--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're making a real documentary…" description: "\"When you're making a real documentary, you shoot it and the movie happens. You don't make - this sounds corny - you don't make a documentary, a documen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/chris-rock-767_corny_when-you-re-making-a-real-documentary-yo_1080149.jpg" --- # When you're making a real documentary, you shoot it and… ![“When you're making a real documentary, you shoot it and the movie happens. You don't make - this sounds corny - you don't make a documentary, a documentary makes you. It really does.” quote by Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/chris-rock-767_corny_when-you-re-making-a-real-documentary-yo_1080149.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/chris-rock-767_corny_when-you-re-making-a-real-documentary-yo_1080149.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/chris-rock-767_corny_when-you-re-making-a-real-documentary-yo_1080149.jpg) > “When you're making a real documentary, you shoot it and the movie happens. You don't make - this sounds corny - you don't make a documentary, a documentary makes you. It really does.” [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote conveys that authentic documentaries arise organically from real events, not from forced direction. **In simple terms:** Documentaries happen naturally, not by planning. Key Takeaway Let real moments guide the story. Themes creativity authenticity storytelling media Mood reflective inquisitive Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - travel documentaries - social issue films - live event coverage - personal memoir films Key Concepts observational cinema spontaneity authorial presence Questions to Reflect On - Can you capture truth without interference? - When does editing become manipulation? A Different Perspective Attempting to script reality can strip authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [When I make a documentary I shoot very little but I hang around with my camera for a long time. 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It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximilian-schell/and-in-reality-i-don-t-think-it-s-a-real-documentary-it-s-more-a/) [Maximilian Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximilian-schell/) > [At the beginning of my career, I shot a lot more documentaries because I liked the adventure, and probably also because it was easier,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryse-alberti/at-the-beginning-of-my-career-i-shot-a-lot-more-documentaries-because/) [Maryse Alberti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryse-alberti/) > [I use people's real voices because I want realism. So often I mention the actors' physicality because I want it to be like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-use-people-s-real-voices-because-i-want-realism-so-often-i-mention/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [“If everyone knows so much about it, why do they need to make a documentary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-pasulka/if-everyone-knows-so-much-about-it-why-do-they-need-to-make-a/) [Brigid Pasulka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-pasulka/) > [I learned how to make a documentary by having a good team around me. My editors (and co-writers)Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt and Frédéric Tcheng were very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-immordino-vreeland/i-learned-how-to-make-a-documentary-by-having-a-good-team-around-me/) [Lisa Immordino Vreeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-immordino-vreeland/) > [When I did Taming of the Shrew, I was very tired, and I decided to have a holiday and make a documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-cilento/when-i-did-taming-of-the-shrew-i-was-very-tired-and-i-decided-to-have/) [Diane Cilento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-cilento/) > [Right after I did 'The Fountain,' I wanted to go make a documentary or something that was less constructed - more natural. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/right-after-i-did-the-fountain-i-wanted-to-go-make-a-documentary-or/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [Cinema is not truth. Even when you make documentary films, you can choose to show this shot and not the other shot - this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/cinema-is-not-truth-even-when-you-make-documentary-films-you-can/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [When you make a documentary, you have to adapt to what reality imposes upon you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/when-you-make-a-documentary-you-have-to-adapt-to-what-reality-imposes/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [If I wanted to make something that actually made a difference roughly in this industry, I would make a documentary. That would be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/if-i-wanted-to-make-something-that-actually-made-a-difference-roughly/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [When you make a documentary film, after many years the only thing you remember is what you put into the film, not what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-yates/when-you-make-a-documentary-film-after-many-years-the-only-thing-you/) [Pamela Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-yates/) > [There is no way I could have ever dared to make a documentary, much less have the money to make a documentary, if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-kaufman/there-is-no-way-i-could-have-ever-dared-to-make-a-documentary-much/) [Lloyd Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-kaufman/) > [I would love to make a documentary on my father, Mahesh Bhatt. What is interesting about Bhatt sahab is that he became more interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-bhatt/i-would-love-to-make-a-documentary-on-my-father-mahesh-bhatt-what-is/) [Pooja Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-bhatt/) ## More by Chris Rock > [Ja Rule is not Tupac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/ja-rule-is-not-tupac/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Right now, my job is that I'm like an ambulance chaser. I've got to look for movies with white guys falling out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/right-now-my-job-is-that-i-m-like-an-ambulance-chaser-i-ve-got-to/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [If you live with a single parent, you don't see compromise. You witness a grown person living in a world where they do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/if-you-live-with-a-single-parent-you-don-t-see-compromise-you-witness/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Nobody ever says, 'Hey daddy, thanks for knockin' out this rent.' 