--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the thing about making a movie…" description: "\"That's the thing about making a movie: You never finish editing. They just take it away from you.\" — Abel Ferrara" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/abel-ferrara-13190_away-from-you_that-s-the-thing-about-making-a-movie-yo_585333.png" --- # That's the thing about making a movie: You never finish… ![“That's the thing about making a movie: You never finish editing. They just take it away from you.” quote by Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/abel-ferrara-13190_away-from-you_that-s-the-thing-about-making-a-movie-yo_585333.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/abel-ferrara-13190_away-from-you_that-s-the-thing-about-making-a-movie-yo_585333.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/abel-ferrara-13190_away-from-you_that-s-the-thing-about-making-a-movie-yo_585333.png) > “That's the thing about making a movie: You never finish editing. They just take it away from you.” [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Movie editing is an endless process; the final product is always taken away, leaving the creator feeling incomplete. **In simple terms:** Editing never truly ends. Key Takeaway Accept the perpetual nature of editing. Themes film editing artistic process completion control Mood melancholic realistic Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - film production - post‑production - creative workshops - project management - personal art practice Key Concepts creative process imperfection ownership Questions to Reflect On - How do you know when to stop editing? - What does “finished” mean to you? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can stall progress and cause frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Away from you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away-from-you/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [When I'm making a movie, it's making use of my creative juices, and it fills me up with what really is - I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/when-i-m-making-a-movie-it-s-making-use-of-my-creative-juices-and-it-2/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [Sometimes the most difficult thing you can do as an editor is not make a single note - the idea that everything and everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/sometimes-the-most-difficult-thing-you-can-do-as-an-editor-is-not/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [Editing is just ongoing. I don't count drafts, or know what would fully constitute a draft. But I try to fix as I go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/editing-is-just-ongoing-i-don-t-count-drafts-or-know-what-would-fully/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [You can't act for the editing. You just go in and do the scene the way you think is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/you-can-t-act-for-the-editing-you-just-go-in-and-do-the-scene-the-way/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I just felt that you can't have a character fall in love so madly as they did in the last movie and not finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-craig/i-just-felt-that-you-can-t-have-a-character-fall-in-love-so-madly-as/) [Daniel Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-craig/) > [Make no mistake, the organizations website counsels. You will be writing a lot of crap. And thats a good thing. By forcing yourself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/make-no-mistake-the-organizations-website-counsels-you-will-be/) [Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/) > [You cant act for the editing. You just go in and do the scene the way you think is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/you-cant-act-for-the-editing-you-just-go-in-and-do-the-scene-the-way/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I write mainly on trains because when I'm at home I'll be making YouTube videos or editing or just sitting down having a cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-hope-fletcher/i-write-mainly-on-trains-because-when-i-m-at-home-i-ll-be-making/) [Carrie Hope Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-hope-fletcher/) > [No editing, just me. Being real from now on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-editing-just-me-being-real-from-now-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At the end of the day, making 'Monster' was unbelievably hard, as making any movie is. And the only thing that made it worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-jenkins/at-the-end-of-the-day-making-monster-was-unbelievably-hard-as-making/) [Patty Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-jenkins/) > [It's always a problem when you're working with people you don't really know. Most filmmaking is about shaking hands and just starting. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/it-s-always-a-problem-when-you-re-working-with-people-you-don-t/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [The label of 'marathoner' has, from the beginning, been awarded to those who went the distance under their own power, whether they ran, walked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-galloway/the-label-of-marathoner-has-from-the-beginning-been-awarded-to-those/) [Jeff Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-galloway/) > [The world for which you have been so carefully prepared is being taken away from you, by the grace of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-brueggemann/the-world-for-which-you-have-been-so-carefully-prepared-is-being/) [Walter Brueggemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-brueggemann/) > [Read. Always read. No one can take that away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-everett/read-always-read-no-one-can-take-that-away-from-you/) [Percival Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percival-everett/) > [But one of the things I learned is that when you fight for something you believe in and you tell the truth and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-kerry/but-one-of-the-things-i-learned-is-that-when-you-fight-for-something/) [Vanessa Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-kerry/) ## More by Abel Ferrara > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [I grew up in the '60s, which was a creative time, so it wasn't that big of a stretch to go from a baseball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/i-grew-up-in-the-60s-which-was-a-creative-time-so-it-wasn-t-that-big/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [Certain actors wanna get paid, they think working in a low-budget movie is being ripped off. But for others it's like, 'Yes, let's do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/certain-actors-wanna-get-paid-they-think-working-in-a-low-budget/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [Movies are only the result of where we are as human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/movies-are-only-the-result-of-where-we-are-as-human-beings/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [I don't have a problem with Werner