--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My first real job as a director was…" description: "\"My first real job as a director was working with Robbie Baitz on his play 'Three Hotels.' It was an incredible collaboration.\" — Joe Mantello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/joe-mantello-14720_cinema_my-first-real-job-as-a-director-was-work_1408424.jpg" --- # My first real job as a director was working with Robbie… ![“My first real job as a director was working with Robbie Baitz on his play 'Three Hotels.' It was an incredible collaboration.” quote by Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/joe-mantello-14720_cinema_my-first-real-job-as-a-director-was-work_1408424.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/joe-mantello-14720_cinema_my-first-real-job-as-a-director-was-work_1408424.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/joe-mantello-14720_cinema_my-first-real-job-as-a-director-was-work_1408424.jpg) > “My first real job as a director was working with Robbie Baitz on his play 'Three Hotels.' It was an incredible collaboration.” [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) ## 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 recounts a formative early collaboration that shaped his artistic growth. **In simple terms:** Early teamwork taught valuable lessons. Key Takeaway Seek collaborative experiences early. Themes collaboration career development artistic growth Mood reflective optimistic Type anecdotal inspirational When to use this quote - first directing job - theatre production - learning from peers - network building Key Concepts directing mentorship creative partnership Questions to Reflect On - What did you learn from that partnership? - How can you apply those lessons now? A Different Perspective Collaboration alone doesn’t guarantee success; personal vision still matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [I've always noticed a difference between working with a director and working with a writer/director. In how much they're invested and how specific they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-fillion/i-ve-always-noticed-a-difference-between-working-with-a-director-and/) [Nathan Fillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-fillion/) > [I love Krishna Vamsi very much as a director, and after working with him, I also started to like him personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nani/i-love-krishna-vamsi-very-much-as-a-director-and-after-working-with/) [Nani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nani/) > [Denzel is the type of director that its more about working with him than working for him. He wants you to be thinking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/denzel-is-the-type-of-director-that-its-more-about-working-with-him/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [An actor gets to take a nap, but the director is working hard from dawn till midnight. I'm kind of lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horse/an-actor-gets-to-take-a-nap-but-the-director-is-working-hard-from/) [Michael Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horse/) > [I do think that's so much a part of what being a director is - in working with actors - to really try and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-condon/i-do-think-that-s-so-much-a-part-of-what-being-a-director-is-in/) [Bill Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-condon/) > [I tend to project my father figure onto any director that I'm working with, or mother, if I'm working with a female, or it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/i-tend-to-project-my-father-figure-onto-any-director-that-i-m-working/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) > [Certainly there is a lot of collaboration, but there is also a lot of clarity that has to be had in the vision that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-slade/certainly-there-is-a-lot-of-collaboration-but-there-is-also-a-lot-of/) [David Slade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-slade/) > [Use people whom you're excited by and who share your excitement... 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Parents would ask, 'When are you going to get a real job?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-harrington/when-i-was-starting-out-being-a-young-entrepreneur-was-not/) [Kevin Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-harrington/) > [Everybody has a calling. And your real job in life is to figure out as soon as possible what that is, who you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/everybody-has-a-calling-and-your-real-job-in-life-is-to-figure-out-as/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I've never had a real job in my life. I didn't learn anything, I was terrible at school. It was just this thing. Music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-zimmer/i-ve-never-had-a-real-job-in-my-life-i-didn-t-learn-anything-i-was/) [Hans Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-zimmer/) > [Apply for a real job hatin on me hourly gets you no pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awk-taylor/apply-for-a-real-job-hatin-on-me-hourly-gets-you-no-pay/) Awk Taylor > [My very first real job in the industry was as a production assistant on a show called 'Infinity Factory' in 1976.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/my-very-first-real-job-in-the-industry-was-as-a-production-assistant/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) ## More by Joe Mantello > [My preference is for people who come to rehearsal and get into the ring. I like a muscular actor who's playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/my-preference-is-for-people-who-come-to-rehearsal-and-get-into-the/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [If I hadn't gone into the theater, I would be a painter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/if-i-hadn-t-gone-into-the-theater-i-would-be-a-painter/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I don't believe really good plays - interesting plays, complicated plays - can mean just one thing to every single person in the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-don-t-believe-really-good-plays-interesting-plays-complicated-plays/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I have a concentrated period of work for about five months, and then I take a bunch of time off. That's just the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-have-a-concentrated-period-of-work-for-about-five-months-and-then-i/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [In 'The Humans,' there's a gay character, and the fact that she's gay is probably the least interesting thing about her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/in-the-humans-there-s-a-gay-character-and-the-fact-that-she-s-gay-is/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [Alison Pill is the unsung hero of 'Three Tall Women' to me. She's extraordinary in this part, and she makes it look easy. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/alison-pill-is-the-unsung-hero-of-three-tall-women-to-me-she-s/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [But there is a process that happens when you're making something, be it a musical or a new play. That process takes time, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/but-there-is-a-process-that-happens-when-you-re-making-something-be/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I tend to go toward things that make me afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-tend-to-go-toward-things-that-make-me-afraid/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I do not resent Sarah Jessica Parker. We've been friends for decades. I just do not like what 'Sex and the City' did to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-do-not-resent-sarah-jessica-parker-we-ve-been-friends-for-decades-i/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [Jayne Houdyshell and I - when I was 17 years old - did summer stock together at the Timber Lake Playhouse in Mt. Carroll,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/jayne-houdyshell-and-i-when-i-was-17-years-old-did-summer-stock/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I think, as written, 'Assassins' simply acknowledges the very human need to be acknowledged. As director, I've got to put aside any particular biases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-think-as-written-assassins-simply-acknowledges-the-very-human-need/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [There are plenty of other actors who are wonderful that just don't work in a way that I work, or our methods aren't necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/there-are-plenty-of-other-actors-who-are-wonderful-that-just-don-t/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I have a responsibility to diversity onstage, but one of the things I've heard about our production of 'Boys' is that it's a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-have-a-responsibility-to-diversity-onstage-but-one-of-the-things-i/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [Is it perfect? Absolutely not! But there was an audience for 'Wicked,' and our producers were smart enough to reach that audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/is-it-perfect-absolutely-not-but-there-was-an-audience-for-wicked-and/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I am a very fortunate man, and I don't take it for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-am-a-very-fortunate-man-and-i-don-t-take-it-for-granted/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) [Explore all 45 Joe Mantello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) ## 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": "My first real job as a director was working with Robbie Baitz on his play 'Three Hotels.' 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