--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Television is making, there was in…" description: "\"Television is making, there was in independent film renaissance late '80s through the mid-90's. It was an amazing time. Television is doing that right ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/billy-bob-thornton-2003_80s_television-is-making-there-was-in-indepe_2216719.jpg" --- # Television is making, there was in independent film… ![“Television is making, there was in independent film renaissance late '80s through the mid-90's. It was an amazing time. Television is doing that right now. So that's why everybody wants to do it. I mean if you're writing stuff like, you know, Fargo, or True Detective, or any of these things that…” quote by Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/billy-bob-thornton-2003_80s_television-is-making-there-was-in-indepe_2216719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/billy-bob-thornton-2003_80s_television-is-making-there-was-in-indepe_2216719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/billy-bob-thornton-2003_80s_television-is-making-there-was-in-indepe_2216719.jpg) > “Television is making, there was in independent film renaissance late '80s through the mid-90's. It was an amazing time. Television is doing that right now. So that's why everybody wants to do it. I mean if you're writing stuff like, you know, Fargo, or True Detective, or any of these things that are on, Breaking Bad, there are no rules in television.” [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Television now offers the creative freedom once found only in independent cinema, attracting top talent and experimental storytelling. **In simple terms:** TV gives indie-like freedom today. Key Takeaway Embrace TV for bold storytelling. Themes creativity freedom media evolution Mood excited optimistic Type observational inspirational When to use this quote - writing TV pilots - producing series - career transition from film to TV - exploring genre blends Key Concepts independent film renaissance television as art storytelling innovation Questions to Reflect On - How can creators balance artistic freedom with commercial demands? - What TV formats best support experimental narratives? A Different Perspective TV still faces network constraints and audience expectations that can limit risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaking bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-bad/) [Detectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detectives/) [Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fargo/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Independent film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-film/) [Renaissance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renaissance/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [True Detective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-detective/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [To me, radio is about making you uncomfortable. Television is about making you comfortable: Who do you like? Who do you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cowherd/to-me-radio-is-about-making-you-uncomfortable-television-is-about/) [Colin Cowherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cowherd/) > [With public television, they're making things that aren't driven by advertisers. They're one of the only platforms where we can really mine for truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-choi/with-public-television-they-re-making-things-that-aren-t-driven-by/) [Roy Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-choi/) > [People are out of their home on a Saturday night or they're at the movies or they're at dinner and a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/people-are-out-of-their-home-on-a-saturday-night-or-they-re-at-the/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [But television, when I was doing it, was all about scoring. You had to make these jokes bang, do whatever you could to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/but-television-when-i-was-doing-it-was-all-about-scoring-you-had-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [You don't really have time to do other than what's written. It's very rigid. Shows have a certain rhythm that nobody wants disturbed. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cole/you-don-t-really-have-time-to-do-other-than-what-s-written-it-s-very/) [Gary Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cole/) > [For so long, it felt like I was doing great things that nobody was seeing. Now to be featured on television, doing the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-drake/for-so-long-it-felt-like-i-was-doing-great-things-that-nobody-was/) [Eli Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-drake/) > [I think television is doing a better job than films in terms of representing people, but television is still not diverse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/i-think-television-is-doing-a-better-job-than-films-in-terms-of/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [There is a mass of people, we might as well admit, who if they weren't watching television, would be doing absolutely nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-cerf/there-is-a-mass-of-people-we-might-as-well-admit-who-if-they-weren-t/) [Bennett Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-cerf/) > [I like the idea of being out there regularly with an audience and with a funny gang of people. That's what I grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-like-the-idea-of-being-out-there-regularly-with-an-audience-and/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [In some ways, you could argue, television is doing far more interesting work than the movies. It's more fulfilling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/in-some-ways-you-could-argue-television-is-doing-far-more-interesting/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [I love what I am doing. I have a wonderful business. I have a wonderful television show that's doing - continues to do phenomenally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-love-what-i-am-doing-i-have-a-wonderful-business-i-have-a-wonderful/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I can't really recall the first time I was noticed by a producer but the first time I was on television was doing Daytime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-can-t-really-recall-the-first-time-i-was-noticed-by-a-producer-but/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [The thing is, that great actors are everywhere. They're everywhere. They're doing good parts on television. They're doing television commercials. They're doing local theater.