--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great director, first, is highly…" description: "\"A great director, first, is highly intelligent. And he is also a dedicated and willing to work hard. Now those are easy things to identify. The third i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b62/roger-corman-16514_cinema_a-great-director-first-is-highly-intelli_2099253.png" --- # A great director, first, is highly intelligent. And he is… ![“A great director, first, is highly intelligent. And he is also a dedicated and willing to work hard. Now those are easy things to identify. The third is the creativity, and that is very difficult to identify in advance. This is why so many of the directors who have started with me were my…” quote by Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b62/roger-corman-16514_cinema_a-great-director-first-is-highly-intelli_2099253.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b62/roger-corman-16514_cinema_a-great-director-first-is-highly-intelli_2099253.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b62/roger-corman-16514_cinema_a-great-director-first-is-highly-intelli_2099253.png) > “A great director, first, is highly intelligent. And he is also a dedicated and willing to work hard. Now those are easy things to identify. The third is the creativity, and that is very difficult to identify in advance. This is why so many of the directors who have started with me were my assistant - the first one was Francis Ford Coppola.” [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligence and work ethic are easy to spot in directors, but true creativity is elusive and hard to predict. **In simple terms:** Intelligence and effort are visible; creativity is hidden. Key Takeaway Look for originality beyond competence. Themes leadership creativity film identification Mood inquisitive optimistic Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - film production - team building - talent scouting Key Concepts artistic vision mentorship innovation Questions to Reflect On - What signs hint at a director’s unique vision? - How can you nurture hidden creativity? A Different Perspective Creativity may be masked by competence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Dedicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dedicated/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Highly intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highly-intelligent/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I was pleasantly surprised that south directors started creating roles for me after watching 'Rakta Charitra.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhimanyu-singh/i-was-pleasantly-surprised-that-south-directors-started-creating/) [Abhimanyu Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhimanyu-singh/) > [We did Holy Grail, and I got my name up there as one of the directors. After that, I started moving more and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gilliam/we-did-holy-grail-and-i-got-my-name-up-there-as-one-of-the-directors/) [Terry Gilliam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gilliam/) > [Some very famous directors have started in the mail room, which is just getting inside the studio, getting to know people, getting to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-anger/some-very-famous-directors-have-started-in-the-mail-room-which-is/) [Kenneth Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-anger/) > [I've been lucky to get some path-breaking films, which proved to be the turning point in my career. Be it 'Rock on!' 'The Last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-rampal/i-ve-been-lucky-to-get-some-path-breaking-films-which-proved-to-be/) [Arjun Rampal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-rampal/) > [There's so many more female directors than when I started. That's encouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-coppola/there-s-so-many-more-female-directors-than-when-i-started-that-s/) [Sofia Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-coppola/) > [“Neuroscientist David Comings drew out the larger implications of such hallucinations for the relationship between our rational and spiritual brains: The psychedelic drugs like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/neuroscientist-david-comings-drew-out-the-larger-implications-of-such/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [Lionel Messi is a wonderful player. Very skillful. Highly intelligent. 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Because the perception of Christians as self-righteous segregationists is so prevailing, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/maybe-it-s-my-tattoos-talking-but-this-is-my-favorite-missional/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“The Austrian writer Robert Musil summed up the Fanatic's great rhetorical advantage in just ten words: There is no truth which stupidity can't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james-duncan/the-austrian-writer-robert-musil-summed-up-the-fanatic-s-great/) [David James Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james-duncan/) > [Hillary Clinton's a highly intelligent woman, hard-working, she's dedicated her life to public service, but unfortunately, she does not have a track record of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/hillary-clinton-s-a-highly-intelligent-woman-hard-working-she-s/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [ \[About Pierre de Fermat\] It cannot be denied that he has had many exceptional ideas, and that he is a highly intelligent man. For… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/about-pierre-de-fermat-it-cannot-be-denied-that-he-has-had-many/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) ## More by Roger Corman > [When I started I had no knowledge of films whatsoever. I was an engineering major at Stanford. And I found out as a senior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/when-i-started-i-had-no-knowledge-of-films-whatsoever-i-was-an/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [I'm not going to shoot seven days a week. I think it's counterproductive. I think you're going to have people stumbling around after a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/i-m-not-going-to-shoot-seven-days-a-week-i-think-it-s/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [I was young, so I was part of youth culture. The years went by, I became older and no longer part of youth culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/i-was-young-so-i-was-part-of-youth-culture-the-years-went-by-i-became/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [I think anybody who's working in a creative medium is working partially with their conscious mind, partially with their unconscious mind. So, my unconscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/i-think-anybody-who-s-working-in-a-creative-medium-is-working/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [There was a fairly big difference between Detroit and Beverly Hills. I remember this. Detroit actually was a prosperous bustling city when we moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/there-was-a-fairly-big-difference-between-detroit-and-beverly-hills-i/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [I do believe motion pictures are the significant art form of our time. And I think the main reason is, they're an art form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/i-do-believe-motion-pictures-are-the-significant-art-form-of-our-time/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [Jim Cameron is proof that if you are good, you'll get promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/jim-cameron-is-proof-that-if-you-are-good-you-ll-get-promoted/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [You can make a movie about anything, as long as it has a hook to hang the advertising on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/you-can-make-a-movie-about-anything-as-long-as-it-has-a-hook-to-hang/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [As a producer, I probably am a little stronger than most, since I was a director originally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/as-a-producer-i-probably-am-a-little-stronger-than-most-since-i-was-a/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [Other writers, producers, and directors of low-budget films would often put down the film they were making, saying it was just something to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/other-writers-producers-and-directors-of-low-budget-films-would-often/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [I remember the first film I reviewed for the Daily was a John Ford Western. I think it was My Darling Clementine, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/i-remember-the-first-film-i-reviewed-for-the-daily-was-a-john-ford/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [There's always something that draws you away from the original script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/there-s-always-something-that-draws-you-away-from-the-original-script/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [Somebody who moved up very fast was Jim Cameron, who was a young guy out of - I think he came from Arizona, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/somebody-who-moved-up-very-fast-was-jim-cameron-who-was-a-young-guy/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [People gravitate occasionally to the brilliantly made art low budget films, which is maybe one out of every five hundred low budget films made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/people-gravitate-occasionally-to-the-brilliantly-made-art-low-budget/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [When I started in the late 1950s, every film I made - no matter how low the budget - got a theatrical release. Today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/when-i-started-in-the-late-1950s-every-film-i-made-no-matter-how-low/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) [Explore all 39 Roger Corman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) ## 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": "A great director, first, is highly intelligent. 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