--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In storytelling, the audience actually…" description: "\"In storytelling, the audience actually wants to work for their meal, they just don't want to know that they're doing it.\" — Andrew Stanton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/andrew-stanton-12647_audience_in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wa_634274.png" --- # In storytelling, the audience actually wants to work for… ![“In storytelling, the audience actually wants to work for their meal, they just don't want to know that they're doing it.” quote by Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/andrew-stanton-12647_audience_in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wa_634274.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/andrew-stanton-12647_audience_in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wa_634274.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/andrew-stanton-12647_audience_in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wa_634274.png) > “In storytelling, the audience actually wants to work for their meal, they just don't want to know that they're doing it.” [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Audiences prefer being engaged subtly, not feeling manipulated by obvious effort. **In simple terms:** People like hidden effort in stories. Key Takeaway Design experiences that reward effort without explicit labor. Themes storytelling audience engagement subtlety Mood playful intriguing Type narrative motivational When to use this quote - Theme parks - video games - interactive theater - advertising campaigns Key Concepts Narrative design psychology of immersion Questions to Reflect On - How can creators balance transparency and subtlety? - What techniques keep effort invisible yet rewarding? A Different Perspective If the hidden work becomes too obvious, audience disengagement may occur. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [Be honest in your storytelling for if you're not your audience will know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosa-lee-beckwith-powell/be-honest-in-your-storytelling-for-if-you-re-not-your-audience-will/) [Rosa-Lee Beckwith-Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosa-lee-beckwith-powell/) > [“This meal we just ate?" says Aunt Lydia. "In many countries, this sort of meal would only be eaten by royalty." "There are countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/this-meal-we-just-ate-says-aunt-lydia-in-many-countries-this-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I love to cook. I'd hoped by now I'd have a big loft. I have this fantasy that between 12 and 4, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-buono/i-love-to-cook-i-d-hoped-by-now-i-d-have-a-big-loft-i-have-this/) [Cara Buono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-buono/) > [“I knew that, on camera, when you walk into a room in your own home, you must know where the light switch is. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/i-knew-that-on-camera-when-you-walk-into-a-room-in-your-own-home-you/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [I think a lot of audience members don't realize the part that they play in live theatre. The audience actually has a mood. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lachanze/i-think-a-lot-of-audience-members-don-t-realize-the-part-that-they/) [LaChanze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lachanze/) > [When you're true to yourself - not the audience that reads about me in the newspaper or sees a clip someplace, but the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/when-you-re-true-to-yourself-not-the-audience-that-reads-about-me-in/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [To some degree, yeah, because I have to play a certain number of originals that might be considered avant-garde material. I realize though, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-shepp/to-some-degree-yeah-because-i-have-to-play-a-certain-number-of/) [Archie Shepp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-shepp/) > [Being in the audience actually looks like quite a lot of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/being-in-the-audience-actually-looks-like-quite-a-lot-of-fun/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [Some of the overflow audience actually sat on the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/some-of-the-overflow-audience-actually-sat-on-the-stage/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [It's interesting, as I said on the last tour in America, the audience actually came out, they had to have been the kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-cocker/it-s-interesting-as-i-said-on-the-last-tour-in-america-the-audience/) [Joe Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-cocker/) > [I'm not a natural story-teller. Put a keyboard in front of me and I'm fine, but stand me up in front of an audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/i-m-not-a-natural-story-teller-put-a-keyboard-in-front-of-me-and-i-m/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [I don't get stage fright, I actually love the energy, I love the spontaneity, I love the adrenaline you get in front of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-burke/i-don-t-get-stage-fright-i-actually-love-the-energy-i-love-the/) [Brooke Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-burke/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I think that if you run a big company, you've got to, four or five times a year, just say, 'Hey team, look, here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-that-if-you-run-a-big-company-you-ve-got-to-four-or-five/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Every artist wants his or her work to connect with someone. I think that's why people make art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/every-artist-wants-his-or-her-work-to-connect-with-someone-i-think/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) ## More by Andrew Stanton > [Well, executive producer can mean anything in the world of Hollywood, sadly. It can be a bought title in many instances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/well-executive-producer-can-mean-anything-in-the-world-of-hollywood/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [The way Pixar has always worked is that we think of an idea and then we make it. We don't develop lots of ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/the-way-pixar-has-always-worked-is-that-we-think-of-an-idea-and-then/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [If you want someone’s attention, whisper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/if-you-want-someone-s-attention-whisper/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [If you don't think a film looks good then that is just a reflection of how bad the artist was that was using the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/if-you-don-t-think-a-film-looks-good-then-that-is-just-a-reflection/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [The greatest story commandment is: Make me care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/the-greatest-story-commandment-is-make-me-care/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [If you're trying to do multiple agendas, you'll confuse yourself as a storyteller. If you have one purpose, everything else will fall into place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/if-you-re-trying-to-do-multiple-agendas-you-ll-confuse-yourself-as-a/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [Being a sci-fi geek myself and going to movies all my life, I came to the conclusion that there were really two camps of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/being-a-sci-fi-geek-myself-and-going-to-movies-all-my-life-i-came-to/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [Even as a kid I was never the generator of humor, but I always knew who was funny, who to hang out with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/even-as-a-kid-i-was-never-the-generator-of-humor-but-i-always-knew/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [I've been a fan of movies longer than anything else. One thing I learned a long time ago is that you can't translate a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/i-ve-been-a-fan-of-movies-longer-than-anything-else-one-thing-i/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [I almost feel like it’s an obligation to not further the status quo if you become somebody with influence and exposure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/i-almost-feel-like-it-s-an-obligation-to-not-further-the-status-quo/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [ Don't give \[the audience\] four; give them two plus two. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/don-t-give-the-audience-four-give-them-two-plus-two/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [I've always been shocked and waiting-for-the-other-shoe-to-drop that a girl would ever talk to me, let alone want to marry me. They always seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/i-ve-always-been-shocked-and-waiting-for-the-other-shoe-to-drop-that/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [A strong theme is always running through a well-told story,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/a-strong-theme-is-always-running-through-a-well-told-story/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [The best stories infuse wonder,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/the-best-stories-infuse-wonder/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [There's a mercurial nature, but more of a mysterious nature to women that I think is what makes them so attractive. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/there-s-a-mercurial-nature-but-more-of-a-mysterious-nature-to-women/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) [Explore all 54 Andrew Stanton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In storytelling, the audience actually wants to work for their meal, they just don't want to know that they're doing it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew Stanton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wants-to-work-for-their-meal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wants-to-work-for-their-meal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/andrew-stanton-12647_audience_in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wa_634274.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/andrew-stanton-12647_audience_in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wa_634274.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/andrew-stanton-12647_audience_in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wa_634274.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In storytelling, the audience actually wants to work for their meal, they just don't want to know that…” — Andrew Stanton", "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": "Andrew Stanton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In storytelling, the audience actually wants...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wants-to-work-for-their-meal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/in-storytelling-the-audience-actually-wants-to-work-for-their-meal/#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 } } ] } ```