In feature films the director is God; in documentary films God is the director.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A comparison highlighting that in fictional films the director is the ultimate creator, whereas in documentaries reality itself dictates the outcome.
- In plain terms
- In fiction the director rules, but in documentaries reality rules.
- What can you take from it?
- Understand the difference between directing fiction and capturing reality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who is really in control of a documentary?
- What defines authorship in film?
Another view
Documentary directors still make significant creative choices.
More from Alfred Hitchcock
If it's a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on.
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