--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes directors will hire you and…" description: "\"Sometimes directors will hire you and say, 'Oh, we love your work.' And then they start to tell you how to do it. I say, 'Hey, man, back off. You hired..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e87/robert-duvall-5224_directors_sometimes-directors-will-hire-you-and-sa_2389065.jpg" --- # Sometimes directors will hire you and say, 'Oh, we love… ![“Sometimes directors will hire you and say, 'Oh, we love your work.' And then they start to tell you how to do it. I say, 'Hey, man, back off. You hired me to do it. Let me do it.'” quote by Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e87/robert-duvall-5224_directors_sometimes-directors-will-hire-you-and-sa_2389065.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e87/robert-duvall-5224_directors_sometimes-directors-will-hire-you-and-sa_2389065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e87/robert-duvall-5224_directors_sometimes-directors-will-hire-you-and-sa_2389065.jpg) > “Sometimes directors will hire you and say, 'Oh, we love your work.' And then they start to tell you how to do it. I say, 'Hey, man, back off. You hired me to do it. Let me do it.'” [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative autonomy is essential; when others dictate your work, it undermines trust and quality. **In simple terms:** Protect your creative freedom. Key Takeaway Set clear boundaries. Themes creativity autonomy professionalism Mood assertive reflective Type professional advisory When to use this quote - film sets - freelance projects - team collaborations Key Concepts artistic integrity power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you assert autonomy without alienating collaborators? - When is it appropriate to compromise? A Different Perspective Balancing respect for direction with personal vision can be tricky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Directors Hire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-hire-686181/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Hey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hey/) [Hire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hire/) [Hire Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hire-say-5943333/) [Let me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-me/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love your work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-your-work/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Hired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-hired-943925/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Million times better than me that day laborers are the back-breaking work and sleep at night exhausted and asleep onthe sidewalk is, I work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/million-times-better-than-me-that-day-laborers-are-the-back-breaking/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Usually directors hire me because I'm what they are looking for. But once in a while, and it's very rare, they will hire me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/usually-directors-hire-me-because-i-m-what-they-are-looking-for-but/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [If you're creative, they let you be the showrunner, producer. The first thing my partner and I did as producers was hire ourselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-marshall/if-you-re-creative-they-let-you-be-the-showrunner-producer-the-first/) [Garry Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-marshall/) > [In a collaborative environment directors hire actors because they want their input, not just their bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-lynch/in-a-collaborative-environment-directors-hire-actors-because-they/) [Kelly Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-lynch/) > [If you don't love your work, it's hard to love your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-you-don-t-love-your-work-it-s-hard-to-love-your-life/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [People are always coming up to me and saying, 'I love you, love your work.' And then the next sentence is, 'I loved your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-belushi/people-are-always-coming-up-to-me-and-saying-i-love-you-love-your/) [James Belushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-belushi/) > [To love your family, love your work, live your purpose and be unconditionally grateful for every moment of your life... is to succeed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/to-love-your-family-love-your-work-live-your-purpose-and-be/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [“Work pressure arises only when you don’t enjoy your work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haresh-sippy/work-pressure-arises-only-when-you-don-t-enjoy-your-work/) [Haresh Sippy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haresh-sippy/) > [Do what you love. When you love your work, you become the best worker in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-geller/do-what-you-love-when-you-love-your-work-you-become-the-best-worker/) [Uri Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uri-geller/) > [I like the simple 'I love your work' letters. You never get sick of people's appreciation. They think they're troubling you, but it's lovely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/i-like-the-simple-i-love-your-work-letters-you-never-get-sick-of/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [“Choose a job you love, Your work is going to fill a large part of your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napz-cherub-pellazo/choose-a-job-you-love-your-work-is-going-to-fill-a-large-part-of-your/) [Napz Cherub Pellazo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napz-cherub-pellazo/) > [As films are a mass medium, if more people love your work, it is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditi-rao-hydari/as-films-are-a-mass-medium-if-more-people-love-your-work-it-is-better/) [Aditi Rao Hydari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditi-rao-hydari/) > [“Some people love your work and others hate it, but in the end, it's all good. Differences are what make us unique human beings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-m-sotera/some-people-love-your-work-and-others-hate-it-but-in-the-end-it-s-all/) [R.M. Sotera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-m-sotera/) > [“Love your work and success is your next customer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/love-your-work-and-success-is-your-next-customer/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [“Write it. Just write it. Write it on receipts in the car while you wait for your kid to finish their piano lessons, scribble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melodie-ramone/write-it-just-write-it-write-it-on-receipts-in-the-car-while-you-wait/) [Melodie Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melodie-ramone/) ## More by Robert Duvall > [You get below the Mason-Dixon line and you have some of the best music, culture, the two races, the literature, and it's so rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/you-get-below-the-mason-dixon-line-and-you-have-some-of-the-best/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [You have a little bit of feeling for everyone you play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/you-have-a-little-bit-of-feeling-for-everyone-you-play/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [I was fortunate in the last century to be in the two biggest hits film-wise, 'Godfather I' and 'Godfather II,' and 'Lonesome Dove.