--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you are working hard, you don't have…" description: "\"When you are working hard, you don't have time for anything other than what you are doing in the scene and what the director wants.\" — Robert De Niro" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/robert-de-niro-3745_cinema_when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have_2444054.jpg" --- # When you are working hard, you don't have time for… ![“When you are working hard, you don't have time for anything other than what you are doing in the scene and what the director wants.” quote by Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/robert-de-niro-3745_cinema_when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have_2444054.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/robert-de-niro-3745_cinema_when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have_2444054.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/robert-de-niro-3745_cinema_when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have_2444054.jpg) > “When you are working hard, you don't have time for anything other than what you are doing in the scene and what the director wants.” [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on the present task and the director’s vision, ignoring distractions. **In simple terms:** Stay fully engaged in the current work. Key Takeaway Prioritize the moment’s demands. Themes focus discipline craftsmanship Mood intense dedicated Type motivational professional When to use this quote - film set - live performance - creative projects Key Concepts method acting work ethic Questions to Reflect On - How does immersion affect long‑term wellbeing? - What boundaries help maintain balance? A Different Perspective May neglect personal needs or broader context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Working hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-hard/) ## Related quotes > [Directors are always changing things at the last minute. Actors will do a scene, and the director will say, ‘Okay, that was perfect, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/directors-are-always-changing-things-at-the-last-minute-actors-will/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [ f you're making the scene as a director, you're looking for alternatives, once you've got to that place that's very much in Rowan's \[Atkins\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-parker/f-you-re-making-the-scene-as-a-director-you-re-looking-for/) [Oliver Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-parker/) > [In a way, as an actor, you do all the preparation and then you want to forget it and just play the scene. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/in-a-way-as-an-actor-you-do-all-the-preparation-and-then-you-want-to/) [Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/) > [Sometimes, during a shoot, an actor might fail to turn up or there might be a need for an actor for a scene... and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dileesh-pothan/sometimes-during-a-shoot-an-actor-might-fail-to-turn-up-or-there/) [Dileesh Pothan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dileesh-pothan/) > [When I'm working on the scripts or working with the other actors or rehearsing with the director, and when the director is cutting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/when-i-m-working-on-the-scripts-or-working-with-the-other-actors-or/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [I love working fast. I don't relish the director who wants to do 25 to 30 takes, or the actors who insist on doing 25 or 30 takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-molina/i-love-working-fast-i-don-t-relish-the-director-who-wants-to-do-25-to/) [Alfred Molina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-molina/) > [No director wants to be directed, but no good director... would shy away from the good ideas of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee-jones/no-director-wants-to-be-directed-but-no-good-director-would-shy-away/) [Tommy Lee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee-jones/) > [I've worked with actors who treat the first two takes like rehearsals. And that's okay. If the camera is on you and we're doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-molina/i-ve-worked-with-actors-who-treat-the-first-two-takes-like-rehearsals/) [Alfred Molina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-molina/) > [I'm certainly not one of those actors who remain in a dark place the entire time in order to be doing the scene. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-m-certainly-not-one-of-those-actors-who-remain-in-a-dark-place-the/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [Just be nice to me while I am doing the scene; that is all. I don't want big cars, I don't want big hotel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-khan/just-be-nice-to-me-while-i-am-doing-the-scene-that-is-all-i-don-t/) [Shahrukh Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-khan/) > [Doing a scene by yourself is scarier - you know you don't have other people to fall back on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wolfhard/doing-a-scene-by-yourself-is-scarier-you-know-you-don-t-have-other/) [Finn Wolfhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wolfhard/) > [First, you do a piece of material that begins and ends and has a flow; it's not chopped up as in a film, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-stapleton/first-you-do-a-piece-of-material-that-begins-and-ends-and-has-a-flow/) [Jean Stapleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-stapleton/) > [I personally like to talk to people when I'm not doing a scene, still acting as if I'm in Gotham when I'm on set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camren-bicondova/i-personally-like-to-talk-to-people-when-i-m-not-doing-a-scene-still/) [Camren Bicondova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camren-bicondova/) > [As soon as you get two actors in a room and they're locking eyes, they're doing a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/as-soon-as-you-get-two-actors-in-a-room-and-they-re-locking-eyes-they/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [When I was a kid, I'd create my own movies at home. I'd record myself doing a scene, then stop the camera, change my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meagan-tandy/when-i-was-a-kid-i-d-create-my-own-movies-at-home-i-d-record-myself/) [Meagan Tandy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meagan-tandy/) ## More by Robert De Niro > [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I guess the only thing to do now is meet his parents. I'm sure they're decent people. I mean they gotta be if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-guess-the-only-thing-to-do-now-is-meet-his-parents-i-m-sure-they-re/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I like to visit L.A., but I wouldn't want to live there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-like-to-visit-l-a-but-i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-there/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [You don't need words to express feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-need-words-to-express-feelings/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [You don't just play a part. You've got to earn the right to play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-just-play-a-part-you-ve-got-to-earn-the-right-to-play-it/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I've been in so many movies that I automatically know what's happening on the set. Things that I don't even remember consciously I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-ve-been-in-so-many-movies-that-i-automatically-know-what-s/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [There is a certain combination of anarchy and discipline in the way I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/there-is-a-certain-combination-of-anarchy-and-discipline-in-the-way-i/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [The hardest thing about being famous is that ... in a conversation everybody's agreeing with what you're saying. ... You need people who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/the-hardest-thing-about-being-famous-is-that-in-a-conversation/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I mean, the actors that I admired were Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, an actress named Barbara Harris. And Greta Garbo. They were great actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-mean-the-actors-that-i-admired-were-marlon-brando-montgomery-clift/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [It's important not to indicate. People don't try to show their feelings, they try to hide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/it-s-important-not-to-indicate-people-don-t-try-to-show-their/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I hurt someone's feelings once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-hurt-someone-s-feelings-once/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [As I get older, I think that things have been pre-determined for me, whether I liked it or wanted it, wished for it, whatever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/as-i-get-older-i-think-that-things-have-been-pre-determined-for-me/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [New York is more exciting, I guess, than even Paris or London. New York's the center of something; I don't know what, really -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/new-york-is-more-exciting-i-guess-than-even-paris-or-london-new-york/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I'm not a big football person at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-m-not-a-big-football-person-at-all/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I will not hesitate. Not for a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-will-not-hesitate-not-for-a-second/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) [Explore all 123 Robert De Niro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) ## 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": "When you are working hard, you don't have time for anything other than what you are doing in the scene and what the director wants.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert De Niro" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have-time-for-anything-other-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have-time-for-anything-other-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/robert-de-niro-3745_cinema_when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have_2444054.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/robert-de-niro-3745_cinema_when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have_2444054.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/robert-de-niro-3745_cinema_when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have_2444054.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you are working hard, you don't have time for anything other than what you are doing in the scene and…” — Robert De Niro", "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": "Robert De Niro", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you are working hard, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have-time-for-anything-other-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-are-working-hard-you-don-t-have-time-for-anything-other-than/#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 } } ] } ```