---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We make films that we ourselves would…"
description: "\"We make films that we ourselves would want to see and then hope that other people would want to see it. If you try to analyze audiences or think there'..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/brad-bird-10539_audience_we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-wa_1827658.png"
---

#  We make films that we ourselves would want to see and then…

![“We make films that we ourselves would want to see and then hope that other people would want to see it. If you try to analyze audiences or think there's some sophisticated recipe for success, then I think you are doomed. You're making it too complicated.” quote by Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/brad-bird-10539_audience_we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-wa_1827658.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/brad-bird-10539_audience_we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-wa_1827658.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/brad-bird-10539_audience_we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-wa_1827658.png)

> “We make films that we ourselves would want to see and then hope that other people would want to see it. If you try to analyze audiences or think there's some sophisticated recipe for success, then I think you are doomed. You're making it too complicated.”

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Creators should make films they love, not chase formulaic success.

**In simple terms:** Make movies you’d enjoy watching.

Key Takeaway

Follow your creative vision.

Themes

creativity authenticity film

Mood

inspirational reflective

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- independent filmmaking
- studio projects
- storytelling

Key Concepts

artist’s intent audience connection

Questions to Reflect On

- What story would you tell if unconstrained?
- How do you balance art and audience?

A Different Perspective

May ignore market realities; could limit reach.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Recipe for success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recipe-for-success/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [We were tremendously encouraged by the testing of Analyze That. Audiences loved it. They were telling us that they liked it as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/we-were-tremendously-encouraged-by-the-testing-of-analyze-that/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [As long as I can make the films I want to make in decent conditions, I am happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/as-long-as-i-can-make-the-films-i-want-to-make-in-decent-conditions-i/)

[Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/)

> [Palestine is an extremely familiar place to me. Someone like me who lives everywhere in the world cannot be contained. If my hope and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-suleiman/palestine-is-an-extremely-familiar-place-to-me-someone-like-me-who/)

[Elia Suleiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-suleiman/)

> [I like to work with people who want to make films because they are passionate about films and not because they want to sell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajith-kumar/i-like-to-work-with-people-who-want-to-make-films-because-they-are/)

[Ajith Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajith-kumar/)

> [As you make more and more films, you want those films to be more interesting, more dynamic and to appeal to different audiences. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/as-you-make-more-and-more-films-you-want-those-films-to-be-more/)

[Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/)

> [To make the films I want, I just have to live within my means and scale down my lifestyle - and be with somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/to-make-the-films-i-want-i-just-have-to-live-within-my-means-and/)

[Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/)

> [Cartoon Hangover has given us another place we felt we could find the most talented people around the world and give them a chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-seibert/cartoon-hangover-has-given-us-another-place-we-felt-we-could-find-the/)

[Fred Seibert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-seibert/)

> [I don't put any pressure on myself in terms of what people or fans do or don't want. It really just doesn't occur to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-don-t-put-any-pressure-on-myself-in-terms-of-what-people-or-fans-do/)

[Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/)

> [I'm very fatalistic about life. Whatever happens, happens. The imperative for me is that I do my contribution for my people, for my culture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lav-diaz/i-m-very-fatalistic-about-life-whatever-happens-happens-the/)

[Lav Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lav-diaz/)

> [I would like to be an actor, but I really would like to be a director of feature films. That's what I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-dennison/i-would-like-to-be-an-actor-but-i-really-would-like-to-be-a-director/)

[Julian Dennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-dennison/)

> [We didn’t want to disrupt the creative process. We have the chance to make the films we want because the films are not expensive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/we-didn-t-want-to-disrupt-the-creative-process-we-have-the-chance-to/)

[Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/)

> [Theatre audiences can't be made to think and cry: at best, they can be made to think and laugh, or to feel and cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/theatre-audiences-can-t-be-made-to-think-and-cry-at-best-they-can-be/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [People on television have trouble with fame because audiences think they're their mates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/people-on-television-have-trouble-with-fame-because-audiences-think/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [Christian audiences, I think, have grown very tired of movies that try to pander to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hancock/christian-audiences-i-think-have-grown-very-tired-of-movies-that-try/)

[John Lee Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hancock/)

> [Part of my style was getting into a muddle. Audiences think that's part of the act. Sometimes it might be - but you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-corbett/part-of-my-style-was-getting-into-a-muddle-audiences-think-that-s/)

[Ronnie Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-corbett/)

## More by Brad Bird

> [Oh yeah, I'm still employed at Pixar and I love it here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/oh-yeah-i-m-still-employed-at-pixar-and-i-love-it-here/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [You're buying for the benefit of the cottage experience at a fraction of the price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/you-re-buying-for-the-benefit-of-the-cottage-experience-at-a-fraction/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [“In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/in-many-ways-the-work-of-a-critic-is-easy-we-risk-very-little-yet/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [To make something really great and different and interesting means taking risks and following these ideas in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/to-make-something-really-great-and-different-and-interesting-means/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [Usually, people begin with very clear ideas of good movies, they begin with clear ideas about their characters, and then, as they do sequels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/usually-people-begin-with-very-clear-ideas-of-good-movies-they-begin/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [I have three kids and a wife, and any moments that aren't dedicated to working on this film in some way, or family, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/i-have-three-kids-and-a-wife-and-any-moments-that-aren-t-dedicated-to/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [You hope any film finds its audience and makes enough money that you get to make another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/you-hope-any-film-finds-its-audience-and-makes-enough-money-that-you/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [And it's not only films, I'm pretty unaware of anything that's going on in popular culture right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/and-it-s-not-only-films-i-m-pretty-unaware-of-anything-that-s-going/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [I think the industry tends to like to think in the narrow sort of mindset of a businessman, and businessman absolutes, and movies really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/i-think-the-industry-tends-to-like-to-think-in-the-narrow-sort-of/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [There are a million logical reasons to not make a film, and I think if you get focused on all the critics or money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/there-are-a-million-logical-reasons-to-not-make-a-film-and-i-think-if/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [I love the house in 'North by Northwest.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/i-love-the-house-in-north-by-northwest/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [I've storyboarded for things other people have shot. So thinking in shots and orchestrating shots is not foreign to me at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/i-ve-storyboarded-for-things-other-people-have-shot-so-thinking-in/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [I never heard one word in Pixar about, 'Will kids get this?' I don't think it's important that they get everything. I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/i-never-heard-one-word-in-pixar-about-will-kids-get-this-i-don-t/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [If there are similarities, it's simply because the same thoughts that occurred to other people also occurred to me. I'd be astonished if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/if-there-are-similarities-it-s-simply-because-the-same-thoughts-that/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [I have three boys. Sometimes my wife and I really have to battle to keep video games from encroaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/i-have-three-boys-sometimes-my-wife-and-i-really-have-to-battle-to/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

[Explore all 65 Brad Bird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

## 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": "We make films that we ourselves would want to see and then hope that other people would want to see it. If you try to analyze audiences or think there's some sophisticated recipe for success, then I think you are doomed. You're making it too complicated.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brad Bird"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-want-to-see-and-then-hope-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Audience"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-want-to-see-and-then-hope-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/brad-bird-10539_audience_we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-wa_1827658.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/brad-bird-10539_audience_we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-wa_1827658.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/brad-bird-10539_audience_we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-wa_1827658.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We make films that we ourselves would want to see and then hope that other people would want to see it. If…” — Brad Bird",
                "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": "Brad Bird",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We make films that we ourselves...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-want-to-see-and-then-hope-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-want-to-see-and-then-hope-that/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
