--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, there's two things I have criteria…" description: "\"Well, there's two things I have criteria for doing a film: The script, which is the story, and the filmmaker, and it's a filmmaker's medium. I like rea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/dennis-quaid-4372_cinema_well-there-s-two-things-i-have-criteria_933729.jpg" --- # Well, there's two things I have criteria for doing a film… ![“Well, there's two things I have criteria for doing a film: The script, which is the story, and the filmmaker, and it's a filmmaker's medium. I like really strong directors, and so when I do a film, I'm out there to serve the director, really, which is in turn to serve the script, to serve the…” quote by Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/dennis-quaid-4372_cinema_well-there-s-two-things-i-have-criteria_933729.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/dennis-quaid-4372_cinema_well-there-s-two-things-i-have-criteria_933729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/dennis-quaid-4372_cinema_well-there-s-two-things-i-have-criteria_933729.jpg) > “Well, there's two things I have criteria for doing a film: The script, which is the story, and the filmmaker, and it's a filmmaker's medium. I like really strong directors, and so when I do a film, I'm out there to serve the director, really, which is in turn to serve the script, to serve the director cause he's the one making the film. I relied on Todd Haynes for that.” [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He values strong scripts and directors, viewing filmmaking as a collaborative medium where serving the director serves the story. **In simple terms:** He chooses films with good scripts and directors, and supports them. Key Takeaway Choose projects with compelling stories and visionary leaders. Themes film collaboration artistic integrity Mood reflective appreciative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - script analysis - director meetings - production planning Key Concepts directorial vision script quality Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance artistic integrity with commercial pressures? - What makes a director’s approach uniquely valuable? A Different Perspective The director’s vision may clash with studio demands. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-really/) [Doing Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-film/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-script-712741/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Filmmaker Medium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker-medium-1541599/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) ## Related quotes > [No other aspect of filmmaking has tempted me to do a film other than the script and the story itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/no-other-aspect-of-filmmaking-has-tempted-me-to-do-a-film-other-than/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) > [For me, each film, each script is like a little journey in itself, and I'm reinventing the wheel. It's like how do I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pawel-pawlikowski/for-me-each-film-each-script-is-like-a-little-journey-in-itself-and-i/) [Pawel Pawlikowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pawel-pawlikowski/) > [I just think Australia tends to make very good movies, so if someone hands me an Australian or an American film script I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-hershey/i-just-think-australia-tends-to-make-very-good-movies-so-if-someone/) [Barbara Hershey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-hershey/) > [I am only looking forward to good film script. It doesn't matter if the role is a supporting or a standalone role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-shukla/i-am-only-looking-forward-to-good-film-script-it-doesn-t-matter-if/) [Siddharth Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-shukla/) > [The mystery of film is not in the script. It's in the shooting, in the interacting of humans and space and time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-lelio/the-mystery-of-film-is-not-in-the-script-it-s-in-the-shooting-in-the/) [Sebastian Lelio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-lelio/) > [It's very rare to get a film script that has good dialogue. A lot of the time, you spend on film sets really fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keira-knightley/it-s-very-rare-to-get-a-film-script-that-has-good-dialogue-a-lot-of/) [Keira Knightley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keira-knightley/) > [Anybody can write a film script 'cuz it has been reduced to a formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-benedict/anybody-can-write-a-film-script-cuz-it-has-been-reduced-to-a-formula/) [Dirk Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-benedict/) > [My journey has practically been a typical Hindi film script. I was a boy from a small town who wanted to make a future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remo-d-souza/my-journey-has-practically-been-a-typical-hindi-film-script-i-was-a/) [Remo D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remo-d-souza/) > [For me, the work begins with a rough cut of the film. I can't do much with the script. I've tried to write music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-martinez/for-me-the-work-begins-with-a-rough-cut-of-the-film-i-can-t-do-much/) [Cliff Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-martinez/) > [Finding one good script is a huge challenge. So I do a film whose script comes and grabs me. Once I finish that, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-madhavan/finding-one-good-script-is-a-huge-challenge-so-i-do-a-film-whose/) [R. Madhavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-madhavan/) > [I've had three novels published, and I was working a little bit in theater in Ireland. I wrote one film script just