There are a lot of directors who are knowledgeable about images, and others who aren't.
I think one of the reasons people quit is because they're afraid they won't be able to get better and better; that they have to come to a zenith of some kind.
Billions of people have seen and been influenced by movies in the short history of this industry.
You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward.
Contrast is what makes photography interesting.
The closer the source of light is to a subject, the broader the beams are.