--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think that Dreamworks would have…" description: "\"I don't think that Dreamworks would have signed me expecting to really mess around with whatever it is I do.\" — Elliott Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/elliott-smith-8566_around_i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have_2474127.jpg" --- # I don't think that Dreamworks would have signed me… ![“I don't think that Dreamworks would have signed me expecting to really mess around with whatever it is I do.” quote by Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/elliott-smith-8566_around_i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have_2474127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/elliott-smith-8566_around_i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have_2474127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/elliott-smith-8566_around_i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have_2474127.jpg) > “I don't think that Dreamworks would have signed me expecting to really mess around with whatever it is I do.” [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He doubts that Dreamworks expected him to experiment freely with his art. **In simple terms:** Doubt about creative freedom. Key Takeaway Clarify expectations with collaborators. Themes creativity expectations industry authenticity Mood reflective cautious Type practical philosophical When to use this quote - project planning - artist contracts - creative brainstorming - career decisions Key Concepts artistic integrity career negotiation Questions to Reflect On - How can you negotiate creative control? - What boundaries protect artistic integrity? A Different Perspective Industry constraints can limit experimentation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Dreamworks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamworks/) [Dreamworks Signed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamworks-signed-791794/) [Expecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expecting/) [Expecting Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expecting-really-791797/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Mess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mess/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Signed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signed/) [Signed Expecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signed-expecting-791796/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Dreamworks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-dreamworks-791795/) [Whatever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whatever/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [When I came to DreamWorks, I was in bad trouble. They were in bad trouble. They were millions of dollars in the hole and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/when-i-came-to-dreamworks-i-was-in-bad-trouble-they-were-in-bad/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [You have to remember that writing those sorta songs is not reality, it's more like trance, dream, y'know, like dreamwork. The mythical thing can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-have-to-remember-that-writing-those-sorta-songs-is-not-reality-it/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Stories are best when they 'emerge' from the depths, and when built in a painting from early sketch through the three-act process to The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-cannon/stories-are-best-when-they-emerge-from-the-depths-and-when-built-in-a/) [Billy Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-cannon/) > [ We'd all \[with Mike Mitchell\] been together at Dreamworks for over ten years, so we all had the same goals. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-dohrn/we-d-all-with-mike-mitchell-been-together-at-dreamworks-for-over-ten/) [Walt Dohrn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-dohrn/) > [Actually, we got signed in November of 2000 with Dreamworks which is the most amazing label. We have friends on other labels and though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rich/actually-we-got-signed-in-november-of-2000-with-dreamworks-which-is/) [Adam Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rich/) > [I loved DreamWorks and Pixar, and I still love kids' films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taron-egerton/i-loved-dreamworks-and-pixar-and-i-still-love-kids-films/) [Taron Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taron-egerton/) > [After six years of working on low-budget independent films of the too-weird-to-watch variety, being asked by DreamWorks to come and play with the big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sienna-guillory/after-six-years-of-working-on-low-budget-independent-films-of-the-too/) [Sienna Guillory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sienna-guillory/) > [My earlier days were all about playing, writing songs and producing songs. In the early 90's my former wife, Marylata Elton, got tapped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-jacob/my-earlier-days-were-all-about-playing-writing-songs-and-producing/) [Danny Jacob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-jacob/) > [I actually worked for a small company in Ohio that sort of farmed out work from Disney and Dreamworks, so I really only ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-scanlon/i-actually-worked-for-a-small-company-in-ohio-that-sort-of-farmed-out/) [Dan Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-scanlon/) > [There's the animation ghetto of feature films in this country. There's this flavor at DreamWorks, and Pixar does their own thing, and generally they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/there-s-the-animation-ghetto-of-feature-films-in-this-country-there-s/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) > [It's very exciting to continue to work at DreamWorks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-lurie/it-s-very-exciting-to-continue-to-work-at-dreamworks/) [Rod Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-lurie/) > [If DreamWorks and Disney need that name to sell the cartoon and get people in the seats, that's what they need. It's not fair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-alazraqui/if-dreamworks-and-disney-need-that-name-to-sell-the-cartoon-and-get/) [Carlos Alazraqui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-alazraqui/) > [ Marylata \[ Elton\] introduced me to Hans Zimmer. Hans tapped me \[to\] work on songs for DreamWorks' animated features. I arranged Elton John's opening… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-jacob/marylata-elton-introduced-me-to-hans-zimmer-hans-tapped-me-to-work-on/) [Danny Jacob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-jacob/) > [Shrek