--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a weird way, I never wanted - I don't…" description: "\"In a weird way, I never wanted - I don't consider myself a very good writer. I consider myself okay; I don't consider myself great. There's Woody Allen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/sam-esmail-5206_filmmaker_in-a-weird-way-i-never-wanted-i-don-t-co_2756530.jpg" --- # In a weird way, I never wanted - I don't consider myself a… ![“In a weird way, I never wanted - I don't consider myself a very good writer. I consider myself okay; I don't consider myself great. There's Woody Allen and Aaron Sorkin. There's Quentin Tarantino. I'm not ever gonna be on that level. But I do consider myself a good filmmaker.” quote by Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/sam-esmail-5206_filmmaker_in-a-weird-way-i-never-wanted-i-don-t-co_2756530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/sam-esmail-5206_filmmaker_in-a-weird-way-i-never-wanted-i-don-t-co_2756530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/sam-esmail-5206_filmmaker_in-a-weird-way-i-never-wanted-i-don-t-co_2756530.jpg) > “In a weird way, I never wanted - I don't consider myself a very good writer. I consider myself okay; I don't consider myself great. There's Woody Allen and Aaron Sorkin. There's Quentin Tarantino. I'm not ever gonna be on that level. But I do consider myself a good filmmaker.” [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He admits feeling inadequate compared to legendary writers, yet affirms his competence as a filmmaker, emphasizing realistic self‑assessment. **In simple terms:** He feels not great writer but good filmmaker. Key Takeaway Value your strengths while acknowledging limits. Themes self‑esteem creative ambition humility Mood reflective confident Type motivational introspective When to use this quote - film production - writing - industry standards Key Concepts artistic identity career confidence Questions to Reflect On - What defines a “good” filmmaker? - How do you measure personal success? A Different Perspective Comparisons can undermine confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) ## Related quotes > [A good filmmaker is someone who can look at a piece and go, "This camera's really going to be a character. I want people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-paxton/a-good-filmmaker-is-someone-who-can-look-at-a-piece-and-go-this/) [Bill Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-paxton/) > [I want to do some bigger films, so long as there's some sort of exciting creative element or a good filmmaker behind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/i-want-to-do-some-bigger-films-so-long-as-there-s-some-sort-of/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [It's always better to work with a good filmmaker. It makes a lot of difference with the presentation of the film, which matters a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pulkit-samrat/it-s-always-better-to-work-with-a-good-filmmaker-it-makes-a-lot-of/) [Pulkit Samrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pulkit-samrat/) > [Bookstores never seem to know where to put me on the shelves. But I do. I love my genre and I love those writers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-winslow/bookstores-never-seem-to-know-where-to-put-me-on-the-shelves-but-i-do/) [Don Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-winslow/) > [I always want to challenge myself as a writer. I consider myself more of a writer than I do a director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-always-want-to-challenge-myself-as-a-writer-i-consider-myself-more/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [“I'm a professional writer and I consider it part of my job to publicise my work and these days part of that job is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/i-m-a-professional-writer-and-i-consider-it-part-of-my-job-to/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [There are a lot of filmmakers I love whose work doesn't inspire mine at all. For example: Quentin Tarantino. From his films you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chika-anadu/there-are-a-lot-of-filmmakers-i-love-whose-work-doesn-t-inspire-mine/) [Chika Anadu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chika-anadu/) > [ As people, \[my parents were\] very colorful, very talkative, passionate, they really loved each other. But that also meant heated, it meant there was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-russell/as-people-my-parents-were-very-colorful-very-talkative-passionate/) [David O. Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-russell/) > [I don't consider myself a very good talker or writer but a pretty good filmmaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-very-good-talker-or-writer-but-a-pretty/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [You can tell how good a filmmaker is if you can turn the sound down but you can still feel the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/q-tip/you-can-tell-how-good-a-filmmaker-is-if-you-can-turn-the-sound-down/) [Q-Tip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/q-tip/) > [Justin Lin, the writer and director of the teenage-wasteland drama 'Better Luck Tomorrow,' a shrewdly tense piece of storytelling, recognizes that sometimes it's good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/justin-lin-the-writer-and-director-of-the-teenage-wasteland-drama/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The digital revolution has had a democratizing effect. Now anyone can be a filmmaker, but to be a good filmmaker is as hard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-yates/the-digital-revolution-has-had-a-democratizing-effect-now-anyone-can/) [Pamela Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-yates/) > [You need to be a good filmmaker to make a compelling two-minute film as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/you-need-to-be-a-good-filmmaker-to-make-a-compelling-two-minute-film/) [Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/) > [I have always admired him (Bergman), and I wish I could be an equally good filmmaker as he is, but it will never happen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-have-always-admired-him-bergman-and-i-wish-i-could-be-an-equally/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [“It's 4:40am and i'm standing in the middle of a Quentin Tarantino version of Finding