---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think after 'The Day The Earth Stood…"
description: "\"I think after 'The Day The Earth Stood Still,' I really stopped thinking strategically about my career. I just did. At that point, it became crystal cl..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/scott-derrickson-8957_creativity_i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-st_2845237.jpg"
---

#  I think after 'The Day The Earth Stood Still,' I really…

![“I think after 'The Day The Earth Stood Still,' I really stopped thinking strategically about my career. I just did. At that point, it became crystal clear to me that you can strategise your career all you want, but it's so difficult to get a movie made, and creativity shouldn't be subjected to…” quote by Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/scott-derrickson-8957_creativity_i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-st_2845237.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/scott-derrickson-8957_creativity_i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-st_2845237.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/scott-derrickson-8957_creativity_i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-st_2845237.jpg)

> “I think after 'The Day The Earth Stood Still,' I really stopped thinking strategically about my career. I just did. At that point, it became crystal clear to me that you can strategise your career all you want, but it's so difficult to get a movie made, and creativity shouldn't be subjected to that kind of strategic thinking.”

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Admits strategic career planning can hinder creative spontaneity, especially in filmmaking where intuition matters.

**In simple terms:** Strategy can stifle creativity.

Key Takeaway

Balance planning with intuition.

Themes

creativity career strategy

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

philosophical practical

When to use this quote

- directing
- project planning
- artistic expression

Key Concepts

film making creative process

Questions to Reflect On

- When is strategic planning essential?
- How to protect creativity while planning?

A Different Perspective

May undervalue necessary logistics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Strategic thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategic-thinking/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [It seems there's a sliding scale between the money they spend on a movie and its creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-lea/it-seems-there-s-a-sliding-scale-between-the-money-they-spend-on-a/)

[Nicholas Lea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-lea/)

> [Strategic thinkers were naturally rattled to find this outsider fooling around with their work. They had been thinking strategically when Reagan was just another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/strategic-thinkers-were-naturally-rattled-to-find-this-outsider/)

[Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/)

> [I think there is a disrespect for the mind that Trump, for example, exemplifies. His is a kind of strategic thinking that's more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/i-think-there-is-a-disrespect-for-the-mind-that-trump-for-example/)

[Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/)

> [I had to create a team of people who had worked in this industry for other banks. What I brought to that team was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kochhar/i-had-to-create-a-team-of-people-who-had-worked-in-this-industry-for/)

[Chanda Kochhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kochhar/)

> [We have zero strategic thinking out of our White House. And we have a national security structure that has lost its way when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-t-flynn/we-have-zero-strategic-thinking-out-of-our-white-house-and-we-have-a/)

[Michael T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-t-flynn/)

> [“Our school design process attempts to harness strategic thinking around gaming and game design as an innovative curricular and learning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-salen/our-school-design-process-attempts-to-harness-strategic-thinking/)

[Katie Salen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-salen/)

> [“John Frame’s ‘tri-perspectivalism’ helps me understand Willow. The Willow Creek style churches have a ‘kingly’ emphasis on leadership, strategic thinking, and wise administration. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-keller/john-frame-s-tri-perspectivalism-helps-me-understand-willow-the/)

[Tim Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-keller/)

> [“Strategic Thinking helps to bridge between where you are and where you want to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/strategic-thinking-helps-to-bridge-between-where-you-are-and-where/)

[Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/)

> [“Be strategic about productivity—do less exceptionally well, instead of doing more in an average way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-buchanan-phd/be-strategic-about-productivity-do-less-exceptionally-well-instead-of/)

[Laurie Buchanan, PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-buchanan-phd/)

> [“A strategy is not just a plan, it’s a commitment to disciplined decision making.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/a-strategy-is-not-just-a-plan-it-s-a-commitment-to-disciplined/)

[Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/)

> [With the right sources of funding and some smart, strategic thinking about how to force non-banks to follow the same rules as other lenders,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/with-the-right-sources-of-funding-and-some-smart-strategic-thinking/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [“Businesses that execute strategic thinking become architects of their future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/businesses-that-execute-strategic-thinking-become-architects-of-their/)

[Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/)

> [If you're going to be thinking anyway, think big!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-re-going-to-be-thinking-anyway-think-big/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [“Strategic Thinking deals with discovering novel, rewriting the rules of the competitive game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/strategic-thinking-deals-with-discovering-novel-rewriting-the-rules/)

[Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/)

> [“The Lessons of the Past  Ancient strategists provide us with modes of thinking and practical guidance that we can use in the present.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-lessons-of-the-past-ancient-strategists-provide-us-with-modes-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Scott Derrickson

> [I think it's important for anyone who takes cinema seriously not to limit yourself to just optimistic or happy movies. I think that's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-think-it-s-important-for-anyone-who-takes-cinema-seriously-not-to/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [Kurosawa is my hero, and I've taught courses on his films, and I love what he does, and 'Rashomon' is, I think, his second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/kurosawa-is-my-hero-and-i-ve-taught-courses-on-his-films-and-i-love/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [I always liked the idea in 'Potter' that you don't choose the wand, the wand chooses you, and that relics decide when you're ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-always-liked-the-idea-in-potter-that-you-don-t-choose-the-wand-the/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [In my films, I either want the music to be very subtle and very buried or just put it right out in front and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/in-my-films-i-either-want-the-music-to-be-very-subtle-and-very-buried/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [There's a whole, that is a whole subgenre within martial arts cinema. The supernatural martial arts movie. Particularly within Asian cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/there-s-a-whole-that-is-a-whole-subgenre-within-martial-arts-cinema/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [The momentum of my creative life and intellectual growth is still the momentum of breaking out of fundamentalism. Because of that, I'm very grateful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/the-momentum-of-my-creative-life-and-intellectual-growth-is-still-the/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [If you look at life with any honesty and intelligence, it's clear that human nature is dark, vile, selfish, and despondent. But I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/if-you-look-at-life-with-any-honesty-and-intelligence-it-s-clear-that/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [Flannery O'Connor is my creative hero. I think she's the greatest American writer. Her book, 'Mystery and Manners,' is my creative bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/flannery-o-connor-is-my-creative-hero-i-think-she-s-the-greatest/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [I'm married to a nurse, and she is really, really ardent that - in screenplays or movies that I've worked on, that all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-m-married-to-a-nurse-and-she-is-really-really-ardent-that-in/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [For something to be completely evil is to be nothing. Satan has good attributes - intelligence, for instance - but they are corrupted. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/for-something-to-be-completely-evil-is-to-be-nothing-satan-has-good/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [The evil within the fantasy genre tends to be threatening to the heroes within the story, but not to the reader - or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/the-evil-within-the-fantasy-genre-tends-to-be-threatening-to-the/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [At the end of the day, a "jump scare" scares the audience for the moment. Slow burn horror ideas scare people forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/at-the-end-of-the-day-a-jump-scare-scares-the-audience-for-the-moment/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [Corporate America limits the world to consumerism. Science can limit it to the material world. Even religion limits it to a lot of theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/corporate-america-limits-the-world-to-consumerism-science-can-limit/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [What I desire most in my life is to become a better person. I genuinely want to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/what-i-desire-most-in-my-life-is-to-become-a-better-person-i/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [My interest in the comic goes back a long time, because I grew up reading comics, mostly Marvel Comics, and I always loved 'Doctor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/my-interest-in-the-comic-goes-back-a-long-time-because-i-grew-up/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

[Explore all 76 Scott Derrickson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

## More Creativity quotes

> [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/)

[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/)

Andrei Amalrik

> [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

> [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/)

[Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/)

[Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/)

> [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/)

[Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/)

> [“I believe in magic. As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/)

[Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/)

> [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/)

Christoph Niemann

> [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/)

[David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/)

> [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/)

[Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/)

> [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think after 'The Day The Earth Stood Still,' I really stopped thinking strategically about my career. I just did. At that point, it became crystal clear to me that you can strategise your career all you want, but it's so difficult to get a movie made, and creativity shouldn't be subjected to that kind of strategic thinking.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Scott Derrickson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-still-i-really-stopped-thinking/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Creativity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-still-i-really-stopped-thinking/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/scott-derrickson-8957_creativity_i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-st_2845237.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/scott-derrickson-8957_creativity_i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-st_2845237.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/scott-derrickson-8957_creativity_i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-st_2845237.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think after 'The Day The Earth Stood Still,' I really stopped thinking strategically about my career. I…” — Scott Derrickson",
                "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": "Scott Derrickson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think after 'The Day The...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-still-i-really-stopped-thinking/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-think-after-the-day-the-earth-stood-still-i-really-stopped-thinking/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```