--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lot of documentaries have been made…" description: "\"A lot of documentaries have been made very quickly, but I think they're like frogs in an ecosystem: They're harbingers. Film is always two or three yea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/alexander-payne-5223_documentaries_a-lot-of-documentaries-have-been-made-ve_1777425.png" --- # A lot of documentaries have been made very quickly, but I… ![“A lot of documentaries have been made very quickly, but I think they're like frogs in an ecosystem: They're harbingers. Film is always two or three years behind, because it takes so long to write a script, get financing, and get it made. It just takes a while. But I think it's coming. It has to.” quote by Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/alexander-payne-5223_documentaries_a-lot-of-documentaries-have-been-made-ve_1777425.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/alexander-payne-5223_documentaries_a-lot-of-documentaries-have-been-made-ve_1777425.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/alexander-payne-5223_documentaries_a-lot-of-documentaries-have-been-made-ve_1777425.png) > “A lot of documentaries have been made very quickly, but I think they're like frogs in an ecosystem: They're harbingers. Film is always two or three years behind, because it takes so long to write a script, get financing, and get it made. It just takes a while. But I think it's coming. It has to.” [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Documentaries precede feature films, signaling future trends despite production delays. **In simple terms:** Documentaries forecast film trends. Key Takeaway Watch documentaries for upcoming cinema. Themes film documentary trend production time Mood analytical hopeful Type industry trend When to use this quote - film festivals - script development - financing - production timelines Key Concepts predictive insight industry lag creative cycle Questions to Reflect On - How can documentaries stay timely? - What role do they play in shaping cinema? A Different Perspective Fast‑track documentaries may lack depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentaries Quickly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries-quickly-1832387/) [Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Financing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financing/) [Harbinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harbinger/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Lot Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot-documentaries-838322/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Three years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-years/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-takes-760338/) ## Related quotes > [There's a lot of documentaries out in the world; it sometimes seems as if there's no topic left!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/there-s-a-lot-of-documentaries-out-in-the-world-it-sometimes-seems-as/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [A lot of documentaries are biased - they leave out a lot of information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pool/a-lot-of-documentaries-are-biased-they-leave-out-a-lot-of-information/) [Tim Pool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pool/) > [I saw 'The Grand Budapest Hotel.' I liked it. I saw 'The Fault in Our Stars,' and I could see why young girls like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/i-saw-the-grand-budapest-hotel-i-liked-it-i-saw-the-fault-in-our/) [Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/) > [A lot of documentaries are about something that already happened, but I think people are kind of afraid to let the story find them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wilson/a-lot-of-documentaries-are-about-something-that-already-happened-but/) [John Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wilson/) > [When I go to the DVD shop, I mostly buy documentaries because you learn a lot from documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/when-i-go-to-the-dvd-shop-i-mostly-buy-documentaries-because-you/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > ['Independent' means one thing to me: It means that regardless of the source of financing, the director's voice is extremely present. It's such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/independent-means-one-thing-to-me-it-means-that-regardless-of-the-2/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [I want studios to be financing director-driven, auteurist cinema, as they did in the '70s. I think it's starting to happen now. Plus, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-want-studios-to-be-financing-director-driven-auteurist-cinema-as/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [Independent means one thing to me: It means that regardless of the source of financing, the director's voice is extremely present. It's such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/independent-means-one-thing-to-me-it-means-that-regardless-of-the/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [Even if you're lucky to have a play on Broadway like 'Chinglish,' you don't necessarily earn enough off it to support the years it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/even-if-you-re-lucky-to-have-a-play-on-broadway-like-chinglish-you/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [A lot of people get stuck, like, "Oh, if it's made by a studio, it can't be independent." Often they link it to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/a-lot-of-people-get-stuck-like-oh-if-it-s-made-by-a-studio-it-can-t/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [“Knowledge doesn't come by years, but it takes the right information to achieve it--Jayvienero”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayvienero/knowledge-doesn-t-come-by-years-but-it-takes-the-right-information-to/) [Jayvienero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayvienero/) > [I notice that I only publish once every four years. It takes a couple of years to write a book and then, for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-see/i-notice-that-i-only-publish-once-every-four-years-it-takes-a-couple/) [Carolyn See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-see/) > [When you have a passion for something the hours, days, months and years that it takes to complete the project becomes secondary because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one9/when-you-have-a-passion-for-something-the-hours-days-months-and-years/) [One9](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one9/) > [You imagine running 120 miles a week, week in, week out, for the past four or five years. It takes a little bit out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/you-imagine-running-120-miles-a-week-week-in-week-out-for-the-past/) [Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/) > [I'm considered to some degree a successful director working in Hollywood, making films my way but using studio financing. But with almost every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-m-considered-to-some-degree-a-successful-director-working-in/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) ## More by Alexander Payne > [I want all of my films to belong to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-want-all-of-my-films-to-belong-to-me/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [I spend a long time casting, but once I've cast a film there's a reason why I selected those people. So I'm hands-on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-spend-a-long-time-casting-but-once-i-ve-cast-a-film-there-s-a/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [You just never know when you're living in a golden age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/you-just-never-know-when-you-re-living-in-a-golden-age/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [I don't feel despair because I am able to make the films I want to make, and that gives me hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-don-t-feel-despair-because-i-am-able-to-make-the-films-i-want-to/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [Jesuits encourage an intellectual rigor in a way that I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/jesuits-encourage-an-intellectual-rigor-in-a-way-that-i-like/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [Forgiving yourself may be for many people, at least for myself, extremely difficult. And then in a larger context, I will say that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/forgiving-yourself-may-be-for-many-people-at-least-for-myself/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [In a general sense, to convert any short story, novel, play, or opera into a movie, you have to re-rig it. Even though they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/in-a-general-sense-to-convert-any-short-story-novel-play-or-opera/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [If you have your movies so that everyone understands everything, I think that's probably not a very good movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/if-you-have-your-movies-so-that-everyone-understands-everything-i/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [I like actors who, when you see them on screen, you sense a person, not just an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-like-actors-who-when-you-see-them-on-screen-you-sense-a-person-not/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [If you're trying to recreate life, the life that you best know is the one you grew up with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/if-you-re-trying-to-recreate-life-the-life-that-you-best-know-is-the/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [I think about what movie I would like to see. I don't think of them as a correction or palliative. I certainly am irritated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-think-about-what-movie-i-would-like-to-see-i-don-t-think-of-them-as/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [If you were falling in love and you could go back in time and relive a day and see the banal things you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/if-you-were-falling-in-love-and-you-could-go-back-in-time-and-relive/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [Omaha, like Rome, is built on seven hills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/omaha-like-rome-is-built-on-seven-hills/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [Hollywood films have become a cesspool of formula and it's up to us to try to change it... I feel like a preacher! But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/hollywood-films-have-become-a-cesspool-of-formula-and-it-s-up-to-us/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [I don't want all of American cinema to be big cartoons that are just made to be digested by the entire world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-don-t-want-all-of-american-cinema-to-be-big-cartoons-that-are-just/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) [Explore all 102 Alexander Payne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) ## More Documentaries quotes > [I like the cinema of people like Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton. I am not keen on trying to reproduce reality - for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-jeunet/i-like-the-cinema-of-people-like-terry-gilliam-and-tim-burton-i-am/) [Jean-Pierre Jeunet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-jeunet/) > [Many people, including myself, thought of Jobs as an inventor, an Edison-like figure, but he wasn't. I did a documentary on James Brown recently;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/many-people-including-myself-thought-of-jobs-as-an-inventor-an-edison/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [The documentary style is an incredibly flexible and useful one. It's a wonderful tool for establishing the credibility of the version of things that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gohlke/the-documentary-style-is-an-incredibly-flexible-and-useful-one-it-s-a/) [Frank Gohlke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gohlke/) > [Most of the photographs people take with their cameraphones are of little value in terms of documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/most-of-the-photographs-people-take-with-their-cameraphones-are-of/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [...it is a very risky thing for anyone to go about proclaiming the truth simply because he finds himself in possession of concrete documentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-amado/it-is-a-very-risky-thing-for-anyone-to-go-about-proclaiming-the-truth/) [Jorge Amado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-amado/) > [Most of my life, I thought that I would end up a novelist. But then, in New York City, after college, I started a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/most-of-my-life-i-thought-that-i-would-end-up-a-novelist-but-then-in/) [Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/) > [By calling it a memoir, I meant is as a collection of memories. I thought it was (a more) artful (title) than documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-merchant/by-calling-it-a-memoir-i-meant-is-as-a-collection-of-memories-i/) [Natalie Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-merchant/) > [I'm a documentary photographer. That's what I've always wanted to be; that's where my heart and soul is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-a-documentary-photographer-that-s-what-i-ve-always-wanted-to-be/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [The pictures that were coming from Vietnam were showing us what was really happening on the ground level. It was in contradiction to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nachtwey/the-pictures-that-were-coming-from-vietnam-were-showing-us-what-was/) [James Nachtwey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nachtwey/) > [I'm in school every day. It depends on what it is that you do with all that free time when I'm not on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-lyte/i-m-in-school-every-day-it-depends-on-what-it-is-that-you-do-with-all/) [MC Lyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-lyte/) > [If you merely focus on what we already know, then it's not revelatory. You may as well just go and watch a documentary or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/if-you-merely-focus-on-what-we-already-know-then-it-s-not-revelatory/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [So I do tend to do documentaries where I can move in and out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-apted/so-i-do-tend-to-do-documentaries-where-i-can-move-in-and-out-of-them/) [Michael Apted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-apted/) > [Helen Weaver’s book was a revelation to me! Although I was a young woman in the fifties, I was there, but I wasn’t there!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-cassady/helen-weaver-s-book-was-a-revelation-to-me-although-i-was-a-young/) [Carolyn Cassady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-cassady/) > [There's a tradition of reenactment in documentary which is about sort of illustrating what the past might have been like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-oppenheimer/there-s-a-tradition-of-reenactment-in-documentary-which-is-about-sort/) [Joshua Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-oppenheimer/) > [I've had frustrated storytelling juices that have been lying dormant for a long time, and I guess the documentary was a way of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-ve-had-frustrated-storytelling-juices-that-have-been-lying-dormant/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) [Browse all 718 Documentaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A lot of documentaries have been made very quickly, but I think they're like frogs in an ecosystem: They're harbingers. 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