Nemo”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-smale/it-s-4-40am-and-i-m-standing-in-the-middle-of-a-quentin-tarantino/) [Holly Smale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-smale/) ## More by Sam Esmail > [The experience you're going to take the audience on is as important as the story you're trying to tell. And that experience needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/the-experience-you-re-going-to-take-the-audience-on-is-as-important/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [With TV season structures - and I'm a huge TV watcher - you look at shows like 'Breaking Bad,' which is my favorite show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/with-tv-season-structures-and-i-m-a-huge-tv-watcher-you-look-at-shows/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Even great actors who transform who they are still go to a really honest place; I think that's sort of that special skill that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/even-great-actors-who-transform-who-they-are-still-go-to-a-really/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [I'm not in the business of adapting things that are popular for the sake of just getting it on the screen. I think there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-m-not-in-the-business-of-adapting-things-that-are-popular-for-the/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [If your loved ones are far away, and they're uploading pictures, you feel like that's enough: these loose strands through email, through social media,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/if-your-loved-ones-are-far-away-and-they-re-uploading-pictures-you/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [I had a funny last name, and I didn't look like everybody else, and I got faced with a lot of racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-had-a-funny-last-name-and-i-didn-t-look-like-everybody-else-and-i/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Movies and television show build on top of each other, succeed one another. In a large way, in terms of filmmaking aesthetics, they evolve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/movies-and-television-show-build-on-top-of-each-other-succeed-one/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [The story of 'Mr. Robot' is really about this guy who's lonely - who's alone and feels so disconnected from the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/the-story-of-mr-robot-is-really-about-this-guy-who-s-lonely-who-s/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Music is everything to me. It's the heart and soul of a movie or TV show to me because it can be such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/music-is-everything-to-me-it-s-the-heart-and-soul-of-a-movie-or-tv/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [I use voiceover just like I use dialogue. There's a way to give out information or give out insight to the character or give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-use-voiceover-just-like-i-use-dialogue-there-s-a-way-to-give-out/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [“Oh, I don't know. Is it that we collectively thought Steve Jobs was a great man, even when we knew he made billions off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/oh-i-don-t-know-is-it-that-we-collectively-thought-steve-jobs-was-a/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [It's weird; my fascination with tech was kind of combined with the fact that my parents would never pay for anything. It got me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/it-s-weird-my-fascination-with-tech-was-kind-of-combined-with-the/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Growing up, my parents were very much about the Egyptian culture. They never really wanted to assimilate in American culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/growing-up-my-parents-were-very-much-about-the-egyptian-culture-they/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Girls rejected me a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/girls-rejected-me-a-lot/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [It's not necessarily bad that you have angst or you have anger - it's what you do with it, how you interpret it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/it-s-not-necessarily-bad-that-you-have-angst-or-you-have-anger-it-s/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) [Explore all 102 Sam Esmail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) ## More Filmmaker quotes > [I still don't feel I know Hitchcock at all. I find that the more one looks, the more elusive he becomes. 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I think it is in general depressing how few women there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/i-think-it-is-kind-of-depressing-how-few-female-filmmakers-there-are/) [Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [Filmmakers get into trouble when they're watching too many DVDs and quoting all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mangold/filmmakers-get-into-trouble-when-they-re-watching-too-many-dvds-and/) [James Mangold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mangold/) > [Even from a really young age I was a huge movie buff - five, six, seven, eight. Just loved movies, but in a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/even-from-a-really-young-age-i-was-a-huge-movie-buff-five-six-seven/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [The terrorists who committed the 2003 Istanbul attacks were locals, that is, Turks. And when filmmaker Theo van Gogh was murdered in the Netherlands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-schily/the-terrorists-who-committed-the-2003-istanbul-attacks-were-locals/) [Otto Schily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-schily/) > [I think Frank Capra was a much craftier filmmaker, a wonderful filmmaker. 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I think they are more accurate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/most-of-my-characters-are-romantic-rather-than-sexual-i-think-that-s/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) [Browse all 1,456 Filmmaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In a weird way, I never wanted - I don't consider myself a very good writer. I consider myself okay; I don't consider myself great. There's Woody Allen and Aaron Sorkin. There's Quentin Tarantino. I'm not ever gonna be on that level. 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