David R. Ellis Quotes

Powerful David R. Ellis for Daily Growth

About David R. Ellis

David Robert Ellis (1954- ) is an accomplished American screenwriter and film director, renowned for his work in the thriller and action genres. Born on January 6, 1954, in Fort Worth, Texas, Ellis grew up with a passion for movies and storytelling. He honed his skills as a writer while attending Southern Methodist University before embarking on a successful career in Hollywood. Ellis's early influences include the works of Stephen King, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Alfred Hitchcock, whose suspenseful narratives and intricate plotlines would shape Ellis's own writing style. His first significant break came with the script for "Cellular" (2004), a taut thriller starring Chris Evans that showcased Ellis's knack for crafting gripping, fast-paced narratives. In 2005, Ellis made his directorial debut with the horror film "Snakes on a Plane," which became a cult classic due to its over-the-top title and action-packed storyline. Since then, he has directed several high-profile films, including "Final Destination 5" (2011), "Red 2" (2013), and the remake of "The Purge" (2018). Ellis's work is marked by a keen understanding of human nature and an ability to create tense, suspenseful situations that keep audiences on the edge of their seats. His stories often explore themes of fate, destiny, and the consequences of one's actions, reflecting his interest in philosophical questions and existential dilemmas. Throughout his career, David R. Ellis has proven himself to be a versatile and prolific storyteller, carving out a unique niche within the world of thriller cinema. His impact on the genre continues to resonate, as he pushes the boundaries of suspense and action in his work.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Life is like a movie, write your own ending."

This quote by David R. Ellis implies that life is an ongoing narrative, much like a movie, and it's up to each individual to determine how their story ends. It encourages personal empowerment, self-direction, and the belief that one can shape their own destiny through conscious choices and actions. In essence, it emphasizes the importance of taking control of one's life and creating a positive outcome, rather than passively accepting what comes one's way.


"The more you chase money, the more it will elude you. But if you focus on being valuable, the money will come to you."

This quote suggests that instead of relentlessly pursuing financial gain as an end in itself (chasing money), one should strive to become valuable to others – by acquiring knowledge, skills, or offering unique solutions. By focusing on being valuable, one's market value increases, leading to opportunities for financial success. In other words, the quote underscores that true wealth comes from providing worth to society rather than simply seeking monetary rewards.


"Don't let yesterday take up too much of today."

The quote by David R. Ellis, "Don't let yesterday take up too much of today," is a reminder to not dwell on past events or mistakes. It encourages us to learn from our experiences, but to focus more on the present moment and the opportunities it brings, rather than getting stuck in regrets or worries about what has already happened. By doing so, we can make the most of each day and lead a more productive and fulfilling life. In essence, it's a call to action for moving forward with confidence and embracing the present.


"Success is not just about what you accomplish in your life; it's about what you inspire others to do."

This quote emphasizes that success isn't solely defined by personal achievements, but also by the impact one has on inspiring others. In other words, a truly successful person not only achieves their own goals, but also motivates others to strive for greatness themselves. The ripple effect of this inspiration can lead to a cumulative and far-reaching positive impact on the world. It suggests that success is about building a legacy through empowering others as well as individual accomplishments.


"Believe in yourself and take calculated risks. The reward will be a fulfilling life."

This quote emphasizes the importance of self-belief and calculated risk-taking for a fulfilling life. Self-belief is the confidence one has in their own abilities, skills, and worth. It's crucial as it empowers individuals to face challenges with courage and resilience. Taking calculated risks refers to making thoughtful decisions when facing uncertainty, weighing potential outcomes, and only proceeding when the benefits seem to outweigh the drawbacks. These calculated risks can lead to personal growth, new opportunities, and a more exciting life. By combining self-belief and calculated risk-taking, one creates a dynamic approach that can lead to a fulfilling life filled with experiences, achievements, and personal satisfaction.


I felt that if there wasn't going to be a good opportunity, then I would just go back to second units which I love, keep working with great directors, keep learning and knowing that the opportunity would come when the time was right.

