--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was younger I didn't really know…" description: "\"When I was younger I didn't really know what a director did: I knew I loved movies and I figured the actors made it up! And then when you get to 12 yea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/todd-phillips-10339_actor_when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know_1479303.jpg" --- # When I was younger I didn't really know what a director… ![“When I was younger I didn't really know what a director did: I knew I loved movies and I figured the actors made it up! And then when you get to 12 years old you start thinking, What does a director do? It was really an organic beginning: this looks like something I want to do, I can't believe…” quote by Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/todd-phillips-10339_actor_when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know_1479303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/todd-phillips-10339_actor_when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know_1479303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/todd-phillips-10339_actor_when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know_1479303.jpg) > “When I was younger I didn't really know what a director did: I knew I loved movies and I figured the actors made it up! And then when you get to 12 years old you start thinking, What does a director do? It was really an organic beginning: this looks like something I want to do, I can't believe people get paid to do it!” [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes his early misunderstanding of a director’s role, realizing it involves more than acting and requires creative vision and leadership. **In simple terms:** He learned directing is about guiding a film, not just acting. Key Takeaway Recognize the broader responsibilities of creative roles. Themes career development film industry creative leadership Mood curious reflective Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - film school - career counseling - project management - team leadership Key Concepts Film direction creative vision leadership Questions to Reflect On - How did your perception change after learning about directing? - What skills are essential for a director beyond artistic taste? A Different Perspective Directing also demands technical skill and collaboration, not just vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Director Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-did-1638383/) [Director Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-really-286745/) [Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does/) [Does Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-director-5387926/) [Figured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figured/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-director-1164326/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Organic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organic/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/younger/) ## Related quotes > [In choosing any role, I ask the same questions: what kind of part is it? is the role challenging? does the director have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-haas/in-choosing-any-role-i-ask-the-same-questions-what-kind-of-part-is-it/) [Lukas Haas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-haas/) > [I just started to want to be more hands on, and again, because of the nature of this job which was to evaluate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-urbinati/i-just-started-to-want-to-be-more-hands-on-and-again-because-of-the/) [Rob Urbinati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-urbinati/) > [It's a morality film, and it poses the question 'What would you do?' I took it very seriously, just as the director did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-williamson/it-s-a-morality-film-and-it-poses-the-question-what-would-you-do-i/) [Kevin Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-williamson/) > [I've done a few movies where I really liked the project, but I wasn't sure about the director, and I still did it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-liotta/i-ve-done-a-few-movies-where-i-really-liked-the-project-but-i-wasn-t/) [Ray Liotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-liotta/) > [I tried to get a job as a TV cameraman and they basically told me, 'You're mad, everyone wants these jobs - and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-campbell/i-tried-to-get-a-job-as-a-tv-cameraman-and-they-basically-told-me-you/) [Martin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-campbell/) > [My dad was a pehlwan before, then he became a fighter, and then he also became an action director wherein he did movies like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunny-singh/my-dad-was-a-pehlwan-before-then-he-became-a-fighter-and-then-he-also/) [Sunny Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunny-singh/) > [I know as a director I hit it out of the park sometimes, and sometimes we haven't, and that's kind of the way art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-story/i-know-as-a-director-i-hit-it-out-of-the-park-sometimes-and-sometimes/) [Tim Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-story/) > [You never really know what the director has got in his mind as far as the scene visually and art direction wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/you-never-really-know-what-the-director-has-got-in-his-mind-as-far-as/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) > [You need these experiences. Just know that sometimes, the director has a specific look in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/you-need-these-experiences-just-know-that-sometimes-the-director-has/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [You know as a director what you want, but the film is smarter than you, the film says no, the film says there's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/you-know-as-a-director-what-you-want-but-the-film-is-smarter-than-you/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [You stay with the foundation and then you just try different things because you don't know how the director will cut it and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/columbus-short/you-stay-with-the-foundation-and-then-you-just-try-different-things/) [Columbus Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/columbus-short/) > [You never know as a director what other directors do. Because you don't get to see what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/you-never-know-as-a-director-what-other-directors-do-because-you-don/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Just trying to get to know what director Bill Condon wanted. He's a great director and knows exactly what he wants. He knew every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-thomas/just-trying-to-get-to-know-what-director-bill-condon-wanted-he-s-a/) [Damon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-thomas/) > [I kind of joke with myself that you shouldn't be able to be a creative producer if you weren't a first AD. Because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cohen/i-kind-of-joke-with-myself-that-you-shouldn-t-be-able-to-be-a/) [Bruce Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cohen/) > [I don't even know if I can call myself a director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-s-dutton/i-don-t-even-know-if-i-can-call-myself-a-director/) [Charles S. Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-s-dutton/) ## More by Todd Phillips > [I just thinks it's interesting what it takes an actor to find their characters through the wardrobe, or the hair, or the way a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-just-thinks-it-s-interesting-what-it-takes-an-actor-to-find-their/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I remember that when I got to NYU, everyone was writing scripts. But I was 18 at the time, and when you write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-remember-that-when-i-got-to-nyu-everyone-was-writing-scripts-but-i/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I think people like comedies and I think concept driven comedies seem to be working when it's a clear concept and you deliver funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-think-people-like-comedies-and-i-think-concept-driven-comedies-seem/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [With comedy especially, it feels like such a clear-cut thing to be a writer-director. There is so much nuance and tone in a comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/with-comedy-especially-it-feels-like-such-a-clear-cut-thing-to-be-a/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [The worst thing you can do as a comedy director is be on set and think of something ridiculous, or an actor comes up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/the-worst-thing-you-can-do-as-a-comedy-director-is-be-on-set-and/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [It's heartbreaking when you hear a kid buying a ticket for... I don't know, whatever movie you're up against. And you see them sneaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-hear-a-kid-buying-a-ticket-for-i-don-t/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [There's a darkness under 'The Hangover' because ultimately there's a missing person and it's not really that funny. There's a sort of darkness under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/there-s-a-darkness-under-the-hangover-because-ultimately-there-s-a/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I think that 'Hangover II' is as funny as 'The Hangover I,' honest to God, but I think that it's a little bit darker,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-think-that-hangover-ii-is-as-funny-as-the-hangover-i-honest-to-god/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I just love the look of film. But I have nothing against HD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-just-love-the-look-of-film-but-i-have-nothing-against-hd/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I really got into filmmaking through photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-really-got-into-filmmaking-through-photography/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [Comedy is so subjective. You could be in a room with 400 people laughing at a joke and you could just not think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/comedy-is-so-subjective-you-could-be-in-a-room-with-400-people/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I never had a ton of male friends and it's always been something that's really interesting to me, what brings guys together? The bonding.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-never-had-a-ton-of-male-friends-and-it-s-always-been-something-that/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I was raised by my mom. She taught me how to be a gentleman; nobody in the movies taught me. I think people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-was-raised-by-my-mom-she-taught-me-how-to-be-a-gentleman-nobody-in/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [Reality television hasn't killed documentaries, because there are so many great documentaries still being made, but it certainly has changed the landscape. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/reality-television-hasn-t-killed-documentaries-because-there-are-so/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I think reviewers have become particularly venomous because, in a way, the power has been sucked from them. A 15-year-old can write a review…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-think-reviewers-have-become-particularly-venomous-because-in-a-way/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) [Explore all 66 Todd Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [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/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was younger I didn't really know what a director did: I knew I loved movies and I figured the actors made it up! And then when you get to 12 years old you start thinking, What does a director do? It was really an organic beginning: this looks like something I want to do, I can't believe people get paid to do it!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Todd Phillips" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know-what-a-director-did-i-knew-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know-what-a-director-did-i-knew-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/todd-phillips-10339_actor_when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know_1479303.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/todd-phillips-10339_actor_when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know_1479303.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/todd-phillips-10339_actor_when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know_1479303.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was younger I didn't really know what a director did: I knew I loved movies and I figured the actors…” — Todd Phillips", "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": "Todd Phillips", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was younger I didn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know-what-a-director-did-i-knew-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/when-i-was-younger-i-didn-t-really-know-what-a-director-did-i-knew-i/#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 } } ] } ```