--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never want to impose my will on a…" description: "\"I never want to impose my will on a community because even though I am the director of the movie, I can't direct them to be any more like themselves th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/niki-caro-13035_community_i-never-want-to-impose-my-will-on-a-comm_3165854.jpg" --- # I never want to impose my will on a community because even… ![“I never want to impose my will on a community because even though I am the director of the movie, I can't direct them to be any more like themselves than they are. So it's very helpful to me because I can see the truth of their lives and their world right in front of me.” quote by Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/niki-caro-13035_community_i-never-want-to-impose-my-will-on-a-comm_3165854.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/niki-caro-13035_community_i-never-want-to-impose-my-will-on-a-comm_3165854.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/niki-caro-13035_community_i-never-want-to-impose-my-will-on-a-comm_3165854.jpg) > “I never want to impose my will on a community because even though I am the director of the movie, I can't direct them to be any more like themselves than they are. So it's very helpful to me because I can see the truth of their lives and their world right in front of me.” [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) ## 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 respects a community's authenticity, observing their lives without forcing change. **In simple terms:** Respect community truth without imposing will. Key Takeaway Observe and support, don't control. Themes authenticity leadership community respect Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - film direction - community engagement - documentary work Key Concepts cultural representation director responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can creators balance guidance and authenticity? - When is intervention necessary? A Different Perspective May limit artistic vision if too hands‑off. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-director-5741878/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Director Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-movie-367102/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Helpful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpful/) [Helpful Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpful-truth-5741876/) [Impose Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impose-community-5741877/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-direct-3428291/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Your Life Is A Movie, which you Direct, Star, and choose who cast, don't let anyone change the script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taelor-chardae/your-life-is-a-movie-which-you-direct-star-and-choose-who-cast-don-t/) [Taelor Chardae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taelor-chardae/) > [You know that you're going to invest so much of your time on a movie when you direct it that it's something that just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courteney-cox/you-know-that-you-re-going-to-invest-so-much-of-your-time-on-a-movie/) [Courteney Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courteney-cox/) > [I strongly feel, for me to act in any movie, the director of the movie should be known to me. Though this fact should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waheeda-rehman/i-strongly-feel-for-me-to-act-in-any-movie-the-director-of-the-movie/) [Waheeda Rehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waheeda-rehman/) > [I went to do Eclipse right after The Runaways, and I think the director of that movie might have said to another cast member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-went-to-do-eclipse-right-after-the-runaways-and-i-think-the/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [ If you are a writer/director, the \[movie\] characters are a part of yourself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-diego-solanas/if-you-are-a-writer-director-the-movie-characters-are-a-part-of/) [Juan Diego Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-diego-solanas/) > [Unless you're the director on the movie, or putting up the money for the movie, you really don't have a lot of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/unless-you-re-the-director-on-the-movie-or-putting-up-the-money-for/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [The Dead was cool, It's a great horror story. I went to the casting director of this movie and talked to him, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcgrory/the-dead-was-cool-it-s-a-great-horror-story-i-went-to-the-casting/) [Matthew McGrory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcgrory/) > [It's not like every director in every movie is seeking me out by any means, there are a lot of things I'm not suited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/it-s-not-like-every-director-in-every-movie-is-seeking-me-out-by-any/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [You have a soft spot in your heart for each movie, and you're doing certain things. You're learning as you're going, as a director,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-buck/you-have-a-soft-spot-in-your-heart-for-each-movie-and-you-re-doing/) [Chris Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-buck/) > [Not to knock the people who've given me the opportunity; I appreciate all the opportunities I've gotten, but one of the things I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/not-to-knock-the-people-who-ve-given-me-the-opportunity-i-appreciate/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > ['Oppam' is more of a director's movie, especially because I play a visually-challenged hero in it. The character doesn't have a perspective, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohanlal/oppam-is-more-of-a-director-s-movie-especially-because-i-play-a/) [Mohanlal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohanlal/) > [I don't want people saying, 'Should we get a female director?' I want to hear, 'Should we get a great director for this movie?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-don-t-want-people-saying-should-we-get-a-female-director-i-want-to/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [Sometimes you can't even find the director on a movie set. Sometimes you don't want to find the director on a movie set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-tucci/sometimes-you-can-t-even-find-the-director-on-a-movie-set-sometimes/) [Stanley Tucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-tucci/) > [As I told the students every time I visited a campus, you are the director of your own movie, and if you aren't enjoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/as-i-told-the-students-every-time-i-visited-a-campus-you-are-the/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) ## More by Niki Caro > [I recognised that femininity and strength are not mutually exclusive, and I think that femininity has often been equated with weakness, but we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/i-recognised-that-femininity-and-strength-are-not-mutually-exclusive/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [I'm not at my house storyboarding, and telling them they need to move from A to B, 'Move here and then there.' Never, ever!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/i-m-not-at-my-house-storyboarding-and-telling-them-they-need-to-move/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [I don't see myself as a crusading feminist filmmaker. Not at all. I have the luxury of coming from New Zealand and I've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/i-don-t-see-myself-as-a-crusading-feminist-filmmaker-not-at-all-i/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [Fundamentally, the way I work is exactly the same whether I'm making 'Whale Rider' or 'Mulan'. And those two stories are somewhat similar. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/fundamentally-the-way-i-work-is-exactly-the-same-whether-i-m-making/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [Martial arts are inherently both incredibly impressive and incredibly beautiful. And that's my female nature, maybe, and my instinct, to make things beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/martial-arts-are-inherently-both-incredibly-impressive-and-incredibly/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [I blew up the mine in 'North Country'. It was about a kilometer long. I was so nervous that I'd do it wrong that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/i-blew-up-the-mine-in-north-country-it-was-about-a-kilometer-long-i/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [As far as people getting into the industry and creative roles as writers and directors, I would say that technology is on your side,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/as-far-as-people-getting-into-the-industry-and-creative-roles-as/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [In all cases, I will always hire the best person for the job, and it just so happens that many of those are women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/in-all-cases-i-will-always-hire-the-best-person-for-the-job-and-it/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [The problem for me, with most movies for children, is that the filmmakers make the mistake of making it too simplistic. Where a child's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/the-problem-for-me-with-most-movies-for-children-is-that-the/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [When I was starting out I was way too scared to ask real directors how to do it or ask for advice, I'm really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/when-i-was-starting-out-i-was-way-too-scared-to-ask-real-directors/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [If you look at my body of work, which is not very big, really, it took an evolutionary leap with 'The Zookeeper's Wife'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/if-you-look-at-my-body-of-work-which-is-not-very-big-really-it-took/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [I made 'Whale Rider', I saw that to be specific and authentic is to be universal, and I've continued to work in an identical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/i-made-whale-rider-i-saw-that-to-be-specific-and-authentic-is-to-be/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [When I made 'Whale Rider' - of course, I'm not Maori and have no business, as a white girl, telling people how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/when-i-made-whale-rider-of-course-i-m-not-maori-and-have-no-business/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [I do commit really, really passionately. It's why I only work every five years. It's exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/i-do-commit-really-really-passionately-it-s-why-i-only-work-every/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [You know, what is so curious about being a director is that you never get on anybody else's set and see how they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/you-know-what-is-so-curious-about-being-a-director-is-that-you-never/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) [Explore all 52 Niki Caro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) ## More Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) [Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never want to impose my will on a community because even though I am the director of the movie, I can't direct them to be any more like themselves than they are. 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