'Hey daddy, I sure love this hot water.' 'Hey daddy, it's easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/nobody-ever-says-hey-daddy-thanks-for-knockin-out-this-rent-hey-daddy/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [You know the world is messed up when the tallest man in the NBA is Chinese, the best golfer is black, and the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/you-know-the-world-is-messed-up-when-the-tallest-man-in-the-nba-is/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [You can't think the thoughts you want to think if you think you're being watched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/you-can-t-think-the-thoughts-you-want-to-think-if-you-think-you-re/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [There's not one reference in that thing that doesn't play. People deal with emotions in music all the time, but comedians are always talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/there-s-not-one-reference-in-that-thing-that-doesn-t-play-people-deal/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [My mother got sick when I was rich. And my mother, you know … I don’t really want to get into it, but my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/my-mother-got-sick-when-i-was-rich-and-my-mother-you-know-i-don-t/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I think anybody in front of a crowd is a comedian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-think-anybody-in-front-of-a-crowd-is-a-comedian/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I see as white people finding loopholes in the slavery laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-see-as-white-people-finding-loopholes-in-the-slavery-laws/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Here's the thing. When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it's all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/here-s-the-thing-when-we-talk-about-race-relations-in-america-or/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I was raised to believe that you had to do things better than white people in order to succeed. The old black shows were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-was-raised-to-believe-that-you-had-to-do-things-better-than-white/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Men lie the most, women tell the biggest lies... a man's lie is, "I'm at Tony house, I was at Kenny house!" A woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/men-lie-the-most-women-tell-the-biggest-lies-a-man-s-lie-is-i-m-at/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [You can't fake comedy - it's not like a movie, where a director can just cast a pretty face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/you-can-t-fake-comedy-it-s-not-like-a-movie-where-a-director-can-just/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [All people naturally hate. My kid bites people now. I didn't teach my kid to bite anybody. Kids say mean stuff. Only through love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/all-people-naturally-hate-my-kid-bites-people-now-i-didn-t-teach-my/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) [Explore all 376 Chris Rock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) ## More Corny quotes > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [Relationships nowadays = First week: I love you so much baby; Second week: Together forever; Third week: Single..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/relationships-nowadays-first-week-i-love-you-so-much-baby-second-week/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [I know it's corny - but I love 'Jingle Bells!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-it-s-corny-but-i-love-jingle-bells/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I like grit, I like love and death, I'm tired of irony. ... 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Also forbidden is the importing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-calvert/the-bill-would-ban-human-cloning-and-any-attempts-at-human-cloning/) [Ken Calvert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-calvert/) > [If I'm playing a violin thing, for instance, I tend to respond to that sound with the way I finger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-summers/if-i-m-playing-a-violin-thing-for-instance-i-tend-to-respond-to-that/) [Andy Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-summers/) > [The referee will now keep track of the time on the field and the shootouts have finally been banned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobi-jones/the-referee-will-now-keep-track-of-the-time-on-the-field-and-the/) [Cobi Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobi-jones/) > [It sounds corny, but I don't know what my life would be like without AEW... This place lets me be me in the ring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darby-allin/it-sounds-corny-but-i-don-t-know-what-my-life-would-be-like-without/) [Darby Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darby-allin/) > [For me people are people, without meaning to sound corny, it's a plain natural fact, music is a universal language and I've always known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/for-me-people-are-people-without-meaning-to-sound-corny-it-s-a-plain/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I love to study the many things that grow below the corn stalks and bring them back to the studio to study the color.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wyeth/i-love-to-study-the-many-things-that-grow-below-the-corn-stalks-and/) [Andrew Wyeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wyeth/) > [There is a lot of melody and things that sound familiar in hundreds of songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/there-is-a-lot-of-melody-and-things-that-sound-familiar-in-hundreds/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Many other countries have already banned human cloning, and there are efforts at the UN to make such a ban universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/many-other-countries-have-already-banned-human-cloning-and-there-are/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [You see, money isn't everything - I know it sounds corny but I really mean it - success means a lot more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glynis-johns/you-see-money-isn-t-everything-i-know-it-sounds-corny-but-i-really/) [Glynis Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glynis-johns/) Browse all 326 Corny quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're making a real documentary, you shoot it and the movie happens. 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