--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not often I get to do a film that…" description: "\"It's not often I get to do a film that turns out good. Plus, there just aren't that many great directors out there. There are a thousand different deci..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/dean-wareham-15852_cinema_it-s-not-often-i-get-to-do-a-film-that-t_239865.png" --- # It's not often I get to do a film that turns out good… ![“It's not often I get to do a film that turns out good. Plus, there just aren't that many great directors out there. There are a thousand different decisions that need to be made with each script and it's the good directors that can make those decisions. It's a long and complicated process in…” quote by Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/dean-wareham-15852_cinema_it-s-not-often-i-get-to-do-a-film-that-t_239865.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/dean-wareham-15852_cinema_it-s-not-often-i-get-to-do-a-film-that-t_239865.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/dean-wareham-15852_cinema_it-s-not-often-i-get-to-do-a-film-that-t_239865.png) > “It's not often I get to do a film that turns out good. Plus, there just aren't that many great directors out there. There are a thousand different decisions that need to be made with each script and it's the good directors that can make those decisions. It's a long and complicated process in regards to what looks good on paper. Working on a bad film can be fun too. It can be a good exercise that gets you writing.” [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good directors navigate countless decisions to make a script visually compelling; even bad films can be valuable learning tools. **In simple terms:** Directors make many choices; bad films teach. Key Takeaway Embrace the learning process in every project. Themes creativity decision‑making learning Mood inspirational pragmatic Type educational reflective When to use this quote - script development - post‑production - budget constraints - creative problem solving Key Concepts film production artistic vision collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize creative decisions? - What lessons can a failed film teach? A Different Perspective Too many choices can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Directors Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-make-313749/) [Directors Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-thousand-2408423/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Good directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-directors/) [Great Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-directors/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Script Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script-good/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [All great directors - however, they do it - make you want to be good. I hope I do it. It's like being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/all-great-directors-however-they-do-it-make-you-want-to-be-good-i/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [I would take a bad script and a good director any day against a good script and a bad director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/i-would-take-a-bad-script-and-a-good-director-any-day-against-a-good/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [With a good script a good director can produce a masterpiece; with the same script a mediocre director can make a passable film. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/with-a-good-script-a-good-director-can-produce-a-masterpiece-with-the/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [That really sets great directors apart from good directors: their ability to make you feel like you matter, even if your part is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-lee-miller/that-really-sets-great-directors-apart-from-good-directors-their/) [Jonny Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-lee-miller/) > [There's a paraphrase about Orson Welles saying: "Great films are made by great directors and the rest are made by everyone else." I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/there-s-a-paraphrase-about-orson-welles-saying-great-films-are-made/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [There are a lot of directors who make big money and do big things and then move out of the 'hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-gibson/there-are-a-lot-of-directors-who-make-big-money-and-do-big-things-and/) [Tyrese Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-gibson/) > [I'm very lucky to say that I worked with a lot of directors who cannot make a bad film. Like when Wim Wenders, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-m-very-lucky-to-say-that-i-worked-with-a-lot-of-directors-who/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [It's hard to be reverent today when directors make films that are not as good. There will be time later, though, when their lesser…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/it-s-hard-to-be-reverent-today-when-directors-make-films-that-are-not/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [I'm not particularly interested in working with movie stars. It depends on where you come from, I suppose. Why are you making films? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-m-not-particularly-interested-in-working-with-movie-stars-it/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [You hear it said time and time again by successful directors: You have to make a movie for yourself. Don't make it for anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/you-hear-it-said-time-and-time-again-by-successful-directors-you-have/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [Most directors make films with their eyes; I make films with my testicles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/most-directors-make-films-with-their-eyes-i-make-films-with-my/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [All directors make films in individual ways. But the classical kind of view of filmmaking is that you have a script and it's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/all-directors-make-films-in-individual-ways-but-the-classical-kind-of/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [The most nurturing of directors can make you feel too comfortable, and you don't really push for that extra whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-mcdowell/the-most-nurturing-of-directors-can-make-you-feel-too-comfortable-and/) [Malcolm McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-mcdowell/) > [I'm not a trained actor. I surrender to my directors, and they make me act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sai-pallavi/i-m-not-a-trained-actor-i-surrender-to-my-directors-and-they-make-me/) [Sai Pallavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sai-pallavi/) > [Nobody cares for the product I, and a host of other horror directors, make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/nobody-cares-for-the-product-i-and-a-host-of-other-horror-directors/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## More by Dean Wareham > [It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The Velvet Underground. I toured with them when they did their reunion tour, and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-whole-punk-movement-without-the-velvet/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [Don't be a rock star. I've seen people around me have their lives destroyed by drugs. It just depends on what kind of person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/don-t-be-a-rock-star-i-ve-seen-people-around-me-have-their-lives/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The Velvet Underground. I toured with them when they did their reunion tour, and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-whole-punk-movement-without-the-velvet-2/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [My standards are higher than they used to be, I think. They don't necessarily have to make sense, but I certainly work on them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/my-standards-are-higher-than-they-used-to-be-i-think-they-don-t/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I know I get a real kick, an emotional charge, out of playing a song I haven't played for 10 years. It just takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-know-i-get-a-real-kick-an-emotional-charge-out-of-playing-a-song-i/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I guess I could be singing about Superman, or about Zarathustra coming down from the mountain, but in my mind I was singing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-guess-i-could-be-singing-about-superman-or-about-zarathustra-coming/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I don't really listen to the radio anymore, but some of the more contemporary people I like are Stereolab, Spiritualize, Yo La Tengo and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-don-t-really-listen-to-the-radio-anymore-but-some-of-the-more/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [It's easy enough to foist your music collection on your kids. Lectures are not required; you just play the stuff while they are prisoner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/it-s-easy-enough-to-foist-your-music-collection-on-your-kids-lectures/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I have a slightly bourgeois upbringing, I guess. My parents paid for me to go to school, which is nice, but I haven't gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-have-a-slightly-bourgeois-upbringing-i-guess-my-parents-paid-for-me/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I don't pretend to understand him, but I can enjoy him as a poet and comedian. I liked the idea of the eternal return.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-don-t-pretend-to-understand-him-but-i-can-enjoy-him-as-a-poet-and/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [The road, lyric-wise, is a trap, and a bore. Maybe it's interesting to me, but I don't think it's a connecting thing with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/the-road-lyric-wise-is-a-trap-and-a-bore-maybe-it-s-interesting-to-me/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [The first thing you learn about the music business is that it changes very quickly. You come into it at a certain point and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/the-first-thing-you-learn-about-the-music-business-is-that-it-changes/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [Once you hit 40, being in a band - a committee voting constantly on what you're going to be doing next month - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/once-you-hit-40-being-in-a-band-a-committee-voting-constantly-on-what/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I've never played in Vegas. I've only been to the airport, but even the airport was exciting. Just flying in, looking out the window,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-ve-never-played-in-vegas-i-ve-only-been-to-the-airport-but-even-the/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I've come to see that these politicians that release books - no way are they actually writing those books. Not when they are working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-ve-come-to-see-that-these-politicians-that-release-books-no-way-are/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) [Explore all 41 Dean Wareham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not often I get to do a film that turns out good. Plus, there just aren't that many great directors out there. There are a thousand different decisions that need to be made with each script and it's the good directors that can make those decisions. It's a long and complicated process in regards to what looks good on paper. Working on a bad film can be fun too. 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