--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What a director does... essentially, it's…" description: "\"What a director does... essentially, it's storytelling, but a director also controls the feeling and the sounds and the texture. It's an act of creatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/john-carpenter-11345_cinema_what-a-director-does-essentially-it-s-st_1923109.png" --- # What a director does... essentially, it's storytelling… ![“What a director does... essentially, it's storytelling, but a director also controls the feeling and the sounds and the texture. It's an act of creation, like a symphony or a painting or a story. But with different tools.” quote by John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/john-carpenter-11345_cinema_what-a-director-does-essentially-it-s-st_1923109.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/john-carpenter-11345_cinema_what-a-director-does-essentially-it-s-st_1923109.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/john-carpenter-11345_cinema_what-a-director-does-essentially-it-s-st_1923109.png) > “What a director does... essentially, it's storytelling, but a director also controls the feeling and the sounds and the texture. It's an act of creation, like a symphony or a painting or a story. But with different tools.” [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes directing as storytelling using visual, auditory, and textural tools, likening it to other artistic forms. **In simple terms:** Directing blends story with sound, sight, and texture. Key Takeaway Use multiple senses to craft immersive narratives. Themes film storytelling creative process Mood inspirational thoughtful Type educational insightful When to use this quote - movie production - advertising - video game design Key Concepts multisensory design artistic synthesis Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance visual flair with plot? - What techniques best convey texture in film? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑emphasizing style over narrative clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [Gossip is essentially storytelling: storytelling about people whom we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-simpson/gossip-is-essentially-storytelling-storytelling-about-people-whom-we/) [Mona Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-simpson/) > [In the studio the director controls the actor's every move, every inflection, every expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-lugosi/in-the-studio-the-director-controls-the-actor-s-every-move-every/) [Bela Lugosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-lugosi/) > [In a normal movie, the director controls what you look at. The shots don't last very long because you're getting the audience to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-macgillivray/in-a-normal-movie-the-director-controls-what-you-look-at-the-shots/) [Greg MacGillivray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-macgillivray/) > [If you're a movie actor, you're on your own - you cannot control the stage. The director controls it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/if-you-re-a-movie-actor-you-re-on-your-own-you-cannot-control-the/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [In looking at Hollywood and its structure, the director controls the medium, and I want to be in control of certain things. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/in-looking-at-hollywood-and-its-structure-the-director-controls-the/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [I surrender to my directors. I do that because I respect them immensely. In fact, a director's talent scares me. I admit that they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/i-surrender-to-my-directors-i-do-that-because-i-respect-them/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [When I went to Jamia, I thought I wanted to be a cinematographer or photographer because I liked telling stories in pictures, but my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-rao/when-i-went-to-jamia-i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-cinematographer-or/) [Kiran Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-rao/) > [Matching character and actor is what a good director does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/matching-character-and-actor-is-what-a-good-director-does/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [To be a great director, what does it mean exactly? It's not only about a great director, but also about being able to rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabelle-huppert/to-be-a-great-director-what-does-it-mean-exactly-it-s-not-only-about/) [Isabelle Huppert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabelle-huppert/) > [Everything a director does must help the story and the performances. Otherwise, it is useless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wyler/everything-a-director-does-must-help-the-story-and-the-performances/) [William Wyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wyler/) > [The best directing style is the one that lets me do whatever I want. Seriously though, I like to be challenged and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-gilford/the-best-directing-style-is-the-one-that-lets-me-do-whatever-i-want/) [Zach Gilford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-gilford/) > [Listen, there are some movies that are set in stone and the writer or the director does not want to change, but I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/listen-there-are-some-movies-that-are-set-in-stone-and-the-writer-or/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [Film is mostly a visual medium, and so the director has much more control in terms of painting pictures and painting a performance. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay-abaire/film-is-mostly-a-visual-medium-and-so-the-director-has-much-more/) [David Lindsay-Abaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay-abaire/) > [As a director who does not like to write, I am always looking for scripts that I can contribute to through directing. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-mcgowan/as-a-director-who-does-not-like-to-write-i-am-always-looking-for/) Jen McGowan > [After all these years, I'm starting to learn what a good director does, and I know what a good one does with actors: help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-geraghty/after-all-these-years-i-m-starting-to-learn-what-a-good-director-does/) Brian Geraghty ## More by John Carpenter > [The strongest human emotion is fear. It's the essence of any good thriller that, for a little while, you believe in the boogeyman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/the-strongest-human-emotion-is-fear-it-s-the-essence-of-any-good/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [From early on, when synthesizers were first introduced into music, I liked the idea that you could get a big sound with them, electronic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/from-early-on-when-synthesizers-were-first-introduced-into-music-i/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [It's a very good time for horror. This business certainly has changed, but there's still room for serious horror films. Look at 28 Days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/it-s-a-very-good-time-for-horror-this-business-certainly-has-changed/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [Horror is always the same. It changes with the culture and changes with technology. The stories are always the same. There are just two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/horror-is-always-the-same-it-changes-with-the-culture-and-changes/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [ Horror is a reaction; it's not a genre. Somebody's life would have to be in danger for it \[story\] to be a horror story. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/horror-is-a-reaction-it-s-not-a-genre-somebody-s-life-would-have-to/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [ A lot of it \[success\] is luck. That's a huge part of it that no one wants to talk about. You just got to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/a-lot-of-it-success-is-luck-that-s-a-huge-part-of-it-that-no-one/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [I don't watch my films. I've seen 'em enough after cutting them and putting the music on. I don't ever want to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-don-t-watch-my-films-i-ve-seen-em-enough-after-cutting-them-and/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [I just aim for basketball season to start. I don't really care about anything else in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-just-aim-for-basketball-season-to-start-i-don-t-really-care-about/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [One of my heroes is a composer named James Bernard, and oh my God... I can still listen to his music today and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/one-of-my-heroes-is-a-composer-named-james-bernard-and-oh-my-god-i/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [What scares me is what scares you. We're all afraid of the same things. That's why horror is such a powerful genre. All you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/what-scares-me-is-what-scares-you-we-re-all-afraid-of-the-same-things/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [In Halloween, I viewed the characters as simply normal teenagers. Laurie, Jamie Lee's character, was shy and somewhat repressed. And Michael Myers, the killer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/in-halloween-i-viewed-the-characters-as-simply-normal-teenagers/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [I can play just about any keyboard but I can't read or write a note.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-can-play-just-about-any-keyboard-but-i-can-t-read-or-write-a-note/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [We all question our sanity. Everyone has had an experience of loss of control of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/we-all-question-our-sanity-everyone-has-had-an-experience-of-loss-of/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [“I met this six-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes... the devil's eyes." ~Dr. Sam Loomis/Halloween”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-met-this-six-year-old-child-with-this-blank-pale-emotionless-face/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [I'm pretty happy with who I am. I like myself and what I'm doing. I don't need to be the world's greatest director or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-m-pretty-happy-with-who-i-am-i-like-myself-and-what-i-m-doing-i-don/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) [Explore all 60 John Carpenter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) ## 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": "What a director does... essentially, it's storytelling, but a director also controls the feeling and the sounds and the texture. It's an act of creation, like a symphony or a painting or a story. 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