--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My flag is always flying. My shingle is…" description: "\"My flag is always flying. My shingle is always out. I'm always looking for movie ideas. The hardest part of this whole movie-making endeavor is finding..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/alexander-payne-5223_endeavor_my-flag-is-always-flying-my-shingle-is-a_1199250.png" --- # My flag is always flying. My shingle is always out. I'm… ![“My flag is always flying. My shingle is always out. I'm always looking for movie ideas. The hardest part of this whole movie-making endeavor is finding ideas. That's the real goal.” quote by Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/alexander-payne-5223_endeavor_my-flag-is-always-flying-my-shingle-is-a_1199250.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/alexander-payne-5223_endeavor_my-flag-is-always-flying-my-shingle-is-a_1199250.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/alexander-payne-5223_endeavor_my-flag-is-always-flying-my-shingle-is-a_1199250.png) > “My flag is always flying. My shingle is always out. I'm always looking for movie ideas. The hardest part of this whole movie-making endeavor is finding ideas. That's the real goal.” [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. Creative work requires constant idea generation; the real challenge is finding fresh concepts, which is the true goal of filmmaking. **In simple terms:** Finding ideas is the hardest part of making movies. Key Takeaway Prioritize idea generation. Themes creativity film inspiration Mood enthusiastic determined Type practical motivational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - brainstorming sessions - collaborative workshops - personal observation Key Concepts artistic process storytelling innovation Questions to Reflect On - What sources spark your most original ideas? - How can you balance originality with audience expectations? A Different Perspective Ideas can be inspired by existing works, risking lack of originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Flags](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flags/) [Flying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flying/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-making/) [Shingles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shingles/) ## Related quotes > [My flag is always flying. My shingle is always out. I'm always looking for movie ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/my-flag-is-always-flying-my-shingle-is-always-out-i-m-always-looking-2/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [The hardest part of this whole movie-making endeavor is finding ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/the-hardest-part-of-this-whole-movie-making-endeavor-is-finding-ideas/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [Trying to find ideas is the hardest part of my job. You'd think it would be the most fun. Just sitting around reading whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/trying-to-find-ideas-is-the-hardest-part-of-my-job-you-d-think-it/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [When people finance a movie, they have their own ideas and have things they want to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lulu-wang/when-people-finance-a-movie-they-have-their-own-ideas-and-have-things/) [Lulu Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lulu-wang/) > [I like to see the flag up flying proudly. When I'm in space I represent that flag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-swigert/i-like-to-see-the-flag-up-flying-proudly-when-i-m-in-space-i/) [Jack Swigert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-swigert/) > [We'll have freedom, love and health/When the grand red flag is flying, In the Workers' Commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/we-ll-have-freedom-love-and-health-when-the-grand-red-flag-is-flying/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [I don't want egos and personalities on the set that make it more difficult to make the film. I don't want people who take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-don-t-want-egos-and-personalities-on-the-set-that-make-it-more/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [When I get to the movie set, I don't need to have a sort of iron fist that a movie is about me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-levitas/when-i-get-to-the-movie-set-i-don-t-need-to-have-a-sort-of-iron-fist/) [Andrew Levitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-levitas/) > [If you don't want an American flag flying at your school, why do you live in the USA?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-earhardt/if-you-don-t-want-an-american-flag-flying-at-your-school-why-do-you/) [Ainsley Earhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-earhardt/) > [Actually, after while, finding the ideas is the easy part. Sorting them through and turning them into stories, now, that's the hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/actually-after-while-finding-the-ideas-is-the-easy-part-sorting-them/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“The trick to finding ideas is to convince yourself that everyone and everything has a story to tell. I say trick but what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-trick-to-finding-ideas-is-to-convince-yourself-that-everyone-and/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [What interests me is starting businesses on our own, finding ideas that we can support, and simply investing in invention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-diller/what-interests-me-is-starting-businesses-on-our-own-finding-ideas/) [Barry Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-diller/) > [My job is to find great ideas, exaggerate them, and spread them like hell around the business with the speed of light...And to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/my-job-is-to-find-great-ideas-exaggerate-them-and-spread-them-like/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [The trick to finding ideas is to convince yourself that everyone and everything has a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-trick-to-finding-ideas-is-to-convince-yourself-that-everyone-and-2/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [When the cold comes to New England it arrives in sheets of sleet and ice. In December, the wind wraps itself around bare trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/when-the-cold-comes-to-new-england-it-arrives-in-sheets-of-sleet-and/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## 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 Endeavor quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [“Designing posters, for me, is not only a commercial pursuit but also a philosophical endeavor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fang-chen/designing-posters-for-me-is-not-only-a-commercial-pursuit-but-also-a/) Fang Chen > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [I believe in my Mormon faith, and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers - I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-believe-in-my-mormon-faith-and-i-endeavor-to-live-by-it-my-faith-is/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Further conceive, I beg, that a stone, while continuing in motion, should be capable of thinking and knowing, that it is endeavoring, as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/further-conceive-i-beg-that-a-stone-while-continuing-in-motion-should/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It required unusual inquisitiveness to pursue the development of scientific curiosities such as charged pith balls, the voltaic cell, and the electrostatic machine. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-seitz/it-required-unusual-inquisitiveness-to-pursue-the-development-of/) [Frederick Seitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-seitz/) > [The search for truth is a cooperative, unending endeavor. We can, and should, engage in it to the extent we can and encourage others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-search-for-truth-is-a-cooperative-unending-endeavor-we-can-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [All persons ought to endeavor to follow what is right, and not what is established.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/all-persons-ought-to-endeavor-to-follow-what-is-right-and-not-what-is/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [In most fields of endeavor there are no easy jobs; there are only graceful ways of performing difficult ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/in-most-fields-of-endeavor-there-are-no-easy-jobs-there-are-only/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [After all, crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/after-all-crime-is-only-a-left-handed-form-of-human-endeavor/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. 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