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/i-was-fortunate-in-the-last-century-to-be-in-the-two-biggest-hits/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Art is competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/art-is-competitive/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Very often some of the religious miracle plays you see on television can be very corny, I find. And so simplistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/very-often-some-of-the-religious-miracle-plays-you-see-on-television/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [I always considered myself as a character actor. I always try to be versatile to show different sides of human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/i-always-considered-myself-as-a-character-actor-i-always-try-to-be/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Hollywood sometimes tends to patronize the interior of the United States. As Horton Foote used to say, the great Texas playwright, that a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/hollywood-sometimes-tends-to-patronize-the-interior-of-the-united/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Sometimes you don't prepare much. I mean, when I did 'Lonesome Dove' way back I rode horses day and night for like three or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/sometimes-you-don-t-prepare-much-i-mean-when-i-did-lonesome-dove-way/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Hollywood is still the mecca for good or bad, but it isn't the beginning or end for filmmaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/hollywood-is-still-the-mecca-for-good-or-bad-but-it-isn-t-the/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [I wouldn't mind starting to ride some more if I had a really good horse to just work a little bit with every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/i-wouldn-t-mind-starting-to-ride-some-more-if-i-had-a-really-good/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Well, it's like my movie, 'The Apostle.' Some people in the North don't get that movie. They think that, in the South, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/well-it-s-like-my-movie-the-apostle-some-people-in-the-north-don-t/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Spending two years on my uncle's ranch in Montana as a young man gave me the wisdom and the thrust to do westerns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/spending-two-years-on-my-uncle-s-ranch-in-montana-as-a-young-man-gave/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [There's no right or wrong just truthful or untruthful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/there-s-no-right-or-wrong-just-truthful-or-untruthful/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Never use money to measure wealth, son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/never-use-money-to-measure-wealth-son/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [I like the good feeling movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/i-like-the-good-feeling-movies/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) [Explore all 102 Robert Duvall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) ## More Directors quotes > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [A successful director is someone who has the combination of skills that you can learn, but there's also an intuitive sensibility that they bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-heinrichs/a-successful-director-is-someone-who-has-the-combination-of-skills/) [Rick Heinrichs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-heinrichs/) > [When you're the director and the writer, you never have to remember your lines, and there's no one to call you on it. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-you-re-the-director-and-the-writer-you-never-have-to-remember/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [David Cronenberg is the most provocative, original, and consistently excellent North American director of his generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-hoberman/david-cronenberg-is-the-most-provocative-original-and-consistently/) [J. Hoberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-hoberman/) > [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) > [I was in good shape from Divergent. Damien Chazelle, the director of Whiplash told me, ‘Stop Working Out! Don’t go outside!’ He wanted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/i-was-in-good-shape-from-divergent-damien-chazelle-the-director-of/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [I had a very blessed journey with the upbringing I had. When you're working on sets as a stuntman, you have a firsthand account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-roman-waugh/i-had-a-very-blessed-journey-with-the-upbringing-i-had-when-you-re/) [Ric Roman Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-roman-waugh/) > [I'm seen as a little risky to the industry, I think. All my favorite directors are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-baker/i-m-seen-as-a-little-risky-to-the-industry-i-think-all-my-favorite/) [Sean Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-baker/) > [Music and language are a vital element. We, as actors and directors, offer it to people who want to experience it. Sometimes the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/music-and-language-are-a-vital-element-we-as-actors-and-directors/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [There was always a part of me that wanted to be an old-time director. But I couldn't do that. I'm not a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/there-was-always-a-part-of-me-that-wanted-to-be-an-old-time-director/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [I was focused on The Hunger Games movie with my director, with the studio, and with the cast and crew. We all just focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-jacobson/i-was-focused-on-the-hunger-games-movie-with-my-director-with-the/) [Nina Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-jacobson/) > [If the director's a communist, whatever, he's a communist. All I care is that he directs. For the actor, the same thing. All you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/if-the-director-s-a-communist-whatever-he-s-a-communist-all-i-care-is/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) [Browse all 4,068 Directors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes directors will hire you and say, 'Oh, we love your work.' And then they start to tell you how to do it. I say, 'Hey, man, back off. You hired me to do it. 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