is the Mickey Mouse of DreamWorks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-asbury/shrek-is-the-mickey-mouse-of-dreamworks/) [Kelly Asbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-asbury/) ## More by Elliott Smith > [Somewhere where people aren't so mad would be nice, but I don't know if there is anywhere like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/somewhere-where-people-aren-t-so-mad-would-be-nice-but-i-don-t-know/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I actually don't think that I'm gonna sell a lot of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-actually-don-t-think-that-i-m-gonna-sell-a-lot-of-records/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Because God only knows why people like what they like and don't like something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/because-god-only-knows-why-people-like-what-they-like-and-don-t-like/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [My girlfriend at the time convinced me to send these songs to Cavity Search. When they wanted to put out my record I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/my-girlfriend-at-the-time-convinced-me-to-send-these-songs-to-cavity/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [People think they know all these things about other people, and if you ask them why they think they know that, it'd be hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/people-think-they-know-all-these-things-about-other-people-and-if-you/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I didn't think I was gonna be playing on the Oscars or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-didn-t-think-i-was-gonna-be-playing-on-the-oscars-or-anything/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [All your secret wishes could right now be coming true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/all-your-secret-wishes-could-right-now-be-coming-true/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I can't think of anything off the top of my head that seems more important than something designed to raise money to keep something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-can-t-think-of-anything-off-the-top-of-my-head-that-seems-more/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I went walking around the city some more, people watching with a cold, blank stare. And I saw your face in everyone, I swear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-went-walking-around-the-city-some-more-people-watching-with-a-cold/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [There are lots of things I like about playing in a band, the things I can't do by myself you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/there-are-lots-of-things-i-like-about-playing-in-a-band-the-things-i/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [The band's filter, but playing live is a lot of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/the-band-s-filter-but-playing-live-is-a-lot-of-fun/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Well, I try not to think about the general public since I have no idea what the general public is and I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/well-i-try-not-to-think-about-the-general-public-since-i-have-no-idea/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [People can be chaos but it's hard to fit it into some creative piece that you made. It's hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/people-can-be-chaos-but-it-s-hard-to-fit-it-into-some-creative-piece/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [“Tired of dancing on a pot of gold flake paint”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/tired-of-dancing-on-a-pot-of-gold-flake-paint/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [A lot of people are kind of depressed. I'm happy some of the time, and some of the time I'm not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/a-lot-of-people-are-kind-of-depressed-i-m-happy-some-of-the-time-and/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) [Explore all 80 Elliott Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) ## More Around quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [I guess I'm attracted to things that are fun. I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/) [Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/) > [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [I can look around a room and tell you if there are hidden cameras or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ash/i-can-look-around-a-room-and-tell-you-if-there-are-hidden-cameras-or/) [Lauren Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ash/) > [You couldn't get me to go travel around and sit in a hotel room again. I have no interest in doing that. So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [I drink maple syrup. Then I'm hyper so I just run around like crazy and work it all off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-drink-maple-syrup-then-i-m-hyper-so-i-just-run-around-like-crazy/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I became an MP in 2017 and have been around to watch Liberal Democrat party membership soar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-moran/i-became-an-mp-in-2017-and-have-been-around-to-watch-liberal-democrat/) [Layla Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-moran/) [Browse all 7,275 Around quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think that Dreamworks would have signed me expecting to really mess around with whatever it is I do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elliott Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have-signed-me-expecting-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Around" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have-signed-me-expecting-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/elliott-smith-8566_around_i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have_2474127.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/elliott-smith-8566_around_i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have_2474127.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/elliott-smith-8566_around_i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have_2474127.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think that Dreamworks would have signed me expecting to really mess around with whatever it is I do.” — Elliott Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elliott Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think that Dreamworks would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have-signed-me-expecting-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-don-t-think-that-dreamworks-would-have-signed-me-expecting-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```