'Empire' creator Lee Daniels misses filmmaking, says the 'television thing was a fluke'
"As a creator it's really more administrative," he told ABC News.
— -- Lee Daniels is thankful to have two primetime shows on television, but the "Empire" and "Star" creator said he's itching to get back to filmmaking.
"I miss being behind the camera as a filmmaker because right now, as a creator, it's really more administrative," Daniels told ABC News.
"You start with something and you sprinkle your fairy dust on it and you manage it," he explained of his new creative process. "You're watching the baby walk and go to school and go to college. You're not really creating anything new."
While Daniels' future intentions are clear, the now-successful television producer recalls that his entrance into television wasn't something he planned.
"I did it by accident; this television thing was a fluke," Daniels said. "They weren't buying black television and so I wanted it on my bucket list as an artist."
Daniels continued, "I had no idea that pilot was going to get picked up -- or that it was going to go for thirteen episodes, let alone like four years. It was like, 'What? What?!'"
Daniels, who started his career working with actors in the back of a church theater, said directing is still his first love and he'd like to get back to it -- both on the big screen and even on the stage.
"I'm a director, you know, by nature. And I come from theater, so what I miss is theater," Daniels explained. "I really miss that. So I'm coming back to that. And that's my intent, to come back to theater."
