--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't want to make performances; you…" description: "\"You don't want to make performances; you want to make people. When a project knows, 'Okay, my bad guys need to be a little sympathetic, and my good guy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f0/cameron-britton-16487_bad_you-don-t-want-to-make-performances-you_2230027.jpg" --- # You don't want to make performances; you want to make… ![“You don't want to make performances; you want to make people. When a project knows, 'Okay, my bad guys need to be a little sympathetic, and my good guys need to have a bit of a mean streak,' you're off to a good start.” quote by Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f0/cameron-britton-16487_bad_you-don-t-want-to-make-performances-you_2230027.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f0/cameron-britton-16487_bad_you-don-t-want-to-make-performances-you_2230027.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f0/cameron-britton-16487_bad_you-don-t-want-to-make-performances-you_2230027.jpg) > “You don't want to make performances; you want to make people. When a project knows, 'Okay, my bad guys need to be a little sympathetic, and my good guys need to have a bit of a mean streak,' you're off to a good start.” [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating compelling characters matters more than staging flawless performances; understanding their moral complexity drives audience engagement. **In simple terms:** Focus on character depth over performance polish. Key Takeaway Prioritize character motivations. Themes storytelling character development audience engagement Mood reflective inspired Type instructional analytical When to use this quote - screenwriting - theatre production - novel writing - video game design Key Concepts psychology moral ambiguity empathy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance sympathy and flaw in a protagonist? - What moral traits make an antagonist relatable? A Different Perspective Characters can become cliché if not nuanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Bad guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guys/) [Good guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-guy/) [Good guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-guys/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Whether you're tall and you play a basketball player, or overweight and you play somebody who is dealing with the issues behind the weight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-metz/whether-you-re-tall-and-you-play-a-basketball-player-or-overweight/) [Chrissy Metz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-metz/) > [I'm never happy with my performances. I always want to prove more and more things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/son-heung-min/i-m-never-happy-with-my-performances-i-always-want-to-prove-more-and/) [Son Heung-min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/son-heung-min/) > [When you don't have your best results or best performances, you want to get back out there as soon as you can to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-gayle/when-you-don-t-have-your-best-results-or-best-performances-you-want/) [Dwight Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-gayle/) > [My business is to perform on the pitch, to put in performances and that is what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marko-arnautovic/my-business-is-to-perform-on-the-pitch-to-put-in-performances-and/) [Marko Arnautovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marko-arnautovic/) > [I'm never happy with my performances. I always want more and better for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-nasri/i-m-never-happy-with-my-performances-i-always-want-more-and-better/) [Samir Nasri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-nasri/) > [I want to put on performances no one else has. I want to be flawless every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-rockhold/i-want-to-put-on-performances-no-one-else-has-i-want-to-be-flawless/) [Luke Rockhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-rockhold/) > [If you want to make movies you need to think on a micro-micro level and figure out how to make them for nothing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-yelchin/if-you-want-to-make-movies-you-need-to-think-on-a-micro-micro-level/) [Anton Yelchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-yelchin/) > [I'll listen to certain things that I made back then, and I'm like, 'I wish I could have done this, I would've done that'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-faiyaz/i-ll-listen-to-certain-things-that-i-made-back-then-and-i-m-like-i/) [Brent Faiyaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-faiyaz/) > [I want to make people laugh first, and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-want-to-make-people-laugh-first-and-that-s-it/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I don't want to make people think too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yg/i-don-t-want-to-make-people-think-too-much/) YG > [You want to make people relaxed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-clinch/you-want-to-make-people-relaxed/) [Danny Clinch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-clinch/) > [I just want to make people smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/i-just-want-to-make-people-smile/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [I want to make other people around me smarter and more powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fantastic-negrito/i-want-to-make-other-people-around-me-smarter-and-more-powerful/) [Fantastic Negrito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fantastic-negrito/) > [As a designer, I think you just have to make sure you know what you want and stay true to it. You need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-browne/as-a-designer-i-think-you-just-have-to-make-sure-you-know-what-you/) [Thom Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-browne/) > [You want to make the first move but you can't because people will think that "OH YOURE A GIRL, WHY WILL YOU DO THAT?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-want-to-make-the-first-move-but-you-can-t-because-people-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Cameron Britton > [If you feel too comfortable while you're performing, you're probably not doing it right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/if-you-feel-too-comfortable-while-you-re-performing-you-re-probably/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I just love Claire Foy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-just-love-claire-foy/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I just love characters that are complex, that you can dig into and keep itching the scratch and never quite be satisfied because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-just-love-characters-that-are-complex-that-you-can-dig-into-and/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [There's a lot of sets where morale is low; people are just a little too mellow, and that's infectious. So when someone calls 'Action,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/there-s-a-lot-of-sets-where-morale-is-low-people-are-just-a-little/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [When you have a job you know you'd do for free, it takes a lot of the pressure away to be successful at it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/when-you-have-a-job-you-know-you-d-do-for-free-it-takes-a-lot-of-the/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [When I was 11, I said I wanted to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/when-i-was-11-i-said-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [Never been a successful audition, not even so much as a callback, when it comes to putting me in a role of being rough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/never-been-a-successful-audition-not-even-so-much-as-a-callback-when/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [If you go back to Season 1 of 'The Office,' Steve Carell's character is a lot different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/if-you-go-back-to-season-1-of-the-office-steve-carell-s-character-is/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [F. Murray Abraham is an incredible actor and has been for a long time. I've been watching him as I grew up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/f-murray-abraham-is-an-incredible-actor-and-has-been-for-a-long-time/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I spent all of my twenties doing theater in a little 50-seat theater with my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-spent-all-of-my-twenties-doing-theater-in-a-little-50-seat-theater/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I wouldn't say I'm a shy person, but I like my privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-a-shy-person-but-i-like-my-privacy/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [We opened a theater in 2006 called Loft Ensemble in Sherman Oaks. And we write our own plays and do goofy characters and pack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/we-opened-a-theater-in-2006-called-loft-ensemble-in-sherman-oaks-and/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [There's been some people I've overheard talking about 'Mindhunter.' I'll lean in and say, 'Hey, I haven't seen it yet. Is it any good?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/there-s-been-some-people-i-ve-overheard-talking-about-mindhunter-i-ll/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [No matter what, you can be a big kid in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/no-matter-what-you-can-be-a-big-kid-in-life/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I've seen a lot of teachers come and go, and you do three or four years, and it's exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-teachers-come-and-go-and-you-do-three-or-four/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) [Explore all 39 Cameron Britton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) ## More Bad quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You don't want to make performances; you want to make people. 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