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/the-thing-is-that-great-actors-are-everywhere-they-re-everywhere-they/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [No, I worked a lot for European television, doing documentaries in Brazil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-salles/no-i-worked-a-lot-for-european-television-doing-documentaries-in/) [Walter Salles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-salles/) > [The worst thing about television is that everybody you see on television is doing something better than what you're doing. You never see anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/the-worst-thing-about-television-is-that-everybody-you-see-on/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) ## More by Billy Bob Thornton > [Robert Duvall taught me years ago. He said, "You know theatre is not real. I don't like plays." You know, he doesn't like plays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/robert-duvall-taught-me-years-ago-he-said-you-know-theatre-is-not/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I think I fully commit myself to any role to the extent to which I can. In other words there's some roles that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-think-i-fully-commit-myself-to-any-role-to-the-extent-to-which-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Just the other day, my assistant was on the line with Calvin Klein. Golly, I usually shop at Sears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/just-the-other-day-my-assistant-was-on-the-line-with-calvin-klein/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [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/) > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [The movies I've made about the South, they were my experience and it's something that I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/the-movies-i-ve-made-about-the-south-they-were-my-experience-and-it-s/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Man, I was drowning in sadness. And Angelina, she lifted me right up out of there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/man-i-was-drowning-in-sadness-and-angelina-she-lifted-me-right-up-out/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've been largely an improvisational actor for most of my career, except for when I've worked with the Coen brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-been-largely-an-improvisational-actor-for-most-of-my-career/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I always have an idea before we even start the movie because if you hire the wrong person, within a couple of days you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-always-have-an-idea-before-we-even-start-the-movie-because-if-you/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People want the truth but they only want the truth so they can talk bad about you on the blog or on television. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-want-the-truth-but-they-only-want-the-truth-so-they-can-talk/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Usually when you're playing a character, you think a lot about their backstory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/usually-when-you-re-playing-a-character-you-think-a-lot-about-their/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've lived in California for half of my life. It's weird, everyone thinks of me as this guy who's from the South ... I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-lived-in-california-for-half-of-my-life-it-s-weird-everyone/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [You have to really know what you're saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/you-have-to-really-know-what-you-re-saying/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People a lot of times say that you know it must be hard to direct yourself. That's a myth. It's easier to direct yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-a-lot-of-times-say-that-you-know-it-must-be-hard-to-direct/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) [Explore all 192 Billy Bob Thornton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## More 80s quotes > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [As an actor I kind of do. I started out doing voice overs in the mid 80s when I was in grad school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/as-an-actor-i-kind-of-do-i-started-out-doing-voice-overs-in-the-mid/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [It's nice to have been around long enough to be a part of people's lives. A lot of people who come to my show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-easton/it-s-nice-to-have-been-around-long-enough-to-be-a-part-of-people-s/) [Sheena Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-easton/) > [ It was a very economically depressed time \[the 80s\] and because of that, there was a lot of space. Everything was relatively dilapidated, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-smith/it-was-a-very-economically-depressed-time-the-80s-and-because-of-that/) [Kiki Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-smith/) > [If for no other reason than it's just fun to watch people age, and it's fun to watch what happened to '80s hairdos and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-borstein/if-for-no-other-reason-than-it-s-just-fun-to-watch-people-age-and-it/) [Alex Borstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-borstein/) > [I don't dislike rappers or hip-hop or people who like it. I went to the Def Jam tour in Manchester in the '80s when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-don-t-dislike-rappers-or-hip-hop-or-people-who-like-it-i-went-to/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [Since I was gay and loved disco music, it was kinda pre-programmed that my first experiences with house music and acid - which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justus-kohncke/since-i-was-gay-and-loved-disco-music-it-was-kinda-pre-programmed/) Justus Kohncke > [We are upsetting the atmosphere upon which all life depends. In the late 80s when I began to take climate change seriously, we referred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/we-are-upsetting-the-atmosphere-upon-which-all-life-depends-in-the/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [My fashion was not the best in the '80s. I looked crazy as hell. I used to wear my pants tucked into my socks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-cole/my-fashion-was-not-the-best-in-the-80s-i-looked-crazy-as-hell-i-used/) [Deon Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-cole/) > [Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-cook/bin-laden-was-though-a-product-of-a-monumental-miscalculation-by/) [Robin Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-cook/) > [When someone asks if you're a god, you say YES!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/when-someone-asks-if-you-re-a-god-you-say-yes/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [His (Lloyd Kaufman) string of low-budget, lowbrow horror comedies stretching back to the ’80s has been cited as influence by Peter Jackson, the Farrelly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-lumenick/his-lloyd-kaufman-string-of-low-budget-lowbrow-horror-comedies/) Lou Lumenick > [I have this obsession with the '80s because I missed all of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/i-have-this-obsession-with-the-80s-because-i-missed-all-of-it/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [It was the case in the 70s and 80s that people believed music could change the world. But now people aren't making music because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/it-was-the-case-in-the-70s-and-80s-that-people-believed-music-could/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) Browse all 488 80s quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Television is making, there was in independent film renaissance late '80s through the mid-90's. It was an amazing time. Television is doing that right now. So that's why everybody wants to do it. 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