10 Jordan Peele Quotes Writers and Directors Can Learn From

Jordan Peele, one half of the sketch comedy duo KEY & PEELE, burst onto the cinema scene with the highly acclaimed and successful “social thriller” GET OUT, which he wrote and directed. At the 90th Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor (for Daniel Kaluuya), a rarity for a horror film. Here are 15 of the best Jordan Peele quotes for writers and directors…

10 Jordan Peele Quotes for writers and directors

1. [On his writing process] “It starts with images and moments that I know are bubbling to the surface, just cinematic instincts. The reason it takes a long time is you have to weave together and find meaning in the images your subconscious is presenting.”

2. “We can discuss race all day long. But if you see a movie that successfully puts yourself in the shoes of somebody different than yourself, you see the world differently. So I think the power of story is greater than the power of conversation in a way.” 

3. [On the similarities between horror and comedy] “The reason they work, why they get primal, audible reactions from us is because they allow us to purge our own fears and discomforts in a safe environment. It’s like therapy. You deal with deep issues that are uncomfortable with the hope that there is a release.”
   

4. “You hear it said time and time again by successful directors: You have to make a movie for yourself. Don’t make it for anyone else.”

5. [On directing] “I’d heard it’s one of the hardest things to do in the world, and that’s right. It is extremely tough and emotionally draining. At the same time, it was such a riveting adventure. And creatively, I’ve never felt so alive.”

6. “That’s my advice with dealing with writers block. Follow the fun. If you aren’t having fun, you are doing it wrong.”

7. “The best comedy and horror feel like they take place in reality. You have a rule or two you are bending or heightening, but the world around it is real. I felt like everything I learned in comedy I could apply to this movie.”
   

    

8. There were “many different endings [for GET OUT] in mind, and many of them were darker… I felt like we’re now in an era where the audience needs an escape from the horror of reality. If I’m asking them, as an audience, to sit through some racially tense suspense scenes, I need to pay them back with some cheers at the end.”

9. “I’ve noticed that the truth works… If you’re being yourself and you’re just using your own emotions, they can feel it. If you’re doing fake, they can feel it. It took me a while in comedy to realise that your truth is more powerful than your mask.”

10. “There are times, especially during production, where do-or-die decisions need to be made… You have to figure out how to maintain the vision and avoid that problem, or change something big but keep the continuity of the vision.”

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