--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing that gets me back to…" description: "\"The only thing that gets me back to directing is good scripts.\" — Steven Spielberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/steven-spielberg-963_back_the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-dire_756522.jpg" --- # The only thing that gets me back to directing is good… ![“The only thing that gets me back to directing is good scripts.” quote by Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/steven-spielberg-963_back_the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-dire_756522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/steven-spielberg-963_back_the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-dire_756522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/steven-spielberg-963_back_the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-dire_756522.jpg) > “The only thing that gets me back to directing is good scripts.” [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good scripts reignite his passion for directing, emphasizing story quality over fame. **In simple terms:** Strong stories bring him back to directing. Key Takeaway Prioritize compelling scripts. Themes creativity film passion Mood enthusiastic inspired Type professional motivational When to use this quote - choosing projects - screenwriting workshops - film festivals Key Concepts narrative craft artistic motivation career focus Questions to Reflect On - What makes a script compelling to you? - How do you balance script quality with personal growth? A Different Perspective A single script may not sustain long‑term motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) [Directing Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-good-689991/) [Gets Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gets-directing-5874832/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-scripts-261761/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts/) ## Related quotes > [I am capable of directing, and I am good at that. In order to have longevity as actors, you have to keep changing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-nelson/i-am-capable-of-directing-and-i-am-good-at-that-in-order-to-have/) [Kirsten Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-nelson/) > [I like acting better than anything else, but, you know, directing's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/i-like-acting-better-than-anything-else-but-you-know-directing-s-good/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [I think the only directing I'd be any good at is theatre directing. It's the only thing I can see myself doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-think-the-only-directing-i-d-be-any-good-at-is-theatre-directing-it/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Good directing is good writing and good casting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-zemeckis/good-directing-is-good-writing-and-good-casting/) [Robert Zemeckis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-zemeckis/) > [I look for good scripts, not anything. It should inspire me, and the audience should like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-shetty/i-look-for-good-scripts-not-anything-it-should-inspire-me-and-the/) [Anushka Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-shetty/) > [Good scripts are hard to find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-craig/good-scripts-are-hard-to-find/) [Daniel Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-craig/) > [If I get good films, I would definitely do them. But most of the stuff that I get is not good at all. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeru-bajwa/if-i-get-good-films-i-would-definitely-do-them-but-most-of-the-stuff/) [Neeru Bajwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeru-bajwa/) > [I have been fortunate to get some really good scripts over the years and I haven't turned down anything that I regretted so far.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-have-been-fortunate-to-get-some-really-good-scripts-over-the-years/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [You need good scripts to approach stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/you-need-good-scripts-to-approach-stars/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [The greatest gift that an actor can have is good scripts because then you're relieved of the responsibility of trying to elevate the material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holt-mccallany/the-greatest-gift-that-an-actor-can-have-is-good-scripts-because-then/) [Holt McCallany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holt-mccallany/) > [My heart truly lies in good scripts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/my-heart-truly-lies-in-good-scripts/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I always like to think of the audience when I am directing. Because I am the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-always-like-to-think-of-the-audience-when-i-am-directing-because-i/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I committed to directing 'Catch Me If You Can' not because of the divorce component, but principally because Frank Abagnale did things that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-committed-to-directing-catch-me-if-you-can-not-because-of-the/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Making a movie and not directing the little moments is like drinking a soda and leaving the little slurp puddle for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/making-a-movie-and-not-directing-the-little-moments-is-like-drinking/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I don't know necessarily that I would produce under my own company right now. Producing is not something that I'm thinking about. Directing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-johansson/i-don-t-know-necessarily-that-i-would-produce-under-my-own-company/) [Scarlett Johansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-johansson/) ## More by Steven Spielberg > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Making a movie and not directing the little moments is like drinking a soda and leaving the little slurp puddle for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/making-a-movie-and-not-directing-the-little-moments-is-like-drinking/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Once scouting fully opens its doors to all who desire the same experience that so fully enriched me as a young person, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/once-scouting-fully-opens-its-doors-to-all-who-desire-the-same/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I don't dream at night, I dream at day, I dream all day; I'm dreaming for living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-don-t-dream-at-night-i-dream-at-day-i-dream-all-day-i-m-dreaming/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I think the secret of great acting is that you have to bring your imagination to the party. You have to have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-the-secret-of-great-acting-is-that-you-have-to-bring-your/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I think the greatest thing about DVD is the quality of sound and picture; the real estate to put more extras on; and, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-dvd-is-the-quality-of-sound-and/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Audience members are only concerned about the story, the concept, the bells and whistles and the noise that a popular film starts to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/audience-members-are-only-concerned-about-the-story-the-concept-the/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I was fifteen, or sixteen. I was in high school. I was spending a summer in California with my second cousins. And I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-was-fifteen-or-sixteen-i-was-in-high-school-i-was-spending-a-summer/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [You know, I don't really do that much looking inside me when I'm working on a project. Whatever I am becomes what that film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/you-know-i-don-t-really-do-that-much-looking-inside-me-when-i-m/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Casting sometimes is fate and destiny more than skill and talent, from a director's point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/casting-sometimes-is-fate-and-destiny-more-than-skill-and-talent-from/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [The costume the actors wear and if they're in stylized makeup and wigs in a live-action movie let's say, in a big costume drama,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-costume-the-actors-wear-and-if-they-re-in-stylized-makeup-and/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I didn't read reviews earlier in my career, but I read them now as I'm older. I read them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-didn-t-read-reviews-earlier-in-my-career-but-i-read-them-now-as-i-m/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Whatever affect any of my films have on audiences, I just kind of stop at the door. I make them and I just don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/whatever-affect-any-of-my-films-have-on-audiences-i-just-kind-of-stop/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [ I've kept the people who've been in my career who I feel are my family. Kathy \[Kennedy\] had been with me since 1978. Janusz… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-ve-kept-the-people-who-ve-been-in-my-career-who-i-feel-are-my/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Desperate times require desperate measures. What Lincoln and the Lobbyist for the Amendment and the Manager of the Amendment and himself, what they did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/desperate-times-require-desperate-measures-what-lincoln-and-the/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) [Explore all 319 Steven Spielberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) ## More Back quotes > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I honestly would like to get that Frankie fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-honestly-would-like-to-get-that-frankie-fight-back/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [Drumming's pretty physical. We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/drumming-s-pretty-physical-we-sit-at-the-back-of-the-stage-getting/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Ronaldo is just an athlete. He works so hard and back to back; he is always there. But if you work hard, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/ronaldo-is-just-an-athlete-he-works-so-hard-and-back-to-back-he-is/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) [Browse all 9,709 Back quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only thing that gets me back to directing is good scripts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Spielberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-directing-is-good-scripts/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Back" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-directing-is-good-scripts/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/steven-spielberg-963_back_the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-dire_756522.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/steven-spielberg-963_back_the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-dire_756522.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/steven-spielberg-963_back_the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-dire_756522.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only thing that gets me back to directing is good scripts.” — Steven Spielberg", "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": "Steven Spielberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only thing that gets me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-directing-is-good-scripts/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-only-thing-that-gets-me-back-to-directing-is-good-scripts/#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 } } ] } ```