--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had two projects that fell apart during…" description: "\"I had two projects that fell apart during preproduction. The first one was this movie that Judd Apatow and I had written about two guys following the R..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/ben-stiller-7406_book_i-had-two-projects-that-fell-apart-durin_2640695.jpg" --- # I had two projects that fell apart during preproduction… ![“I had two projects that fell apart during preproduction. The first one was this movie that Judd Apatow and I had written about two guys following the Rolling Stones. It was going to be half concert film, half pseudo-documentary. It was Mick Jagger's idea.The other one was Simple Plan, based on a…” quote by Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/ben-stiller-7406_book_i-had-two-projects-that-fell-apart-durin_2640695.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/ben-stiller-7406_book_i-had-two-projects-that-fell-apart-durin_2640695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/ben-stiller-7406_book_i-had-two-projects-that-fell-apart-durin_2640695.jpg) > “I had two projects that fell apart during preproduction. The first one was this movie that Judd Apatow and I had written about two guys following the Rolling Stones. It was going to be half concert film, half pseudo-documentary. It was Mick Jagger's idea.The other one was Simple Plan, based on a novel by Scott Smith. It's a great book - really stark, not a comedy - about a guy who finds $4 million in a plane crash and decides to keep it.” [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He recounts two abandoned film ideas, highlighting creative setbacks and the unpredictability of development. **In simple terms:** He talks about two failed movie projects and how they fell apart. Key Takeaway Accept setbacks as part of creative process. Themes creativity risk failure film industry Mood reflective realistic Type cautionary insightful When to use this quote - screenwriting - film pitching - budget constraints - creative differences Key Concepts project development collaboration storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can be drawn from abandoned projects? - How to balance creative vision with practical feasibility? A Different Perspective Success often hinges on timing and market interest, not just ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Concerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerts/) [Crash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crash/) [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary/) [Documentary Mick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary-mick-2266024/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Following](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following/) [Great book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-book/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jagger/) [Jagger Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jagger-idea-2266023/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Plane crash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plane-crash/) [Plane crashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plane-crashes/) [Planes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planes/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [Preproduction Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preproduction-movie-2266022/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Pseudo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pseudo/) [Pseudo Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pseudo-documentary-2266025/) [Rolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rolling/) [Rolling stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rolling-stones/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Simple plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple-plan/) [Starks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starks/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-guys/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [It's just a moment that doesn't feel 100-percent truthful, a kind of a square peg/round hole situation. Which is why the preproduction on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/it-s-just-a-moment-that-doesn-t-feel-100-percent-truthful-a-kind-of-a/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [Heavy role in the movies that I've done that I have loved and fit my soul; A Simple Plan, Monster's Ball, Sling Blade, One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/heavy-role-in-the-movies-that-i-ve-done-that-i-have-loved-and-fit-my/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [“And tonight I'm feelin like an astronaut, sending sos from this tiny box,and i lost the signal when i lifted off, now i'm stuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simple-plan/and-tonight-i-m-feelin-like-an-astronaut-sending-sos-from-this-tiny/) [Simple Plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simple-plan/) > [“I came to the party with the sole purpose of getting completely shit-faced, to be perfectly honest. That was it, that was The Plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-henderson/i-came-to-the-party-with-the-sole-purpose-of-getting-completely-shit/) [J.C. Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-henderson/) > [“Everyone's screaming, I try to make a sound, But no one hears me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simple-plan/everyone-s-screaming-i-try-to-make-a-sound-but-no-one-hears-me/) [Simple Plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simple-plan/) > [O for the gentleness of old Romance, the simple planning of a minstrel's song!