--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did it [photojournalism] as something…" description: "\"I did it [photojournalism] as something that was really rewarding to do, given the opportunity to express myself about something I cared about, and als..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/curtis-hanson-9380_decided_i-did-it-photojournalism-as-something-th_2604034.jpg" --- # I did it \[photojournalism\] as something that was really… ![“I did it [photojournalism] as something that was really rewarding to do, given the opportunity to express myself about something I cared about, and also to learn a lot by watching filmmakers I admired. In a sense, it was my film school. After doing it for a few years, I decided that the time had…” quote by Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/curtis-hanson-9380_decided_i-did-it-photojournalism-as-something-th_2604034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/curtis-hanson-9380_decided_i-did-it-photojournalism-as-something-th_2604034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/curtis-hanson-9380_decided_i-did-it-photojournalism-as-something-th_2604034.jpg) > “I did it \[photojournalism\] as something that was really rewarding to do, given the opportunity to express myself about something I cared about, and also to learn a lot by watching filmmakers I admired. In a sense, it was my film school. After doing it for a few years, I decided that the time had come to get it together and do some work of my own. So I stopped doing that and wrote some screenplays on speculation, because even though I wanted to direct, to direct you need a lot of money.” [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He used photojournalism as a self‑directed film school, then shifted to screenwriting despite funding challenges. **In simple terms:** Learning on the job before formal work. Key Takeaway Leverage practical experience to transition careers. Themes career change creative arts learning funding Mood inspirational realistic Type career creative When to use this quote - Freelance photography - screenwriting - film production Key Concepts self‑directed education industry barriers creative pursuit Questions to Reflect On - How can creators fund their visions? - What alternatives exist to traditional schooling? A Different Perspective Financial constraints can limit creative projects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-school/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Get it together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-it-together/) [Lots of money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lots-of-money/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Photojournalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photojournalism/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Screenplays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplays/) [Speculation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speculation/) ## Related quotes > [ \[Photojournalism\] really is the only branch of photography that's a credit to our profession. We see, we understand; we see more, we understand more. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jones-griffiths/photojournalism-really-is-the-only-branch-of-photography-that-s-a/) [Philip Jones Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jones-griffiths/) > [ I stopped doing that \[photojournalism\] and wrote some screenplays on speculation, because even though I wanted to direct, to direct you need a lot… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-stopped-doing-that-photojournalism-and-wrote-some-screenplays-on/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [“old, my mother took us to a production of Hair, a mirage of music, revolution, and raw penis; we gave it a standing ovation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-shelasky/old-my-mother-took-us-to-a-production-of-hair-a-mirage-of-music/) [Alyssa Shelasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-shelasky/) > [I wrote several screenplays over the years to really polish my craft and learn from my mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-campisi/i-wrote-several-screenplays-over-the-years-to-really-polish-my-craft/) [Gabriel Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-campisi/) > [In 2007, I probably wrote four screenplays in the entire year. Every three months I was writing a screenplay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikramaditya-motwane/in-2007-i-probably-wrote-four-screenplays-in-the-entire-year-every/) [Vikramaditya Motwane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikramaditya-motwane/) > [A government institution called the Finnish Film Foundation funds filmmaking there, and I wrote several screenplays but never got any money. They were sent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renny-harlin/a-government-institution-called-the-finnish-film-foundation-funds/) [Renny Harlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renny-harlin/) > [When I moved out to Los Angeles to get some film and television work, and couldn't get any... I became a little isolated, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gregg/when-i-moved-out-to-los-angeles-to-get-some-film-and-television-work/) [Clark Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gregg/) > [I've been writing for a long time, since the late '60s. But it hasn't been in the same form. I used to write scripts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-ve-been-writing-for-a-long-time-since-the-late-60s-but-it-hasn-t/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I never intended to have a career as a journalist, writing about people who make movies. I did it as something that was really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-never-intended-to-have-a-career-as-a-journalist-writing-about/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ Consequently, their school \[film-school \] was the school of life, and it was very much reflected in their work. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/consequently-their-school-film-school-was-the-school-of-life-and-it/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I only wear heels when it's 100-percent required, and even sometimes not then. I have to talk myself into a bra. I've done an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-only-wear-heels-when-it-s-100-percent-required-and-even-sometimes/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [I think 26 is the turning point. I’ve got to make up for 10 years of living like a degenerate. I’ve suddenly become conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-think-26-is-the-turning-point-i-ve-got-to-make-up-for-10-years-of/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [I would stay in my room for days, for days at times, just trying to get it together, to know what my next phase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-houston/i-would-stay-in-my-room-for-days-for-days-at-times-just-trying-to-get/) [Whitney Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-houston/) > [Getting organized in the normal routines of life and finishing little projects you've started is an important first step toward realizing larger goals. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/getting-organized-in-the-normal-routines-of-life-and-finishing-little/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I would step into a place of being lined up with a sense of purpose and my inner compass, and everything was going in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-mattea/i-would-step-into-a-place-of-being-lined-up-with-a-sense-of-purpose/) [Kathy Mattea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-mattea/) ## More by Curtis Hanson > [I very much had wanted to do a picture with more humor than what I had been allowed to do earlier, which is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-very-much-had-wanted-to-do-a-picture-with-more-humor-than-what-i/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [That's what I love about Michael Douglas' performance in Wonder Boys, because I feel like he surprises audiences that know him from very different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/that-s-what-i-love-about-michael-douglas-performance-in-wonder-boys/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I love suspense movies, because in a sense they're the most dreamlike of any genre, and I'm sure I'll make another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-love-suspense-movies-because-in-a-sense-they-re-the-most-dreamlike/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I had a checkered early career, for sure, with a lot of very unhappy experiences where pictures got taken away, re-cut, re-titled... all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-had-a-checkered-early-career-for-sure-with-a-lot-of-very-unhappy/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [My very first professional writing credit was on a movie called The Dunwich Horror, and Roger Corman was the executive producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/my-very-first-professional-writing-credit-was-on-a-movie-called-the/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [There was a long period of time when Sam Fuller had a lot of projects fall through and had a lot of difficulties getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/there-was-a-long-period-of-time-when-sam-fuller-had-a-lot-of-projects/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [What I try to do is give each actor an environment in which they can do their best work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/what-i-try-to-do-is-give-each-actor-an-environment-in-which-they-can/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Hollywood, of course, is the city of illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/hollywood-of-course-is-the-city-of-illusion/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ I can't speak to how Michael \[Douglas\] approached it in terms of his process. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-can-t-speak-to-how-michael-douglas-approached-it-in-terms-of-his/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Put simply, there are many people who want to make movies and very few opportunities for them to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/put-simply-there-are-many-people-who-want-to-make-movies-and-very-few/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ I had the great fortune to actually become friends with Sam \[Fuller\] and ultimately collaborate with him on White Dog, which we wrote together. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-had-the-great-fortune-to-actually-become-friends-with-sam-fuller/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [You can dress it up, but it comes down to the fact that a movie is only as good as its script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/you-can-dress-it-up-but-it-comes-down-to-the-fact-that-a-movie-is/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [A day doesn't go by when I don't get a compliment on L.A. Confidential, for example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/a-day-doesn-t-go-by-when-i-don-t-get-a-compliment-on-l-a-confidential/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I make that distinction only because I came to it strictly as someone who was just a lover of storytellers and cinematic storytellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-make-that-distinction-only-because-i-came-to-it-strictly-as-someone/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ Roger \[Corman\] didn't actually hire me, though. I was hired by AIP \[American International Pictures\], the studio that made the picture, which was Sam… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/roger-corman-didn-t-actually-hire-me-though-i-was-hired-by-aip/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) [Explore all 73 Curtis Hanson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) ## More Decided quotes > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [The only thing I try to watch carefully is that I never lose the love for the instrument. That's also why I decided against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-frahm/the-only-thing-i-try-to-watch-carefully-is-that-i-never-lose-the-love/) [Nils Frahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-frahm/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [One day I decided I would like to put a record into my system. So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [I just decided to take some time off. I've been modeling since '93, '92, and that's a pretty long time. I'm a single mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-murphy/i-just-decided-to-take-some-time-off-i-ve-been-modeling-since-93-92/) [Carolyn Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-murphy/) > [When I became 21, I decided that nobody learned anything about politics after the age of 21.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/when-i-became-21-i-decided-that-nobody-learned-anything-about/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Before I started doing the film and when I found out I was going to be doing it, I just decided to pump up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parminder-nagra/before-i-started-doing-the-film-and-when-i-found-out-i-was-going-to/) [Parminder Nagra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parminder-nagra/) > [In a personal way, to do with family and the father-son relationship, in a kind of artistic way with regard to him being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/in-a-personal-way-to-do-with-family-and-the-father-son-relationship/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [You've decided to love me for eternity, I'm still deciding who I want to be today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/you-ve-decided-to-love-me-for-eternity-i-m-still-deciding-who-i-want/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [He decided then that he would love her forever no matter what came to pass. It was not so much a matter of deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/he-decided-then-that-he-would-love-her-forever-no-matter-what-came-to/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/) [Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/) > [Work hard on each opinion, but once the case is decided, don't look back; go on to the next case and give it your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/work-hard-on-each-opinion-but-once-the-case-is-decided-don-t-look/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) Browse all 3,155 Decided quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I did it [photojournalism] as something that was really rewarding to do, given the opportunity to express myself about something I cared about, and also to learn a lot by watching filmmakers I admired. 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