Herzog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-werner-herzog/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [There's no such thing as a non-final cut director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-non-final-cut-director/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [I'm a lapsed Buddhist like I'm a lapsed Catholic. I take it to a point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/i-m-a-lapsed-buddhist-like-i-m-a-lapsed-catholic-i-take-it-to-a-point/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [I come from a world where you get the film done, that's a success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/i-come-from-a-world-where-you-get-the-film-done-that-s-a-success/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [The secret is not to make a film that causes something like Virginia Tech to happen. The secret is to make a film that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/the-secret-is-not-to-make-a-film-that-causes-something-like-virginia/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [The world is constantly changing. You're constantly learning and you have to be willing to get off your mark, and get off your spot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/the-world-is-constantly-changing-you-re-constantly-learning-and-you/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [I don't need to push myself. I don't need to sharpen my own knife and slit my throat. I'm trying to chill it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/i-don-t-need-to-push-myself-i-don-t-need-to-sharpen-my-own-knife-and/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [I grew up in the Bronx. I'm into rap music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/i-grew-up-in-the-bronx-i-m-into-rap-music/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [A lifetime isn't long enough to learn how to make films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/a-lifetime-isn-t-long-enough-to-learn-how-to-make-films/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [The actors that I love to work with, they're hard on me. They're pushing me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/the-actors-that-i-love-to-work-with-they-re-hard-on-me-they-re/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [A script is not a piece of literature it's a process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/a-script-is-not-a-piece-of-literature-it-s-a-process/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) [Explore all 51 Abel Ferrara quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) ## More Away from you quotes > [But one of the things I learned is that when you fight for something you believe in and you tell the truth and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-kerry/but-one-of-the-things-i-learned-is-that-when-you-fight-for-something/) [Vanessa Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-kerry/) > [Read. Always read. No one can take that away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-everett/read-always-read-no-one-can-take-that-away-from-you/) [Percival Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percival-everett/) > [The world for which you have been so carefully prepared is being taken away from you, by the grace of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-brueggemann/the-world-for-which-you-have-been-so-carefully-prepared-is-being/) [Walter Brueggemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-brueggemann/) > [The label of 'marathoner' has, from the beginning, been awarded to those who went the distance under their own power, whether they ran, walked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-galloway/the-label-of-marathoner-has-from-the-beginning-been-awarded-to-those/) [Jeff Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-galloway/) > [You're killing yourself with cynicism. Your idols got taken away from you one by one and now you have nothing to give your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-killing-yourself-with-cynicism-your-idols-got-taken-away-from/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Is driving a right? You are entitled to a driving license if you can abide by the traffic laws and drive responsibly. If your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/is-driving-a-right-you-are-entitled-to-a-driving-license-if-you-can/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [If, when you talk to people, they keep backing away from you, it's because you're TOO CLOSE, alright? SO DON'T KEEP ADVANCING ON THEM…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-when-you-talk-to-people-they-keep-backing-away-from-you-it-s/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Because you don't learn anything unless you can find the patience to read. TV takes that away from you. It robs you from your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/because-you-don-t-learn-anything-unless-you-can-find-the-patience-to/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [His lessons were chock-full of analogies for a variety of musical situations. Those little things were my favorites. 'No . . . that's too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-laureano/his-lessons-were-chock-full-of-analogies-for-a-variety-of-musical/) Manny Laureano > [Love leaves a memory nobody can take away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-campbell/love-leaves-a-memory-nobody-can-take-away-from-you/) [Danielle Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-campbell/) > [Roads taken far away from you are many. Do not fear, Mother; they all lead back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-levine/roads-taken-far-away-from-you-are-many-do-not-fear-mother-they-all/) [Adam Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-levine/) > [If you feel inside you are a woman, be a woman - no one can take that away from you, man. No one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-davis/if-you-feel-inside-you-are-a-woman-be-a-woman-no-one-can-take-that/) [Jonathan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-davis/) > [The little boy had wandered away from his mother, tacking across the grass toward the play structure. His mother watched him go, proud, tickled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/the-little-boy-had-wandered-away-from-his-mother-tacking-across-the/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [What you want most you push away from you. You want more than you care to admit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarjei-vesaas/what-you-want-most-you-push-away-from-you-you-want-more-than-you-care/) [Tarjei Vesaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarjei-vesaas/) > [Once you're a mom, whether you're kids are next to you or far away from you, you're always a mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-paradis/once-you-re-a-mom-whether-you-re-kids-are-next-to-you-or-far-away/) [Vanessa Paradis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-paradis/) [Browse all 243 Away from you quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away-from-you/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's the thing about making a movie: You never finish editing. 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