| Creative type |
| Master director |
| Kubrick, for one |
| Truffaut, for one |
| Stylish filmmaker |
| Artistic filmmaker |
| Highbrow filmmaker |
| Miranda July, e.g. |
| Visionary director |
| Hitchcock, for one |
| Distinctive director |
| Distinctive filmmaker |
| Truffaut or Hitchcock |
| Highbrow film director |
| Director with a unique style |
| Filmmaker with a unique style |
| Sartre or Gide, to the French |
| Difficult-to-work-with director |
| Filmmaker with creative control |
| Not your ordinary film director |
| Director with a distinctive style |
| Filmmaker with a distinctive style |
| Film director with absolute control |
| Filmmaker with total creative control |
| Filmmaker with style and total control |
| Director with complete control over a film |
| Director who puts a creative stamp on a film |