--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never say I make documentaries. I say I…" description: "\"I never say I make documentaries. I say I make television.\" — Alexandra C. Pelosi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/alexandra-c-pelosi-13737_documentaries_i-never-say-i-make-documentaries-i-say-i_2647126.jpg" --- # I never say I make documentaries. I say I make television. ![“I never say I make documentaries. I say I make television.” quote by Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/alexandra-c-pelosi-13737_documentaries_i-never-say-i-make-documentaries-i-say-i_2647126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/alexandra-c-pelosi-13737_documentaries_i-never-say-i-make-documentaries-i-say-i_2647126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/alexandra-c-pelosi-13737_documentaries_i-never-say-i-make-documentaries-i-say-i_2647126.jpg) > “I never say I make documentaries. I say I make television.” [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Distinguishes between making documentaries and television, emphasizing broader media format. **In simple terms:** Differentiates documentary from television production. Key Takeaway Clarify the medium you’re creating. Themes media production identity Mood analytical professional Type industry reflective When to use this quote - career planning - media studies - content strategy - branding Key Concepts broadcast storytelling genre Questions to Reflect On - Why choose one label over another? - How does audience perception shift? A Different Perspective May blur lines between formats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentaries Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries-say-2319709/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-documentaries-600943/) [Make Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-television-661164/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [Because in this business, as you know, you don't get that many bites at the apple, so I make documentaries for HBO and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/because-in-this-business-as-you-know-you-don-t-get-that-many-bites-at/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [I only ever wanted to do history, and make documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-olusoga/i-only-ever-wanted-to-do-history-and-make-documentaries/) [David Olusoga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-olusoga/) > [People who make documentaries have to be faithful to the facts. But when you are making a drama, a fiction based on the life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/people-who-make-documentaries-have-to-be-faithful-to-the-facts-but/) [Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/) > [You make documentaries because you love doing it; it's the only sane reason to make documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-neville/you-make-documentaries-because-you-love-doing-it-it-s-the-only-sane/) [Morgan Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-neville/) > [I don't think there's so much difference between making documentaries and feature films. I think it's even harder to make documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danis-tanovic/i-don-t-think-there-s-so-much-difference-between-making-documentaries/) [Danis Tanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danis-tanovic/) > [All the great novels, all the great films, all the great dramas are fictions that actually tell us the truth about us or about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-northam/all-the-great-novels-all-the-great-films-all-the-great-dramas-are/) [Jeremy Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-northam/) > [I make documentaries. I attend film festivals. I don't have time to sit at cafes taking selfies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-basu-prasad/i-make-documentaries-i-attend-film-festivals-i-don-t-have-time-to-sit/) [Shweta Basu Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-basu-prasad/) > [Stories, as we're taught in journalism school early on, are told through people. Those stories make our documentaries powerful. You can explore someone's culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/stories-as-we-re-taught-in-journalism-school-early-on-are-told/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [I would make documentaries if it was a worthy cause. I have a lot of respect for people who put themselves in harm's way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-sumner/i-would-make-documentaries-if-it-was-a-worthy-cause-i-have-a-lot-of/) [Eliot Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-sumner/) > [I'd like to make documentaries. Way-out documentaries. I'd like to do one on a tour of the U.S.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-clark/i-d-like-to-make-documentaries-way-out-documentaries-i-d-like-to-do/) [Dave Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-clark/) > [When you make documentaries or short films, you have to have eyes and ears in the back of your head and on the sides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-weber/when-you-make-documentaries-or-short-films-you-have-to-have-eyes-and/) [Bruce Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-weber/) > [The easiest way to make television authentic is to make it really authentic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-olusoga/the-easiest-way-to-make-television-authentic-is-to-make-it-really/) [David Olusoga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-olusoga/) > [You realize, this is not just a little studio we go to make these television episodes. This thing is reaching everybody in the world!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-farr/you-realize-this-is-not-just-a-little-studio-we-go-to-make-these/) [Jamie Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-farr/) > [I would wish eventually to be able to make television that informs and educates as well as entertains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drummond-money-coutts/i-would-wish-eventually-to-be-able-to-make-television-that-informs/) [Drummond Money-Coutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drummond-money-coutts/) > [I don't think you can really make television based on what you think audiences want. You can only make stories that you like, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-don-t-think-you-can-really-make-television-based-on-what-you-think/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) ## More by Alexandra C. Pelosi > [Income inequality isn't sexy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/income-inequality-isn-t-sexy/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [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/) > [San Francisco is the microcosm for what's happening all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/san-francisco-is-the-microcosm-for-what-s-happening-all-over-the-world/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [The liberalism I was taught was you're supposed to accept everyone. Why shouldn't the people in Fort Wayne, Ind., get their side on NBC…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/the-liberalism-i-was-taught-was-you-re-supposed-to-accept-everyone/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [As a documentary filmmaker, I couldn't afford to give my children the lifestyle I had in San Francisco growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/as-a-documentary-filmmaker-i-couldn-t-afford-to-give-my-children-the/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [Because in this business, as you know, you don't get that many bites at the apple, so I make documentaries for HBO and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/because-in-this-business-as-you-know-you-don-t-get-that-many-bites-at/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [No one ever won betting against Nancy Pelosi. You've got to give her credit, no matter what you think of her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/no-one-ever-won-betting-against-nancy-pelosi-you-ve-got-to-give-her/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [I'm a happy person! I guess I'm not as much of a pessimist as most documentary filmmakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/i-m-a-happy-person-i-guess-i-m-not-as-much-of-a-pessimist-as-most/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [There are a lot of lonely people on the planet that have a lot of money in their pocket and no place to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/there-are-a-lot-of-lonely-people-on-the-planet-that-have-a-lot-of/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [For me, if I was walking down the street and saw a politician, I'd cross the street and walk the other way intentionally, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/for-me-if-i-was-walking-down-the-street-and-saw-a-politician-i-d/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [Power isn't real, and it isn't earned. If you act like you have it, suddenly you're leading everyone. Perception is reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/power-isn-t-real-and-it-isn-t-earned-if-you-act-like-you-have-it/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [I may live in liberal America, but I know that this is not the only America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/i-may-live-in-liberal-america-but-i-know-that-this-is-not-the-only/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [Cable news wants you to believe that America is red versus blue. I would argue America is way more purple than it looks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/cable-news-wants-you-to-believe-that-america-is-red-versus-blue-i/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [It's a good line to say we're going to get money out of politics. I don't know how realistic it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/it-s-a-good-line-to-say-we-re-going-to-get-money-out-of-politics-i/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [No matter how holy and righteous you are, you're still gonna have to kiss up to the billionaire for the check to get yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/no-matter-how-holy-and-righteous-you-are-you-re-still-gonna-have-to/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) [Explore all 49 Alexandra C. Pelosi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) ## 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": "I never say I make documentaries. 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