--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a time when I thought that…" description: "\"“There was a time when I thought that film, unlike other art forms (being the most democratic of them all) had a total effect, identical of every audie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_there-was-a-time-when-i-thought-that-fil_1555950.jpg" --- # There was a time when I thought that film, unlike other… ![“There was a time when I thought that film, unlike other art forms (being the most democratic of them all) had a total effect, identical of every audience. That it was first and foremost a series of recorded images; that the images are photographic and unequivocal. That being so, because it appears…” quote by Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_there-was-a-time-when-i-thought-that-fil_1555950.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_there-was-a-time-when-i-thought-that-fil_1555950.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_there-was-a-time-when-i-thought-that-fil_1555950.jpg) > ““There was a time when I thought that film, unlike other art forms (being the most democratic of them all) had a total effect, identical of every audience. That it was first and foremost a series of recorded images; that the images are photographic and unequivocal. That being so, because it appears unambiguous, it is going to be perceived in one and the same way by everyone who sees it. (Up to a certain point, obviously) But I was wrong. One has to work out a principle which allows for film to affect people individually. The 'total' image must become something private. (comparable with the images of literature, painting, poetry, music.) The basic principle- as it were, the mainspring- is, I think, that as little as possible has actually to be shown, and form that little the audience has to build up an idea of the rest, of the whole. In my view that has to be the basis for constructing the cinematographic image. And if one looks at it from the point of view of symbols, then the symbol in cinema is a symbol of nature, of reality. Off course, it isn't a question of details, but of what is hidden.”” [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Film must leave space for personal interpretation; minimal explicit detail lets viewers construct meaning themselves. **In simple terms:** Film should be vague enough for personal meaning. Key Takeaway Show less, let audience imagine. Themes cinema interpretation subjectivity Mood contemplative introspective Type theoretical philosophical When to use this quote - film criticism - creative writing - teaching film studies - directing - screenwriting Key Concepts symbolism minimalism audience participation Questions to Reflect On - How can a filmmaker balance clarity with openness? - What symbols resonate personally with you? A Different Perspective Too much ambiguity can confuse or alienate viewers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-form/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Whether you think a film will affect society or it's plain entertainment, it's all excellent, it's all noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/whether-you-think-a-film-will-affect-society-or-it-s-plain/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [During the entire process of making this film I never thought about whom I was making it for. I always thought that the film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-abreu/during-the-entire-process-of-making-this-film-i-never-thought-about/) [Alex Abreu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-abreu/) > [I never thought about whether film is inherently more sincere, because certainly I think if Guy Maddin had directed A Series Of Unfortunate Events,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/i-never-thought-about-whether-film-is-inherently-more-sincere-because/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [The basic idea of making this film was that even if one person is touched by the thought in the film, then my job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-wahi/the-basic-idea-of-making-this-film-was-that-even-if-one-person-is/) [Karan Wahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-wahi/) > [Id never really considered film. If Id thought about film more growing up, I probably would have changed my name. I had no concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/id-never-really-considered-film-if-id-thought-about-film-more-growing/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Abhishek Chaubey has been in my bucket list for a long time. When he approached me, I thought it's for a film he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumi-pednekar/abhishek-chaubey-has-been-in-my-bucket-list-for-a-long-time-when-he/) [Bhumi Pednekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumi-pednekar/) > ['Dil Chahta Hai' was too raw. We only thought about the film. We never thought where the film was going to go. We wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farhan-akhtar/dil-chahta-hai-was-too-raw-we-only-thought-about-the-film-we-never/) [Farhan Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farhan-akhtar/) > [I knew I wanted to be a performer, but I didn't know I would specifically be in film. 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And I was getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sebring/i-thought-about-how-to-film-something-how-to-take-pictures-of-it-and/) [Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-sebring/) > [“Poetry is the music of the soul”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-ghossein/poetry-is-the-music-of-the-soul/) Jana Ghossein ## More by Andrei Tarkovsky > [Art is realistic when it strives to express an ethical ideal. Realism is striving for truth, and truth is always beautiful. Here the aesthetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/art-is-realistic-when-it-strives-to-express-an-ethical-ideal-realism/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [I think in fact that unless there is an organic link between the subjective impressions of the author and his objective representation of reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/i-think-in-fact-that-unless-there-is-an-organic-link-between-the/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Perhaps the meaning of all human activity lies in the artistic consciousness, in the pointless and selfless creative act? Perhaps our capacity to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/perhaps-the-meaning-of-all-human-activity-lies-in-the-artistic/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [If we succeed with something, that is only because others are in need of what e have produced. And the more success we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/if-we-succeed-with-something-that-is-only-because-others-are-in-need/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [“I believe in one thing: the human spirit is immortal and indestructible. In the beyond there could be anything, it is of no importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/i-believe-in-one-thing-the-human-spirit-is-immortal-and/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [It is perfectly possible to be a professional director or a professional writer and not to be an artist: merely a sort of executor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/it-is-perfectly-possible-to-be-a-professional-director-or-a/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Some sort of pressure must exist; the artist exists because the world is not perfect. 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In fact, the subject grows within him like a fruit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/it-is-a-mistake-to-talk-about-the-artist-looking-for-his-subject-in/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [“The image in cinema is based on the ability to present as an observation one's own perception of an object”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/the-image-in-cinema-is-based-on-the-ability-to-present-as-an/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Man is born unto the trouble as the sparks fly upwards.' In other words suffering is germane to our existence; indeed, how without it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/man-is-born-unto-the-trouble-as-the-sparks-fly-upwards-in-other-words/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Why do people go to the cinema? What takes them into a darkened room where, for two hours, they watch the play of shadows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/why-do-people-go-to-the-cinema-what-takes-them-into-a-darkened-room/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Objectivity can only be the author's and therefore subjective, even if he is editing a newsreel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/objectivity-can-only-be-the-author-s-and-therefore-subjective-even-if/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [“Perhaps cinema is the most personal art, the most intimate. In cinema only the author's intimate truth will be convincing enough for the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/perhaps-cinema-is-the-most-personal-art-the-most-intimate-in-cinema/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Weakness is a great thing, and strength is nothing. When a man is just born, he is weak and flexible. When he dies, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/weakness-is-a-great-thing-and-strength-is-nothing-when-a-man-is-just/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) [Explore all 120 Andrei Tarkovsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. 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