--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never directed anything before 'Mad…" description: "\"I've never directed anything before 'Mad Men,' so I don't feel I have any advice for the other directors.\" — John Slattery" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-slattery-19038_advice_i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad_79971.jpg" --- # I've never directed anything before 'Mad Men,' so I don't… ![“I've never directed anything before 'Mad Men,' so I don't feel I have any advice for the other directors.” quote by John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-slattery-19038_advice_i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad_79971.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-slattery-19038_advice_i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad_79971.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-slattery-19038_advice_i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad_79971.jpg) > “I've never directed anything before 'Mad Men,' so I don't feel I have any advice for the other directors.” [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges lack of directorial experience, emphasizing humility and openness to learning rather than offering prescriptive advice. **In simple terms:** Admit inexperience, stay open. Key Takeaway Experience isn’t a prerequisite for insight. Themes humility learning self-awareness leadership growth Mood thoughtful humble Type reflection advice When to use this quote - new director seeking guidance - film crew meeting - creative workshop Key Concepts directing advice confidence Practical Applications - peer mentorship - reflective practice Questions to Reflect On - How does inexperience shape one's approach? - Can humility foster better collaboration? A Different Perspective While experience can inform advice, fresh perspectives can also be valuable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Mad men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad-men/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“The life of a writer is directed by a mad impulsive muse, that can tell them to cancel all their storyline: a creative divergent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-life-of-a-writer-is-directed-by-a-mad-impulsive-muse-that-can/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I've also directed, shot, and edited several music videos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-king/i-ve-also-directed-shot-and-edited-several-music-videos/) [Richard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-king/) > [I've always been an actor, a lowly actor without power, so I've never been corrupted. I've never even directed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/i-ve-always-been-an-actor-a-lowly-actor-without-power-so-i-ve-never/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [I've never directed, but it must be humbling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hunter/i-ve-never-directed-but-it-must-be-humbling/) [Holly Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hunter/) > [I've directed all my videos throughout my whole career, 'cause that's leeway. I was granted that opportunity to be able to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gza/i-ve-directed-all-my-videos-throughout-my-whole-career-cause-that-s/) Gza > [I've never directed before, so I need to make sure that people know that I can. The movie that I've written, 'The Sophisticates,' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-headey/i-ve-never-directed-before-so-i-need-to-make-sure-that-people-know/) [Lena Headey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-headey/) > [I've directed independent film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-diesel/i-ve-directed-independent-film/) [Vin Diesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-diesel/) > ['Sunday, Bloody Sunday' was the only time I've been directed properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-head/sunday-bloody-sunday-was-the-only-time-i-ve-been-directed-properly/) [Murray Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-head/) > [I've directed things that other people have written before, and I've written things and given them to other directors. 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Because if that happens, then the converse is true: where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemi-badenoch/people-shouldn-t-feel-that-advice-has-to-come-from-people-who-look/) [Kemi Badenoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemi-badenoch/) > [As far as advice, that will be in my next book, my next collection. I certainly never like to instruct anyone, but just say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-wray/as-far-as-advice-that-will-be-in-my-next-book-my-next-collection-i/) [Fay Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-wray/) > [Lesli Glatter directed an episode of 'Mad Men' and then came in to direct an episode of 'House.' And she didn't recognize me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-dudek/lesli-glatter-directed-an-episode-of-mad-men-and-then-came-in-to/) [Anne Dudek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-dudek/) > ['Fast and Furious' is the only franchise that I've directed that I did not create from scratch. So it definitely was an eye-opening experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wan/fast-and-furious-is-the-only-franchise-that-i-ve-directed-that-i-did/) [James Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wan/) ## More by John Slattery > [Viewers can hate a character and at the same time can't take their eyes off of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/viewers-can-hate-a-character-and-at-the-same-time-can-t-take-their/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [When I first started, I was kind of surprised that anyone would ever hire me at all. So I took everything that I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/when-i-first-started-i-was-kind-of-surprised-that-anyone-would-ever/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [And I don't want to jump out of an airplane - I've done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/and-i-don-t-want-to-jump-out-of-an-airplane-i-ve-done-that/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [I guess, you make a big studio film, you spend a lot of money on it and you hope people go see it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-guess-you-make-a-big-studio-film-you-spend-a-lot-of-money-on-it-and/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [For some reason surfing... I'm not scared of the ocean so the risk doesn't seem as great to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/for-some-reason-surfing-i-m-not-scared-of-the-ocean-so-the-risk-doesn/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [I've dyed my hair a million times and it looks terrible, always. It just looks fake. And it doesn't make me look that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-ve-dyed-my-hair-a-million-times-and-it-looks-terrible-always-it/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [I'm proud of myself that I had the courage to experiment with crazy hairstyles and some fashion things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-m-proud-of-myself-that-i-had-the-courage-to-experiment-with-crazy/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [I do voiceovers, but being on-camera and selling something? I wasn't really interested. And then I thought, well, wait a minute. Everybody's selling something.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-do-voiceovers-but-being-on-camera-and-selling-something-i-wasn-t/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [The rule of surfing is never tell anyone where you go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/the-rule-of-surfing-is-never-tell-anyone-where-you-go/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [You have to fight for what you need to fight for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/you-have-to-fight-for-what-you-need-to-fight-for/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [I used to be more insecure about working, and I guess the older I get, the more rich my life becomes, I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working-and-i-guess-the-older-i-get/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [The path you end up on means that you have to close a lot of doors, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/the-path-you-end-up-on-means-that-you-have-to-close-a-lot-of-doors-too/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [I'm a little kid at heart, so my eyes light up when everything is lit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-m-a-little-kid-at-heart-so-my-eyes-light-up-when-everything-is-lit/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [We all went through that teen phase of wearing that really soft fragrance. As I got older, I started loving men's fragrances and cologne.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/we-all-went-through-that-teen-phase-of-wearing-that-really-soft/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) > [Characters can become boring. That's what's tricky about television. It goes on and on - you're playing this same character for five seasons and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/characters-can-become-boring-that-s-what-s-tricky-about-television-it/) [John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) [Explore all 33 John Slattery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never directed anything before 'Mad Men,' so I don't feel I have any advice for the other directors.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Slattery" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad-men-so-i-don-t-feel-i-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad-men-so-i-don-t-feel-i-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-slattery-19038_advice_i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad_79971.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-slattery-19038_advice_i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad_79971.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-slattery-19038_advice_i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad_79971.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've never directed anything before 'Mad Men,' so I don't feel I have any advice for the other directors.” — John Slattery", "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": "John Slattery", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've never directed anything before 'Mad...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad-men-so-i-don-t-feel-i-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad-men-so-i-don-t-feel-i-have/#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 } } ] } ```