- David R. Ellis

Love, Back, Directors, Good Opportunity

So there was always a stunt coordinator on those films that was from Stunts Unlimited and I was just one of the young warriors from Stunts Unlimited that got to be a part of it because it was a big show and they needed a lot of guys.

- David R. Ellis

Big, Always, Films, Warriors

We're talking to New Line. They've got a couple projects they're interested in me doing and I'm having meetings at MGM. There's a lot of available projects.

- David R. Ellis

Doing, New, Couple, MGM

I mean, you have a general tone of it but it's pretty much you get to come in and you're going to flip this car and it's going to blow up and you're going to come out on fire and you go oh, that's cool, and then you get paid a lot of money.

- David R. Ellis

Tone, Out, Lot, Blow

Yeah, getting the company that would help advertise and cross promote the movie on the release was an important factor for New Line, so we went out to a lot of different companies.

- David R. Ellis

New, Release, Movie, Factor

They do think it is a big summer movie and that's why they want to give it a great chance, but they don't want to go up against Spider-Man 2 or some of the other big movies, the $100 million films that are coming up.

- David R. Ellis

Think, Big, Give, Spider-Man

No, we always had something to do because I did all the wave runners and jet skis and boats approaching the atolls and stuff like that, so you could do that without showing the actual atoll or the set that you're going towards, but detailing all those guys racing towards it.

- David R. Ellis

Racing, Had, Approaching, Runners

It was great. I mean, it's a blast directing underwater stuff.

- David R. Ellis

Mean, Underwater, Directing, Blast

You don't get a chance to take a breath but when you do, you have some really good comedy moments that ease up on the tension that the movie is centered around which is Kim being kidnapped and her son and husband being kidnapped and the jeopardy that they're in.

- David R. Ellis

Some, Ease, Movie, Jeopardy

They had some really cool rigged cars and things that were different that they would tow behind the camera car that were actually on these trailers that manipulated side to side and stuff like they were getting hit, and actually put the actor right in the middle of the chase.

- David R. Ellis

Behind, Some, Had, Trailers

It's just about going out and getting the shot, so I have a great understanding of how to execute it, so that really helps me, and also having a good understanding of all the action that I'm shooting, it helps me in determining how I'm going to capture it.

- David R. Ellis

Good, Shooting, About, Execute

No, in Lethal Weapon I was a taxi cab driver that Mel jumps in front of the taxi and pulls me out of the car and steals the taxi. Then I did some other indie driving for some of the car sequences.

- David R. Ellis

Some, Other, Indie, Steals

Chris Columbus was really interesting to watch how he works with children.

- David R. Ellis

Watch, How, Works, Chris

Fourth Law of Thermodynamics: If the probability of success is not almost one, then it is damn near zero.

- David R. Ellis

Law, Success Is, Almost, Fourth

I like Soderbergh, Spielberg, Lucas. There's a lot of talented guys out there obviously, and if you're a fan of films, you have to look at that stuff and learn from them.

- David R. Ellis

Films, Spielberg, Lucas, Talented

Well, I think on second units it's all about execution. Because you come in there, you don't have to worry so much about the studio and all the other actors and all that.

- David R. Ellis

Worry, Think, Studio, Units

Waterworld was the best time of my life. It was physically demanding, but it was fun. I mean, you're in Hawaii for nine months shooting on the water every day.

- David R. Ellis

My Life, Nine, Nine Months, Demanding

I jumped 18 cars on a motorcycle, so I did almost everything.

- David R. Ellis

Motorcycle, Almost, Almost Everything

I think my biggest break though came probably on Patriot Games because it was the biggest, longest second unit up to that point. It was like five months of shooting and a huge crew.

- David R. Ellis

Think, I Think, Longest, Unit

So then I started doing a lot of episodic TV, just car chases or helicopter chases or whatever.

- David R. Ellis

Doing, Started, TV, Episodic

You have to understand the tone of the movie, because if it's supposed to be funny, it can be funny violent like the Home Alone stuff, but you have to really understand the tone of what you're doing and make the action work for that and for the character.

- David R. Ellis

Doing, Movie, Violent, Tone

Its pretty rare for companies to have a snooping policy, although it is getting more common.

- David R. Ellis

Pretty, Getting, Companies, Rare

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