--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing is that we're being…" description: "\"The first thing is that we're being attacked by both the Writers Guild and the Producers Guild. Both of these groups are trying to diminish the importa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/john-frankenheimer-17582_attacked_the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-atta_2151112.jpg" --- # The first thing is that we're being attacked by both the… ![“The first thing is that we're being attacked by both the Writers Guild and the Producers Guild. Both of these groups are trying to diminish the importance and strength of the director. They're trying to do it through both frontal and side attacks.” quote by John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/john-frankenheimer-17582_attacked_the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-atta_2151112.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/john-frankenheimer-17582_attacked_the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-atta_2151112.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/john-frankenheimer-17582_attacked_the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-atta_2151112.jpg) > “The first thing is that we're being attacked by both the Writers Guild and the Producers Guild. Both of these groups are trying to diminish the importance and strength of the director. They're trying to do it through both frontal and side attacks.” [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how guilds are undermining directors' authority through coordinated attacks. **In simple terms:** Guilds are challenging directors' power. Key Takeaway Defend director autonomy. Themes industry power labor relations creative control Mood tense defensive Type political industry When to use this quote - film production meetings - contract negotiations - creative decision making Key Concepts union dynamics leadership media politics Questions to Reflect On - How can directors maintain influence amid union pressures? - What balance should exist between guilds and directors? A Different Perspective The claim may exaggerate the intent of the guilds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attacked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacked/) [Attacked Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacked-writers-4523025/) [Attacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacks/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Both](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both/) [Diminish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diminish/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Director Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-trying-1132284/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [First thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-thing/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Guild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guild/) [Guild Producers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guild-producers-4523026/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Producers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/producers/) [Producers Guild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/producers-guild-1552103/) [Side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [The first thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-first-thing/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writers Guild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-guild-1600327/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-sawyer/i-m-a-member-of-the-writers-guild-of-america-and-the-writers-guild-of/) [Robert J. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-sawyer/) > [I own all the characters I created, thanks to the Writers Guild, so nobody can do anything without me. The way it works is:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-schwartz/i-own-all-the-characters-i-created-thanks-to-the-writers-guild-so/) [Sherwood Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-schwartz/) > [Our business,The Producers Guild, has a good record in some areas, and a bad record in others. There are many well-intentioned people trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-herskovitz/our-business-the-producers-guild-has-a-good-record-in-some-areas-and/) [Marshall Herskovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-herskovitz/) > [As a past president of the Writers Guild, I think women shouldn't write for free. Maybe you have to do it for a time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/as-a-past-president-of-the-writers-guild-i-think-women-shouldn-t/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“My Mouth Goes into Politics. The Rest of Me Is Forced to Follow. After the Writers Guild of America Strike that Changed the World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/my-mouth-goes-into-politics-the-rest-of-me-is-forced-to-follow-after/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [When you're a big enough part of the process that the Writers Guild gives you a lot of credit, that's a good thing. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/when-you-re-a-big-enough-part-of-the-process-that-the-writers-guild/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Before you approach a production entity or even a potential producer, you should write up a treatment and register your show with the Writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-spheeris/before-you-approach-a-production-entity-or-even-a-potential-producer/) [Penelope Spheeris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-spheeris/) > [You spend most of your time as a director trying to move forward with the movie. It happens on a daily basis, if not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/you-spend-most-of-your-time-as-a-director-trying-to-move-forward-with/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [When you shoot an independent movie you have a very limited amount of time, and you don't want to be that actor, when a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isla-fisher/when-you-shoot-an-independent-movie-you-have-a-very-limited-amount-of/) [Isla Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isla-fisher/) > [A very quick way to annoy me as an actor is a director trying to tell me what my character's thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/a-very-quick-way-to-annoy-me-as-an-actor-is-a-director-trying-to-tell/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [If you're a documenter, you're taking a video of something in the real world you want to capture. If you're a director, you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/if-you-re-a-documenter-you-re-taking-a-video-of-something-in-the-real/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) > [It's always interesting to see a director trying different things, and on top of it, doing it right each and almost every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/it-s-always-interesting-to-see-a-director-trying-different-things-and/) [Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/) > [The shift for me, after spending a long time trying to take existing projects and bring them to fruition as a director for hire,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-sapochnik/the-shift-for-me-after-spending-a-long-time-trying-to-take-existing/) [Miguel Sapochnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-sapochnik/) > [As a director, what I'm trying to do is to create interesting stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/as-a-director-what-i-m-trying-to-do-is-to-create-interesting-stories/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [The actor is concerned with his own bit of it, but the director's somehow trying to work the whole thing into a much bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-joffe/the-actor-is-concerned-with-his-own-bit-of-it-but-the-director-s/) [Roland Joffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-joffe/) ## More by John Frankenheimer > [I think that you can't make a movie without a script. But you also can't make movies without actors. You also can't make movies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/i-think-that-you-can-t-make-a-movie-without-a-script-but-you-also-can/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [I think I've made some pretty decent films in the '80s and '90s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/i-think-i-ve-made-some-pretty-decent-films-in-the-80s-and-90s/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [If you don't cast well, you can be in real trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/if-you-don-t-cast-well-you-can-be-in-real-trouble/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [The first thing I can really tell you is I really love the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/the-first-thing-i-can-really-tell-you-is-i-really-love-the-work/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [One of the first lessons you learn as an actor is to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/one-of-the-first-lessons-you-learn-as-an-actor-is-to-listen/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [But I really am very active in the choice of the line producer with the producer of record and the distributing company, because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/but-i-really-am-very-active-in-the-choice-of-the-line-producer-with/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [The accolades usually come when you're dead or too old to get a job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/the-accolades-usually-come-when-you-re-dead-or-too-old-to-get-a-job/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [I think all great actors - and I don't classify myself as one of them, incidentally - but I think all great actors listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/i-think-all-great-actors-and-i-don-t-classify-myself-as-one-of-them/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [I mean, this whole digital revolution is really eroding the director's importance on a movie because, number one, just from a practical standpoint, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/i-mean-this-whole-digital-revolution-is-really-eroding-the-director-s/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [You have to be a great storyteller. And you have to master the tools that you have to tell the story which are, inorder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/you-have-to-be-a-great-storyteller-and-you-have-to-master-the-tools/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [And I kind of feel that I have a responsibility to the people that invest their time and money with me to show up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/and-i-kind-of-feel-that-i-have-a-responsibility-to-the-people-that/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [Casting is 65 percent of directing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/casting-is-65-percent-of-directing/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [First, speaking for myself, I don't want to ever be in a position where I'm telling other directors how to make movies, because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/first-speaking-for-myself-i-don-t-want-to-ever-be-in-a-position-where/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [A disk unbeknownst to the director can go to the producer in another city or in another office and that producer can edit behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/a-disk-unbeknownst-to-the-director-can-go-to-the-producer-in-another/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [The importance of the assistant director cannot be overemphasized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/the-importance-of-the-assistant-director-cannot-be-overemphasized/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) [Explore all 36 John Frankenheimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) ## More Attacked quotes > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [It turns out that this part of the brain is one of the first areas that's attacked by Alzheimer's disease. So we can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-keefe/it-turns-out-that-this-part-of-the-brain-is-one-of-the-first-areas/) [John O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-keefe/) > [With what all these people are saying, do you think that anybody wants to be around me? They all think that I did this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-wallice/with-what-all-these-people-are-saying-do-you-think-that-anybody-wants/) [Marc Wallice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-wallice/) > [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I just put myself in a hotel and was smoking coke for a while. Then I met up with the wrong people. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-wallice/i-just-put-myself-in-a-hotel-and-was-smoking-coke-for-a-while-then-i/) [Marc Wallice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-wallice/) > [“Do you mean you were attacked from behind?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-faust/do-you-mean-you-were-attacked-from-behind/) [Christa Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-faust/) > [I am one of the most attacked persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jair-bolsonaro/i-am-one-of-the-most-attacked-persons/) [Jair Bolsonaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jair-bolsonaro/) > [I'm always ready to be attacked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-votto/i-m-always-ready-to-be-attacked/) [Joey Votto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-votto/) > [I prefer to be at home with my husband and children than attacked by photographers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-princess-of-hanover/i-prefer-to-be-at-home-with-my-husband-and-children-than-attacked-by/) [Caroline, Princess of Hanover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-princess-of-hanover/) > [When Gingrich attacked CNN's John King for bringing up his alleged proposal of an open marriage to his second wife, Gingrich accused him of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/when-gingrich-attacked-cnn-s-john-king-for-bringing-up-his-alleged/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Progress is always relative: to the oppressed, it can only be viewed as an all or nothing deal - if oppression continues, even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/progress-is-always-relative-to-the-oppressed-it-can-only-be-viewed-as/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [ \[On her seven-month-old son:\] When people see me carrying him in the street they think I'm being attacked by a short, bald man. But… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hurley/on-her-seven-month-old-son-when-people-see-me-carrying-him-in-the/) [Elizabeth Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hurley/) > [I have been attacked and mistreated for my skin colour since I was a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-have-been-attacked-and-mistreated-for-my-skin-colour-since-i-was-a/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Therefore, if you are attacked, retaliate instantly. Be sudden. Be quick. Speed is your salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/therefore-if-you-are-attacked-retaliate-instantly-be-sudden-be-quick/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [“His life was a constant war with insensate objects that fell apart, or attacked him, or refused to function, or viciously got themselves lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/his-life-was-a-constant-war-with-insensate-objects-that-fell-apart-or/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) [Browse all 244 Attacked quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacked/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thing is that we're being attacked by both the Writers Guild and the Producers Guild. Both of these groups are trying to diminish the importance and strength of the director. They're trying to do it through both frontal and side attacks.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Frankenheimer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-attacked-by-both-the-writers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attacked" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-attacked-by-both-the-writers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/john-frankenheimer-17582_attacked_the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-atta_2151112.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/john-frankenheimer-17582_attacked_the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-atta_2151112.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/john-frankenheimer-17582_attacked_the-first-thing-is-that-we-re-being-atta_2151112.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first thing is that we're being attacked by both the Writers Guild and the Producers Guild. 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