To write either a short story or a novel requires only months or years of effort by a single person. Movies are completely different things. Movies require financing and that in itself is a major undertaking. Directors are like generals planning military campaigns. They need to worry about logistics, timing, equipment, location, expenses and so on. Small movies don't require nearly as much management effort, meaning that sheer artistic vision has a better chance of shining through. Peter Jackson should leave the small movies to the up-and-comers.
Well, if you think the important thing is all the work and sweat behind the scenes, bully for you. I happen to think it’s the work up on the screen that matters and nothing else. Small dramas and good comedies are what are needed in film today not more overblown CGI crap.
I’ll stick with the classics and the foreign movies until things change. Which will never happen.
The movie producer should be handling the money and keeping the director in check.
When a person wears both hats, it is harder than wearing just one.
That said, a $100 million project is not necessarily more stressful than a $10 million project, or even a $1 million project. For example, the person that has their entire life wrapped into a $1 million project is likely to feel a lot more stress than a person contracted to manage a $10 million contract.