to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-jordan/i-ve-had-three-novels-published-and-i-was-working-a-little-bit-in/) [Neil Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-jordan/) > [What's going to be hard for me is to try to divorce myself as much as possible from what I wrote. I'll have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/what-s-going-to-be-hard-for-me-is-to-try-to-divorce-myself-as-much-as/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [I wanted to do a film for a while, but I never found a script that I felt I was going to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-corbijn/i-wanted-to-do-a-film-for-a-while-but-i-never-found-a-script-that-i/) [Anton Corbijn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-corbijn/) > [“Collaborating on a film script involves two people sitting in a room separated by the silence of two minds working together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-craviotto/collaborating-on-a-film-script-involves-two-people-sitting-in-a-room/) [Darlene Craviotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-craviotto/) > [I've never seen or heard of a mob sitting down to read a film script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepa-mehta/i-ve-never-seen-or-heard-of-a-mob-sitting-down-to-read-a-film-script/) [Deepa Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepa-mehta/) ## More by Dennis Quaid > [Going to the golf course every day for work? That's a good job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/going-to-the-golf-course-every-day-for-work-that-s-a-good-job/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I've always considered myself a character actor. That's the way I was trained, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-character-actor-that-s-the-way-i-was/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I love politics, but I wouldn't want to be involved in it. Too little money, too much work!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-love-politics-but-i-wouldn-t-want-to-be-involved-in-it-too-little/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I have a ranch in Montana, but it's not a real working ranch. I've always liked the outdoors. I come from Texas. My grandfather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-have-a-ranch-in-montana-but-it-s-not-a-real-working-ranch-i-ve/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I don't know if I'd want to be a Secret Service agent. In the movies, it's exciting and romantic and all that. Really, most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-don-t-know-if-i-d-want-to-be-a-secret-service-agent-in-the-movies/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I judge movies on how much fun I had while I was doing them. I had a great time on 'The Right Stuff.' Doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-judge-movies-on-how-much-fun-i-had-while-i-was-doing-them-i-had-a/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [If you're going to stick around in this business, you have to have the ability to reinvent yourself, whether consciously or unconsciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/if-you-re-going-to-stick-around-in-this-business-you-have-to-have-the/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I love doing independent films, but it's very hard to make a living that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-love-doing-independent-films-but-it-s-very-hard-to-make-a-living/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [Families need a spiritual bond with one another and with God. God is the only way you're going to make it in life, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/families-need-a-spiritual-bond-with-one-another-and-with-god-god-is/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I could never hold a job for more than three months, which works out well because that's how long a movie shoots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-could-never-hold-a-job-for-more-than-three-months-which-works-out/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I grew up Baptist and still go to church. I myself have explored other religions, because I want to know what it is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-grew-up-baptist-and-still-go-to-church-i-myself-have-explored-other/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I don't see how it's a risky thing to take a great part with a great director and a great script. That, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-don-t-see-how-it-s-a-risky-thing-to-take-a-great-part-with-a-great/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [When you break up, your whole identity is shattered. It's like death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/when-you-break-up-your-whole-identity-is-shattered-it-s-like-death/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [When I watch a movie that I've been in, I'm watching it, but I usually remember what I was doing at that time, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/when-i-watch-a-movie-that-i-ve-been-in-i-m-watching-it-but-i-usually/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I grew up in Houston, and I remember we had separate drinking fountains, and black people sat in the balcony of the theater... We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-grew-up-in-houston-and-i-remember-we-had-separate-drinking/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) [Explore all 112 Dennis Quaid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) ## 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": "Well, there's two things I have criteria for doing a film: The script, which is the story, and the filmmaker, and it's a filmmaker's medium. I like really strong directors, and so when I do a film, I'm out there to serve the director, really, which is in turn to serve the script, to serve the director cause he's the one making the film. 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