--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I stopped acting a long time ago and my…" description: "\"I stopped acting a long time ago and my primary career has been producing-directing film.\" — Peter Billingsley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/peter-billingsley-19112_acting_i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my_2588313.png" --- # I stopped acting a long time ago and my primary career has… ![“I stopped acting a long time ago and my primary career has been producing-directing film.” quote by Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/peter-billingsley-19112_acting_i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my_2588313.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/peter-billingsley-19112_acting_i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my_2588313.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/peter-billingsley-19112_acting_i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my_2588313.png) > “I stopped acting a long time ago and my primary career has been producing-directing film.” [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Transitioned from acting to film production and directing, focusing on behind‑the‑scenes work. **In simple terms:** Moved from acting to directing films. Key Takeaway Embrace new creative roles. Themes career change film industry creativity Mood inspirational practical Type career creative When to use this quote - movie production - career development - skill acquisition Key Concepts professional evolution artistic vision Questions to Reflect On - What skills are essential for directing? - How do you stay adaptable? A Different Perspective Shift may involve learning curves. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-long-880530/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directing film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-film/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Long time ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time-ago/) [Primary care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primary-care/) [Primary Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primary-career-1838039/) [Producing Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/producing-directing-1170778/) [Stopped Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopped-acting-1206421/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [When you are a filmmaker, you need to be rooted, because committing yourself to producing or directing a film is a good three-year process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-bedi/when-you-are-a-filmmaker-you-need-to-be-rooted-because-committing/) [Kabir Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-bedi/) > [I have a lot of appreciation for what people do in front of the camera as well as behind the camera. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masi-oka/i-have-a-lot-of-appreciation-for-what-people-do-in-front-of-the/) [Masi Oka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masi-oka/) > [I just enjoy the filmmaking side of things. I feel like when you're an actor, sometimes you're in other people's hands and they're in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-just-enjoy-the-filmmaking-side-of-things-i-feel-like-when-you-re-an/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [Writing, producing and directing, I must say, is incredibly satisfying and gratifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/writing-producing-and-directing-i-must-say-is-incredibly-satisfying-2/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [I don't like waiting around for work, and sometimes as an actor you're forced into that position, so that's sort of how I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ian-nicholas/i-don-t-like-waiting-around-for-work-and-sometimes-as-an-actor-you-re/) [Thomas Ian Nicholas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ian-nicholas/) > [I really think that's what my real talent is; behind the camera Producing or Directing, or just puttin' the visual to anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre-2/i-really-think-that-s-what-my-real-talent-is-behind-the-camera/) [Dr Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre-2/) > [I'm focusing on my efforts behind the camera. I'm doing some producing and directing so that I can make projects for all of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-keltz/i-m-focusing-on-my-efforts-behind-the-camera-i-m-doing-some-producing/) [Jonathan Keltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-keltz/) > [It's a lot of work that goes into producing and directing and all those kinds of things. It doesn't just happen. It's a lotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-connolly/it-s-a-lot-of-work-that-goes-into-producing-and-directing-and-all/) [Kevin Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-connolly/) > [I'm wearing three hats; I'm acting, producing, and directing. I was very involved in developing the script, too. But to me, that is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/i-m-wearing-three-hats-i-m-acting-producing-and-directing-i-was-very/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [As filmmakers, you're not working on just one project, you're producing something, directing something, shooting something, and so it becomes hard to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/as-filmmakers-you-re-not-working-on-just-one-project-you-re-producing/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [I strongly believe that producing and directing will not go together. If you want to be producer, don't direct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshan/i-strongly-believe-that-producing-and-directing-will-not-go-together/) [Priyadarshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshan/) > [Sometimes when you're producing or directing something, and which I've been at fault to do in the past, you find yourself trying to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilmer-valderrama/sometimes-when-you-re-producing-or-directing-something-and-which-i-ve/) [Wilmer Valderrama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilmer-valderrama/) > [I definitely want to do other things outside of acting like producing, directing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skai-jackson/i-definitely-want-to-do-other-things-outside-of-acting-like-producing/) [Skai Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skai-jackson/) > [For me, it was always that one extra job that you do to survive in the industry. I also realised that I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-banerjee/for-me-it-was-always-that-one-extra-job-that-you-do-to-survive-in-the/) [Abhishek Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-banerjee/) > [“The point was - he wasn't acting . It was as if he'd forgotten how! Jack still knew his lines, but he was out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-point-was-he-wasn-t-acting-it-was-as-if-he-d-forgotten-how-jack/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More by Peter Billingsley > [I think if you turn down the volume on the good comedy, you should not even know if it's a comedy or not. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-think-if-you-turn-down-the-volume-on-the-good-comedy-you-should-not/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I guess I've always had a similar-looking face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-guess-i-ve-always-had-a-similar-looking-face/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [It is important to me that I was not raised in Los Angeles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/it-is-important-to-me-that-i-was-not-raised-in-los-angeles/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I'm a big watcher of sports, consumer of sports content, so I love documentaries; I love the format.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-m-a-big-watcher-of-sports-consumer-of-sports-content-so-i-love/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I've always been self-motivated, but I can't take a ton of credit for any success I've had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-ve-always-been-self-motivated-but-i-can-t-take-a-ton-of-credit-for/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I think you always win in storytelling when you let the best creative ideas guide you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-think-you-always-win-in-storytelling-when-you-let-the-best-creative/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [An actor can come in with a specific energy and get it on film over several days or weeks, but as the producer, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/an-actor-can-come-in-with-a-specific-energy-and-get-it-on-film-over/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I had brothers and sisters and did chores and had to pick up the dog crap in the yard and mow the lawn and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-had-brothers-and-sisters-and-did-chores-and-had-to-pick-up-the-dog/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [It's a difficult world for lots of child actors, and it's difficult to be a teenager under any circumstances. Add to that notoriety and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/it-s-a-difficult-world-for-lots-of-child-actors-and-it-s-difficult-to/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I only get involved with projects as a producer if I feel creatively inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-only-get-involved-with-projects-as-a-producer-if-i-feel-creatively/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I've been really lucky in that I've been able to work so much, and pretty much everything I've done has been really great fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-ve-been-really-lucky-in-that-i-ve-been-able-to-work-so-much-and/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I have already done two Christmas films: 'Elf' and 'Four Christmases.' I guess I really am a sucker for Christmas. Both movies are really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-have-already-done-two-christmas-films-elf-and-four-christmases-i/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [When I was a kid, I really wanted a metal detector for Christmas, convinced I was going to find buried treasure and could retire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/when-i-was-a-kid-i-really-wanted-a-metal-detector-for-christmas/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [When you're a child actor and play the precocious kid, the temptation is to wear leather pants or a cutoff shirt to redefine yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/when-you-re-a-child-actor-and-play-the-precocious-kid-the-temptation/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [I've had a nontabloid life because I had a really good family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-ve-had-a-nontabloid-life-because-i-had-a-really-good-family/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) [Explore all 33 Peter Billingsley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I stopped acting a long time ago and my primary career has been producing-directing film.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Billingsley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my-primary-career-has-been/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my-primary-career-has-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/peter-billingsley-19112_acting_i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my_2588313.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/peter-billingsley-19112_acting_i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my_2588313.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/peter-billingsley-19112_acting_i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my_2588313.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I stopped acting a long time ago and my primary career has been producing-directing film.” — Peter Billingsley", "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": "Peter Billingsley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I stopped acting a long time...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my-primary-career-has-been/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-stopped-acting-a-long-time-ago-and-my-primary-career-has-been/#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 } } ] } ```