--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Long, long before I became a filmmaker I…" description: "\"Long, long before I became a filmmaker I was talking to killers. Filmmaking was an after thought.\" — Errol Morris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/errol-morris-2512_cinema_long-long-before-i-became-a-filmmaker-i_2916505.jpg" --- # Long, long before I became a filmmaker I was talking to… ![“Long, long before I became a filmmaker I was talking to killers. Filmmaking was an after thought.” quote by Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/errol-morris-2512_cinema_long-long-before-i-became-a-filmmaker-i_2916505.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/errol-morris-2512_cinema_long-long-before-i-became-a-filmmaker-i_2916505.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/errol-morris-2512_cinema_long-long-before-i-became-a-filmmaker-i_2916505.jpg) > “Long, long before I became a filmmaker I was talking to killers. Filmmaking was an after thought.” [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Before filmmaking, he conversed with killers; filmmaking was secondary. **In simple terms:** Early exposure to extreme subjects shaped his perspective. Key Takeaway Explore diverse experiences before specialization. Themes journalism psychology filmmaking Mood thoughtful serious Type documentary philosophical When to use this quote - documentary work - career development - ethical storytelling Key Concepts Narrative ethics human behavior Questions to Reflect On - How do early experiences influence artistic voice? - What ethical lines exist in portraying violence? A Different Perspective May sensationalize trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Filmmaker Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker-talking-4228304/) [Filmmaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaking/) [Filmmaking Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaking-thought-1806024/) [Killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killers/) [Killers Filmmaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killers-filmmaking-4228302/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-filmmaker-4228303/) [Long Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-long/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-killers-4228305/) ## Related quotes > [When I studied with Nicholas Ray he was always telling us, "If you want to make films, watch a lot of films, but don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/when-i-studied-with-nicholas-ray-he-was-always-telling-us-if-you-want/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [“You were the first thing I had asked for, just for me, in a long, long time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-rivers/you-were-the-first-thing-i-had-asked-for-just-for-me-in-a-long-long/) [Mary Ann Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-rivers/) > [Long time ago, people would make the Bible, right? 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pearce/so-did-you-see-that-community-center-i-was-talking-about-what-where/) [Jackson Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pearce/) > [“I learned a long, long time ago, that I could accomplish things in this place we call reality and yet still spend most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-walker/i-learned-a-long-long-time-ago-that-i-could-accomplish-things-in-this/) [Kevin Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-walker/) > [Obviously I've been reading Kafka for a long long time, since I was really young, and even before I ever read him I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/obviously-i-ve-been-reading-kafka-for-a-long-long-time-since-i-was/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Bisexuality started a long, long time ago. You just have to support it. There's nothing wrong with it. We all bleed the same, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dereck-chisora/bisexuality-started-a-long-long-time-ago-you-just-have-to-support-it/) [Dereck Chisora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dereck-chisora/) > [“I walked into her arms and we hugged like hugging was breathing and we'd been holding our breath for a long, long time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-genevieve-tucholke/i-walked-into-her-arms-and-we-hugged-like-hugging-was-breathing-and/) [April Genevieve Tucholke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-genevieve-tucholke/) > [So much for modern science and its wonderful discoveries that just about everything can kill you. Life is only a bedtime story before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bloch/so-much-for-modern-science-and-its-wonderful-discoveries-that-just/) [Robert Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bloch/) > [I'm always trying to remember that kindness goes a long, long way. I think that's something that people will definitely take out of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stuhlbarg/i-m-always-trying-to-remember-that-kindness-goes-a-long-long-way-i/) [Michael Stuhlbarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stuhlbarg/) > [I resisted parenthood for a long, long time. But having a daughter has given me a sense of hopefulness that I didn't have before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meyer/i-resisted-parenthood-for-a-long-long-time-but-having-a-daughter-has/) [George Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meyer/) > [ “I wasn't going to kiss you."' 'You weren't?' I look up look up at him. \[...\] 'Nope, the next time I kiss you it'll… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/i-wasn-t-going-to-kiss-you-you-weren-t-i-look-up-look-up-at-him-nope/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [“While there is battle and hatred men have eyes for nothing save the fact that the enemy is the cause of all the troubles;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-butterfield/while-there-is-battle-and-hatred-men-have-eyes-for-nothing-save-the/) [Herbert Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-butterfield/) > [Max—you have a bigger mission than finding the flock's parents. Focus on helping the whole world, not just your friends. I held my wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/max-you-have-a-bigger-mission-than-finding-the-flock-s-parents-focus/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) ## More by Errol Morris > [God is greater than anything that man can do or has done. He is not undone by just a train of powder. "Our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/god-is-greater-than-anything-that-man-can-do-or-has-done-he-is-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [In the case of The Thin Blue Line, I was surprised actually by many things. I was shooting down in Texas where the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/in-the-case-of-the-thin-blue-line-i-was-surprised-actually-by-many/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [When 'The Thin Blue Line' came out, I was criticized by many people for using reenactments, as if I wasn't dedicated to the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/when-the-thin-blue-line-came-out-i-was-criticized-by-many-people-for/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [There is such a thing as truth, but we have a vested interest in not seeing it, in avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/there-is-such-a-thing-as-truth-but-we-have-a-vested-interest-in-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Simply coming to the perpetrator and delivering the message is Nozick's definition of revenge. And in that sense, Adi is exacting revenge. When people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/simply-coming-to-the-perpetrator-and-delivering-the-message-is-nozick/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The proper route to an understanding of the world is an examination of our errors about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-proper-route-to-an-understanding-of-the-world-is-an-examination/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The chance that any given sentence is a lie, rather than a truth, I think, is fairly great. An intentional lie, a self-deception, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-chance-that-any-given-sentence-is-a-lie-rather-than-a-truth-i/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [ Maybe \[killers\] is one of my real passions. Why deny it? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/maybe-killers-is-one-of-my-real-passions-why-deny-it/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I envy certain writers, because there are writers who do go into a kind of different zone, where the writing isn't controlled anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-envy-certain-writers-because-there-are-writers-who-do-go-into-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Right now, we live in bad times in this country, and the fact that there are filmmakers addressing political and social issues is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/right-now-we-live-in-bad-times-in-this-country-and-the-fact-that/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can talk about a caption underneath a photograph being true or false, because there is a linguistic element. You can claim that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-talk-about-a-caption-underneath-a-photograph-being-true-or/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The fact that the world is utterly insane makes it tolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-fact-that-the-world-is-utterly-insane-makes-it-tolerable/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Appearing on the front page of the New York Times even given the state of papers today is still something that's seen by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/appearing-on-the-front-page-of-the-new-york-times-even-given-the/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can't tell by looking at a film-clip whether it is a drama or a documentary without knowing how it was produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-t-tell-by-looking-at-a-film-clip-whether-it-is-a-drama-or-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Tell me what's wrong with this idea: If you're selling to somebody, find someone like that person to sell to them. If you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/tell-me-what-s-wrong-with-this-idea-if-you-re-selling-to-somebody/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) [Explore all 163 Errol Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## 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": "Long, long before I became a filmmaker I was talking to killers. 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