--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've written a lot of scripts that…" description: "\"I've written a lot of scripts that someone else directed, and it's absolutely vital that, if I'm gonna act in it, then I have to take off the writer ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/william-h-macy-3931_direct_i-ve-written-a-lot-of-scripts-that-someo_3019081.jpg" --- # I've written a lot of scripts that someone else directed… ![“I've written a lot of scripts that someone else directed, and it's absolutely vital that, if I'm gonna act in it, then I have to take off the writer hat and let the director direct.” quote by William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/william-h-macy-3931_direct_i-ve-written-a-lot-of-scripts-that-someo_3019081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/william-h-macy-3931_direct_i-ve-written-a-lot-of-scripts-that-someo_3019081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/william-h-macy-3931_direct_i-ve-written-a-lot-of-scripts-that-someo_3019081.jpg) > “I've written a lot of scripts that someone else directed, and it's absolutely vital that, if I'm gonna act in it, then I have to take off the writer hat and let the director direct.” [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When acting, one must relinquish writer control and let the director lead. **In simple terms:** Let others lead when acting. Key Takeaway Trust collaboration. Themes collaboration role trust Mood practical encouraging Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - film sets - theatre productions - team projects Key Concepts Creative process leadership Questions to Reflect On - When have you ceded control successfully? - How does trust improve performance? A Different Perspective Creative control can stifle growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Hats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hats/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I guess I'm just the kind of person who likes to do it all. It's fun to put on the writer's hat and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/i-guess-i-m-just-the-kind-of-person-who-likes-to-do-it-all-it-s-fun/) [Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/) > [I have an association that director means total authority. Director means they will never let you down. Director means just trust them and fulfill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-have-an-association-that-director-means-total-authority-director/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [Whenever I really want a part, I'm not sure what to do. How do I let the director know how obsessed I am and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/whenever-i-really-want-a-part-i-m-not-sure-what-to-do-how-do-i-let/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [I do love comedy, but I'm not brave enough to tackle a script whose goal is to make you laugh. That's tough. The ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-do-love-comedy-but-i-m-not-brave-enough-to-tackle-a-script-whose/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Costume is always an asset. Normal costume you have a lot to say about - if you're wearing suits or ties, and what color…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/costume-is-always-an-asset-normal-costume-you-have-a-lot-to-say-about/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [Here are the good things about independent films: They do the more interesting, chancy scripts. They're run by love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/here-are-the-good-things-about-independent-films-they-do-the-more/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [The most peaceful thing in the world is plowing a field. Chances are you’ll do your best thinking that way. And that’s why I’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-peaceful-thing-in-the-world-is-plowing-a-field-chances-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are lots of real men out there - men who could fall in love with you at the drop of a hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-are-lots-of-real-men-out-there-men-who-could-fall-in-love-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Strange, isn't it, that no chemical will give a human being the iridescence that illusions have given them? Give me your hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/strange-isn-t-it-that-no-chemical-will-give-a-human-being-the/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [People think I was born in top hat and tails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-astaire/people-think-i-was-born-in-top-hat-and-tails/) [Fred Astaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-astaire/) > [With a project like 'Teachers Lounge,' you're wearing a lot of hats, so it demands hard work and focus if you want to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-alexandro/with-a-project-like-teachers-lounge-you-re-wearing-a-lot-of-hats-so/) [Ted Alexandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-alexandro/) > [I wear T-shirts and backwards hats and buy my shoes at Payless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-wear-t-shirts-and-backwards-hats-and-buy-my-shoes-at-payless/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [What do you think it is to be normal?' Why in the world would you want to be?' she says. I don't know. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-jones/what-do-you-think-it-is-to-be-normal-why-in-the-world-would-you-want/) [Patrick Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-jones/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) ## More by William H. Macy > [Here are the good things about independent films: They do the more interesting, chancy scripts. They're run by love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/here-are-the-good-things-about-independent-films-they-do-the-more/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Another mistake a director can make is not to be prepared, so you get there on the day to shoot the scene, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/another-mistake-a-director-can-make-is-not-to-be-prepared-so-you-get/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I don't know if it's fair to say that it's a bad time for movies. It seems to me that throughout the entire history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-fair-to-say-that-it-s-a-bad-time-for-movies-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I do want to do TV, but I'm looking to be a creator, writer, and producer, and perhaps I could be a recurring character.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-do-want-to-do-tv-but-i-m-looking-to-be-a-creator-writer-and/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [We all want to be 20 again and have that first sense of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/we-all-want-to-be-20-again-and-have-that-first-sense-of-love/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [It’s a shame...you just don’t see young people doing anything outside these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/it-s-a-shame-you-just-don-t-see-young-people-doing-anything-outside/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. It's not right. Someone's gotta say it. They said it. I applaud them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/talk-about-putting-your-money-where-your-mouth-is-it-s-not-right/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I think what all actors share is that, somewhere down in your solar plexus, there's this fear that you're not going to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-think-what-all-actors-share-is-that-somewhere-down-in-your-solar/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I don't watch rushes. My whole thing is to try to stay in the moment with the other actor, and to let it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-watch-rushes-my-whole-thing-is-to-try-to-stay-in-the-moment/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [One of the things I did early on in film was over-enunciate and talk too loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/one-of-the-things-i-did-early-on-in-film-was-over-enunciate-and-talk/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [If I like the story and it's well written, and it's a character I want to play and they'll pay me, then I decide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/if-i-like-the-story-and-it-s-well-written-and-it-s-a-character-i-want/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [The emotions will take care of themselves. You don't have to prod them along. As a matter of fact, you get in trouble when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/the-emotions-will-take-care-of-themselves-you-don-t-have-to-prod-them/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Ninety percent of the preparation we do as actors is just jive. It doesn't do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/ninety-percent-of-the-preparation-we-do-as-actors-is-just-jive-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [When Fargo came out, I hired a publicist for the first time in my life. I thought, if ever I was going to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/when-fargo-came-out-i-hired-a-publicist-for-the-first-time-in-my-life/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [That's pretty much what every scene is about, getting people to see your point of view. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/that-s-pretty-much-what-every-scene-is-about-getting-people-to-see/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) [Explore all 119 William H. 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The main thing about directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ford/anybody-can-direct-a-picture-once-they-know-the-fundamentals/) [John Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ford/) > [The method of magnitude estimation provided a direct measure of sensation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-smith-stevens/the-method-of-magnitude-estimation-provided-a-direct-measure-of/) Stanley Smith Stevens > [A place has almost the shyness of a person, with strangers; and its secret is not to be surprised by a too direct interrogation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-symons/a-place-has-almost-the-shyness-of-a-person-with-strangers-and-its/) [Arthur Symons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-symons/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I'm currently trying to direct my own material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-skerritt/i-m-currently-trying-to-direct-my-own-material/) [Tom Skerritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-skerritt/) > [By the time you get into other kinds of music - R&B, country, or whatever - it becomes something that's romantic. It becomes something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/by-the-time-you-get-into-other-kinds-of-music-r-b-country-or-whatever/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. 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Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) Browse all 3,391 Direct quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've written a lot of scripts that someone else directed, and it's absolutely vital that, if I'm gonna act in it, then I have to take off the writer hat and let the director direct.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William H. 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