--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never really saw myself as a comedy…" description: "\"I never really saw myself as a comedy director, and I still don't. I see myself as a director.\" — Melina Matsoukas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/melina-matsoukas-26314_cinema_i-never-really-saw-myself-as-a-comedy-di_1799647.jpg" --- # I never really saw myself as a comedy director, and I… ![“I never really saw myself as a comedy director, and I still don't. I see myself as a director.” quote by Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/melina-matsoukas-26314_cinema_i-never-really-saw-myself-as-a-comedy-di_1799647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/melina-matsoukas-26314_cinema_i-never-really-saw-myself-as-a-comedy-di_1799647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/melina-matsoukas-26314_cinema_i-never-really-saw-myself-as-a-comedy-di_1799647.jpg) > “I never really saw myself as a comedy director, and I still don't. I see myself as a director.” [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She identifies as a director, not limited by genre, emphasizing personal identity over labels. **In simple terms:** She sees herself as a director. Key Takeaway Define your role beyond categories. Themes identity career genre selfdefinition Mood confident reflective Type inspirational assertive When to use this quote - film projects - TV pilots - creative workshops Key Concepts directorial vision industry labeling creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - How do you break genre expectations? - What defines your artistic identity? A Different Perspective Labels can affect opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [Did you know I started out as a stand-up comic? People don't believe me when I tell them. That's how I saw myself, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/did-you-know-i-started-out-as-a-stand-up-comic-people-don-t-believe/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [It is true that I got recognition. But however good the comedies are, nobody will accept a good comedy director as a good director.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshan/it-is-true-that-i-got-recognition-but-however-good-the-comedies-are/) [Priyadarshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshan/) > [I read that John Hughes script for 'Mr. Mom,' and I thought, 'This guy is a funny writer.' I went: 'You ought to stick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-read-that-john-hughes-script-for-mr-mom-and-i-thought-this-guy-is-a/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [The worst thing you can do as a comedy director is be on set and think of something ridiculous, or an actor comes up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/the-worst-thing-you-can-do-as-a-comedy-director-is-be-on-set-and/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [The problem with most Hollywood movies is they don't give the director enough control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-b-sweeney/the-problem-with-most-hollywood-movies-is-they-don-t-give-the/) [D. B. Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-b-sweeney/) > [I don't have a director's mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-don-t-have-a-director-s-mind/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I don't have a director. The audience directs me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-holbrook/i-don-t-have-a-director-the-audience-directs-me/) [Hal Holbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-holbrook/) > [Well, it's so cheesy to say but you can't find a comedy director who makes movies for critics. When a movie does $580 million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/well-it-s-so-cheesy-to-say-but-you-can-t-find-a-comedy-director-who/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [Yes, they allowed us to play around a lot because, like we said, the director's such a good comedy director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcdonald/yes-they-allowed-us-to-play-around-a-lot-because-like-we-said-the/) [Kevin McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mcdonald/) > [Sometimes when you're doing a comedy, the director will yell out "alts" and then the director gets the first laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/sometimes-when-you-re-doing-a-comedy-the-director-will-yell-out-alts/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Yes, I was hired by Universal because they needed a comedy director. They had seen Scandal and liked it. I saw an opportunity even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-sirk/yes-i-was-hired-by-universal-because-they-needed-a-comedy-director/) [Douglas Sirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-sirk/) > [Richard Lester is a wonderful director, a great comedy director, of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-mcdowell/richard-lester-is-a-wonderful-director-a-great-comedy-director-of/) [Malcolm McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-mcdowell/) > ['Crash' came from personal experience. I saw things inside me from living in L.A. that made me uncomfortable. I saw horrible things in people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/crash-came-from-personal-experience-i-saw-things-inside-me-from/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [I didn't know I was a good director, and I mean that sincerely. I had done a film a long time ago called 'Cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/i-didn-t-know-i-was-a-good-director-and-i-mean-that-sincerely-i-had/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [My aunt put my cousins into a children's modelling agency, then my mum did it with us. Me and my sister got a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sullivan-stapleton/my-aunt-put-my-cousins-into-a-children-s-modelling-agency-then-my-mum/) [Sullivan Stapleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sullivan-stapleton/) ## More by Melina Matsoukas > [I love that denim can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Anything goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-love-that-denim-can-be-as-simple-or-as-complicated-as-you-want-it/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [My style is super versatile and doesn't pertain to any one category. It can be best compared to a mood ring. It is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/my-style-is-super-versatile-and-doesn-t-pertain-to-any-one-category/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [Denim comes and goes into style often, but my Levi's have longevity. They will never be just a fad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/denim-comes-and-goes-into-style-often-but-my-levi-s-have-longevity/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [The reason I got into filmmaking was super naive: to change the world, you know? To really make the voices that we don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/the-reason-i-got-into-filmmaking-was-super-naive-to-change-the-world/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [I never feel like anything I have done is perfect. I feel like there is always room for improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-never-feel-like-anything-i-have-done-is-perfect-i-feel-like-there/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [I like to see a video through a computer or through a phone to make sure it looks good at its worst. I hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-like-to-see-a-video-through-a-computer-or-through-a-phone-to-make/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [As a toddler, my favorite piece of clothing was my Oshkosh denim overalls that I would call my Oreos because I could never say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/as-a-toddler-my-favorite-piece-of-clothing-was-my-oshkosh-denim/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [I'm proud of who I am. I'm proud of my history. I'm proud of the women and the men who came before us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-m-proud-of-who-i-am-i-m-proud-of-my-history-i-m-proud-of-the-women/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [In college, I interned at a production company and spent a lot of time on sets. I love music videos and felt I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/in-college-i-interned-at-a-production-company-and-spent-a-lot-of-time/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [I like to know that my actors or my performers are going into it with the same amount of passion that I have for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-like-to-know-that-my-actors-or-my-performers-are-going-into-it-with/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [I really can't get involved with any project that I don't feel a hundred percent I can stand behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-really-can-t-get-involved-with-any-project-that-i-don-t-feel-a/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [I've tried to create a comedy that doesn't look like any other comedy. Maybe traditionally in TV there has been a kind of formula…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-ve-tried-to-create-a-comedy-that-doesn-t-look-like-any-other-comedy/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [For me, the scariest moment is walking on set before we shoot the first shot, and I am so anxious. It's a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/for-me-the-scariest-moment-is-walking-on-set-before-we-shoot-the/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [I got a young black woman agent, and she kinda just knew what I would be attracted to. She sent me this pilot for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-got-a-young-black-woman-agent-and-she-kinda-just-knew-what-i-would/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [It's important for women to embrace their beauty and sexuality. Females are victimized and made to feel ashamed of their bodies, or they can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/it-s-important-for-women-to-embrace-their-beauty-and-sexuality/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) [Explore all 22 Melina Matsoukas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) ## 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": "I never really saw myself as a comedy director, and I still don't. 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