--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lot of shorts spend too much time…" description: "\"A lot of shorts spend too much time setting up the idea; sometimes they meander.\" — Adam McKay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/adam-mckay-2140_idea_a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-sett_197266.jpg" --- # A lot of shorts spend too much time setting up the idea… ![“A lot of shorts spend too much time setting up the idea; sometimes they meander.” quote by Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/adam-mckay-2140_idea_a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-sett_197266.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/adam-mckay-2140_idea_a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-sett_197266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/adam-mckay-2140_idea_a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-sett_197266.jpg) > “A lot of shorts spend too much time setting up the idea; sometimes they meander.” [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Short films often waste time on exposition, leading to aimless narratives that lose audience interest. **In simple terms:** Too much setup makes shorts wander. Key Takeaway Focus on core story quickly. Themes storytelling efficiency clarity Mood analytical critical Type educational reflective When to use this quote - film festivals - online video platforms - educational workshops - creative brainstorming Key Concepts narrative structure editing audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - What is the essential element of a short film? - How can you balance setup with momentum? A Different Perspective Some audiences appreciate nuanced setup; not all shorts need rapid pacing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Seersucker and khaki suits are the key to looking put-together in the summer. I also wear shorts year-round. And I would never say never,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-browne/seersucker-and-khaki-suits-are-the-key-to-looking-put-together-in-the/) [Thom Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-browne/) > [What's the point of shorts if they're not short?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juergen-teller/what-s-the-point-of-shorts-if-they-re-not-short/) [Juergen Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juergen-teller/) > [One of the things I had a hard time getting used to when I came to California in '78 was Santa Claus in shorts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-franz/one-of-the-things-i-had-a-hard-time-getting-used-to-when-i-came-to/) [Dennis Franz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-franz/) > [I used to trip over my legs and get detention for my too-short shorts because none fit. I still trip, but now I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-grace/i-used-to-trip-over-my-legs-and-get-detention-for-my-too-short-shorts/) [Maggie Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-grace/) > [I trained at Celtic when I was a kid. I used to train at Rangers as well. I wore my Celtic shorts underneath my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-snodgrass/i-trained-at-celtic-when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-train-at-rangers-as/) [Robert Snodgrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-snodgrass/) > [My mother did like to make clothes, and in I think the worst picture I've ever seen of myself - I must have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/my-mother-did-like-to-make-clothes-and-in-i-think-the-worst-picture-i/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [It is a point of pride for the American male to keep the same size Jockey shorts for his entire life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/it-is-a-point-of-pride-for-the-american-male-to-keep-the-same-size/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [I can't believe people would ever wear shorts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-miz/i-can-t-believe-people-would-ever-wear-shorts/) [The Miz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-miz/) > [Good preparation is key for me. 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Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I love skating in shorts, it's really comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nyjah-huston/i-love-skating-in-shorts-it-s-really-comfortable/) [Nyjah Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nyjah-huston/) > [The Church is the house of God. It is forbidden for men to enter with bare arms or in shorts. It is forbidden for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/the-church-is-the-house-of-god-it-is-forbidden-for-men-to-enter-with/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [You know, I wake up every day with a T-shirt and shorts on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-waiters/you-know-i-wake-up-every-day-with-a-t-shirt-and-shorts-on/) [Dion Waiters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-waiters/) ## More by Adam McKay > [Since FDR's New Deal, corporations and wealthy families have been non-stop finding new ways to get tax breaks, deregulation and entitlements from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/since-fdr-s-new-deal-corporations-and-wealthy-families-have-been-non/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I was a huge fan of comedy in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-was-a-huge-fan-of-comedy-in-high-school/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I think I'm better than Mamet, I would say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-i-m-better-than-mamet-i-would-say/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I'll tell you one thing... no doubt about it, my favorite kind of comedy is talking head comedy. I mean, if it were up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-ll-tell-you-one-thing-no-doubt-about-it-my-favorite-kind-of-comedy/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [The 'Police Academy' stuff was all hyper-slapsticky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/the-police-academy-stuff-was-all-hyper-slapsticky/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [The only way that Hollywood ever skews toward liberal is because part of what we make out of Hollywood involves writers, actors, directors, musicians,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/the-only-way-that-hollywood-ever-skews-toward-liberal-is-because-part/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > ['Blazing Saddles' is one of the funniest movies ever made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/blazing-saddles-is-one-of-the-funniest-movies-ever-made/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [Blanket cynicism toward government has always existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/blanket-cynicism-toward-government-has-always-existed/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I have certain beliefs about how people should treat employees and how companies should be run, but I was really surprised though this process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-have-certain-beliefs-about-how-people-should-treat-employees-and/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [If you're calling yourself a maverick and you're not Dirk Nowitzki, then you are probably not one. 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It's entertainment driven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-everyone-knows-the-news-has-become-ridiculous-it-s/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [Word of mouth and the Internet are the only press we have left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/word-of-mouth-and-the-internet-are-the-only-press-we-have-left/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [The way you really stop Al-Qaeda is by stopping their funding. It's not by carpet-bombing or land invasions or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/the-way-you-really-stop-al-qaeda-is-by-stopping-their-funding-it-s/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) [Explore all 183 Adam McKay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) ## More Idea quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I had an idea for a technologically advanced luxury watch. I got involved in digital art and neon painting and put on shows of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-moroder/i-had-an-idea-for-a-technologically-advanced-luxury-watch-i-got/) [Giorgio Moroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-moroder/) > [Everybody has a good idea, but nothing goes as planned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-winklevoss/everybody-has-a-good-idea-but-nothing-goes-as-planned/) [Tyler Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-winklevoss/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. 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As songwriters, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-atkins/you-wind-up-creating-from-silence-like-painting-a-picture-on-a-blank/) [Rodney Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-atkins/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [If there is an abiding theme in 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' it is the idea that you come into the world already shaped by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/if-there-is-an-abiding-theme-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-it-is-the/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) > [My mom had no idea she was having twins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-bella/my-mom-had-no-idea-she-was-having-twins/) [Brie Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-bella/) > [When I was 12 years old, I went to Natchitoches, La.; it was summer vacation with my family. 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I follow dreams, take notes on travels, and engage in research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/i-get-worked-up-over-an-idea-or-the-ethos-of-an-idea-i-follow-dreams/) [Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/) [Browse all 4,953 Idea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A lot of shorts spend too much time setting up the idea; sometimes they meander.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam McKay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-setting-up-the-idea-sometimes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Idea" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-setting-up-the-idea-sometimes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/adam-mckay-2140_idea_a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-sett_197266.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/adam-mckay-2140_idea_a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-sett_197266.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/adam-mckay-2140_idea_a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-sett_197266.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A lot of shorts spend too much time setting up the idea; sometimes they meander.” — Adam McKay", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam McKay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A lot of shorts spend too...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-setting-up-the-idea-sometimes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-setting-up-the-idea-sometimes/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```