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/o-for-the-gentleness-of-old-romance-the-simple-planning-of-a-minstrel/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“It goes on, he thought. The internecine hate. Perhaps the seeds are there, in that. They will eat one another at last, and leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/it-goes-on-he-thought-the-internecine-hate-perhaps-the-seeds-are/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“She later recounted a problem she ran into getting her cows from the field to the milking shed each day because a picket line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/she-later-recounted-a-problem-she-ran-into-getting-her-cows-from-the/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [“Still enough of us once more to build and hope and make a few simple plans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/still-enough-of-us-once-more-to-build-and-hope-and-make-a-few-simple/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Professors known as outstanding lecturers do two things; they use a simple plan and many examples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbert-j-mckeachie/professors-known-as-outstanding-lecturers-do-two-things-they-use-a/) [Wilbert J. McKeachie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbert-j-mckeachie/) > [President-elect Donald Trump says he's looking for a simple plan for defeating ISIS within his first 30 days of taking office. But even as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/president-elect-donald-trump-says-he-s-looking-for-a-simple-plan-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Get out of your own way… stop the paralysis by analysis… decide what you want, create a simple plan, and get moving!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/get-out-of-your-own-way-stop-the-paralysis-by-analysis-decide-what/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [I have wrought my simple plan If I give one hour of joy To the boy who’s half a man, Or the man who’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-have-wrought-my-simple-plan-if-i-give-one-hour-of-joy-to-the-boy/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [I have a simple plan to solve the economic crisis. Give every American a $100 credit to the dog track of their choice. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-geist/i-have-a-simple-plan-to-solve-the-economic-crisis-give-every-american/) [Willie Geist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-geist/) > [Every time you fight the scars are gonna heal But they're never gonna go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simple-plan/every-time-you-fight-the-scars-are-gonna-heal-but-they-re-never-gonna/) [Simple Plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simple-plan/) ## More by Ben Stiller > [I don't think know if anything's going to translate anywhere. You're making a movie, you hope it's going to be funny, you can't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-don-t-think-know-if-anything-s-going-to-translate-anywhere-you-re/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I studied Tom Cruise running in all the Mission Impossibles. I think he's one of the best screen runners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-studied-tom-cruise-running-in-all-the-mission-impossibles-i-think/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [When I didn't have a family, I was much more of a workaholic. I still like to work, but I also want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/when-i-didn-t-have-a-family-i-was-much-more-of-a-workaholic-i-still/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [My own parents were touchy-feely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/my-own-parents-were-touchy-feely/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I just watched Paul Michael Glaser. He was the reason I wanted to do the movie because as a kid I was such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-just-watched-paul-michael-glaser-he-was-the-reason-i-wanted-to-do/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [Whatever talent I had, I'm sure it helped that my parents were in the business and that I grew up around actors, comedians and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/whatever-talent-i-had-i-m-sure-it-helped-that-my-parents-were-in-the/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I'm Jewish, but my mom's Catholic, so the guilt area is covered. I have the highest expectations, along with the lowest. I tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-m-jewish-but-my-mom-s-catholic-so-the-guilt-area-is-covered-i-have/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I think most politicians could take a dodgeball in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-think-most-politicians-could-take-a-dodgeball-in-the-face/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I don't play hockey at all. I'm not comfortable on skates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-don-t-play-hockey-at-all-i-m-not-comfortable-on-skates/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [Nobody makes me bleed my own blood - nobody!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/nobody-makes-me-bleed-my-own-blood-nobody/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [Moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/moisture-is-the-essence-of-wetness-and-wetness-is-the-essence-of/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I think people will be curious to see what I can do as a dramatic actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-think-people-will-be-curious-to-see-what-i-can-do-as-a-dramatic/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I don't have a burning desire to be taken seriously as an actor. I don't have a master plan in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-don-t-have-a-burning-desire-to-be-taken-seriously-as-an-actor-i-don/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I'm not an expert on the Malaysian sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-m-not-an-expert-on-the-malaysian-sense-of-humor/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I love history. I'm very interested by it and I think it's great to have a movie that brings it alive in a way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-love-history-i-m-very-interested-by-it-and-i-think-it-s-great-to/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) [Explore all 91 Ben Stiller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had two projects that fell apart during preproduction. The first one was this movie that Judd Apatow and I had written about two guys following the Rolling Stones. It was going to be half concert film, half pseudo-documentary. It was Mick Jagger's idea.The other one was Simple Plan, based on a novel by Scott Smith. 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