Directing

Eastwood has developed directing as a second career, and has generally received greater critical acclaim for his directing than he ever did for his acting. Eastwood has become known for directing high-quality but pessimistic dramas such as Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, and Letters from Iwo Jima. 

However, he has chosen a wide variety of films to direct, some clearly commercial, others highly personal. Articles about Eastwood often neglect to mention that he has directed 27 films (as of 2006). Many actors direct now and then, but Eastwood is as distinguished as many more famous directors.

Eastwood also produces many of his movies, and is well known in the industry for his efficient, low-cost approach to making films. Over the years, he has developed relationships with many other filmmakers, working over and over with the same crew, production designers, cinematographers, editors and other technical people. 

Similarly, he has a long-term relationship with the Warner Bros. studio, which finances and releases most of his films (although, in a 2004 interview appearing in The New York Times, Eastwood noted that he still sometimes has difficulty convincing the studio to back his films). In more recent years, Eastwood also has begun writing music for some of his films.