--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My films are personal-voice-driven films…" description: "\"My films are personal-voice-driven films about human characters and the place we live. Technically, I'm an independent filmmaker.\" — Barry Jenkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/barry-jenkins-12753_about_my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films_2085865.jpg" --- # My films are personal-voice-driven films about human… ![“My films are personal-voice-driven films about human characters and the place we live. Technically, I'm an independent filmmaker.” quote by Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/barry-jenkins-12753_about_my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films_2085865.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/barry-jenkins-12753_about_my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films_2085865.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/barry-jenkins-12753_about_my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films_2085865.jpg) > “My films are personal-voice-driven films about human characters and the place we live. Technically, I'm an independent filmmaker.” [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He creates films that reflect personal perspective, focusing on human stories and setting, while maintaining independence. **In simple terms:** Make films that are personal and character‑driven. Key Takeaway Prioritize authentic storytelling. Themes cinema authenticity independence Mood creative thoughtful Type artistic inspirational When to use this quote - independent filmmaking - character studies - location scouting - budget constraints Key Concepts film theory narrative voice Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal voice with audience appeal? - What resources help maintain independence? A Different Perspective Funding limits may restrict creative vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) ## Related quotes > [I couldn't sleep one night and I was sitting in my office and I realized that I was an independent filmmaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-couldn-t-sleep-one-night-and-i-was-sitting-in-my-office-and-i/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [I like the direct contact. I want a lot of people that only know me through the mass media to learn more about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-boll/i-like-the-direct-contact-i-want-a-lot-of-people-that-only-know-me/) [Uwe Boll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-boll/) > [I don't call myself an 'independent filmmaker'. Either a concept works within a studio system or it doesn't. If it does then you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-neel/i-don-t-call-myself-an-independent-filmmaker-either-a-concept-works/) [Andrew Neel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-neel/) > [We probably do not have a large enough industry here to ably support the independent filmmaker to move in and out. Much of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-macbeth/we-probably-do-not-have-a-large-enough-industry-here-to-ably-support/) [Ann Macbeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-macbeth/) > [I make films that are very personal, and I always have. It's kind of the only thing that I think I have to offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-sachs/i-make-films-that-are-very-personal-and-i-always-have-it-s-kind-of/) [Ira Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-sachs/) > [As an independent filmmaker, the biggest challenge is finding the money. Whenever you have interest in a film project you need to find investors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-smith/as-an-independent-filmmaker-the-biggest-challenge-is-finding-the/) Harrison Smith > [There certainly is no secret in that there are plenty of people who don't like plenty of my movies. Each one of my films…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/there-certainly-is-no-secret-in-that-there-are-plenty-of-people-who/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I want to make films about the human condition, what we're doing to the world or ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-want-to-make-films-about-the-human-condition-what-we-re-doing-to/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [The thing is, right now the films don't need to be overtly political to be about our times. We also need films that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/the-thing-is-right-now-the-films-don-t-need-to-be-overtly-political/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [There are classic horror films that, if you are a human being in this world, you have to have seen. They've become a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sissy-spacek/there-are-classic-horror-films-that-if-you-are-a-human-being-in-this/) [Sissy Spacek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sissy-spacek/) > [I don't make romantic films. I make films about human relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yash-chopra/i-don-t-make-romantic-films-i-make-films-about-human-relationships/) [Yash Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yash-chopra/) > [Most of the projects aren't that interesting anymore. There used to be a day when the studios made amazing films, and they were about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramin-bahrani/most-of-the-projects-aren-t-that-interesting-anymore-there-used-to-be/) [Ramin Bahrani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramin-bahrani/) > [I'm certainly not who people think I am. I always do whatever I want to do, and my films are personal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcqueen/i-m-certainly-not-who-people-think-i-am-i-always-do-whatever-i-want/) [Steve McQueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcqueen/) > [I want to try not to repeat myself. But then I seem to do it continuously in my films. It's not something I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-anderson/i-want-to-try-not-to-repeat-myself-but-then-i-seem-to-do-it/) [Wes Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-anderson/) > [“It’s not just about entertainment. It’s about telling stories that audiences connect with emotionally. The way to do this is to make our films…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-levy/it-s-not-just-about-entertainment-it-s-about-telling-stories-that/) [Lawrence Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-levy/) ## More by Barry Jenkins > [I'm process-orientated. Awards, by their nature, are results-orientated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-m-process-orientated-awards-by-their-nature-are-results-orientated/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I'm very much a person of nurture over nature. When the world is not nurturing, it can really change a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-m-very-much-a-person-of-nurture-over-nature-when-the-world-is-not/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I don't choose to make movies as small as the movies I've made. The combined budget of my two films is far under $5…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-don-t-choose-to-make-movies-as-small-as-the-movies-i-ve-made-the/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I wasn't known as a neighborhood tough or anything like that. But yeah, I was, like, a scrappy kid. You know, I kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-wasn-t-known-as-a-neighborhood-tough-or-anything-like-that-but-yeah/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I didn't really want to be a filmmaker, growing up. Other than Spike Lee's movies, I would think, 'Where is a place for me?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-didn-t-really-want-to-be-a-filmmaker-growing-up-other-than-spike/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I think it's really important to remind, reinforce people that their lives have value, you know? That their lives have worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-think-it-s-really-important-to-remind-reinforce-people-that-their/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [Until 'Moonlight,' I had never seen one black man cook for another on screen. But I wanted the characters to be free of 'groundbreaking'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/until-moonlight-i-had-never-seen-one-black-man-cook-for-another-on/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I love production. I could do it 365 days a year. Post is different. It's just too slow, and everything is very finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-love-production-i-could-do-it-365-days-a-year-post-is-different-it/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [Making films. It gave me a voice. Legitimately saved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/making-films-it-gave-me-a-voice-legitimately-saved-me/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > ['Moonlight' changed me. To see people so moved by this movie inspires me to find something else to offer. And maybe the next one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/moonlight-changed-me-to-see-people-so-moved-by-this-movie-inspires-me/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [Growing up, I wasn't the most vocal kid in the world. I feel like I learned through observation, and usually, when you're watching things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/growing-up-i-wasn-t-the-most-vocal-kid-in-the-world-i-feel-like-i/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [The way I work, things are very nuanced; not everything is explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/the-way-i-work-things-are-very-nuanced-not-everything-is-explained/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I grew up really poor and have always been the type of person who will work earlier or work harder or more than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-grew-up-really-poor-and-have-always-been-the-type-of-person-who/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I've worked at this film festival in Telluride called the Telluride Film Festival. Been there since 2002. I used to make popcorn. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-ve-worked-at-this-film-festival-in-telluride-called-the-telluride/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I think everybody can identify, you know, with this sort of struggle to decide for yourself who you are, you know, and what your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-think-everybody-can-identify-you-know-with-this-sort-of-struggle-to/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) [Explore all 53 Barry Jenkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My films are personal-voice-driven films about human characters and the place we live. Technically, I'm an independent filmmaker.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Jenkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films-about-human-characters-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films-about-human-characters-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/barry-jenkins-12753_about_my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films_2085865.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/barry-jenkins-12753_about_my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films_2085865.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/barry-jenkins-12753_about_my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films_2085865.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My films are personal-voice-driven films about human characters and the place we live. Technically, I'm an…” — Barry Jenkins", "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": "Barry Jenkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My films are personal-voice-driven films about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films-about-human-characters-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/my-films-are-personal-voice-driven-films-about-human-characters-and/#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 } } ] } ```