--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Twenty to thirty years ago, who was…" description: "\"Twenty to thirty years ago, who was making documentary films? Nobody. Well, relatively few people. It was an art form that had limited theatrical distr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff3/errol-morris-2512_art_twenty-to-thirty-years-ago-who-was-makin_1463589.jpg" --- # Twenty to thirty years ago, who was making documentary… ![“Twenty to thirty years ago, who was making documentary films? Nobody. Well, relatively few people. It was an art form that had limited theatrical distribution, if any at all. Some television distribution, but relatively small audiences regardless. And in the intervening years it's become more and…” quote by Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff3/errol-morris-2512_art_twenty-to-thirty-years-ago-who-was-makin_1463589.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff3/errol-morris-2512_art_twenty-to-thirty-years-ago-who-was-makin_1463589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff3/errol-morris-2512_art_twenty-to-thirty-years-ago-who-was-makin_1463589.jpg) > “Twenty to thirty years ago, who was making documentary films? Nobody. Well, relatively few people. It was an art form that had limited theatrical distribution, if any at all. Some television distribution, but relatively small audiences regardless. And in the intervening years it's become more and more popular with a lot of people.” [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. Documentary filmmaking shifted from niche art to mainstream popularity over decades. **In simple terms:** Doc films grew popular. Key Takeaway Recognize evolving media landscapes. Themes media history culture Mood reflective informative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - film festivals - streaming platforms - education - archival work Key Concepts film studies technology Questions to Reflect On - How has accessibility changed content? - What is lost in mass distribution? A Different Perspective Commercialization can dilute artistic intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-form/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary/) [Documentary films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary-films/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Theatrical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatrical/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [This limited theatrical release was a nice little bonus that I never expected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-corddry/this-limited-theatrical-release-was-a-nice-little-bonus-that-i-never/) [Rob Corddry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-corddry/) > [People outside the documentary world don't realize how time-consuming making a documentary film is there is a lot of responsibility, and in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hammond/people-outside-the-documentary-world-don-t-realize-how-time-consuming/) Alex Hammond > [If I weren't making documentary films, I suppose I'd be teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lindstrom/if-i-weren-t-making-documentary-films-i-suppose-i-d-be-teaching/) [Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lindstrom/) > [Due to internal problems, 'Bluff Master' had a very limited theatrical release. However, the film was a big hit on digital platforms like YouTube…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satyadev-kancharana/due-to-internal-problems-bluff-master-had-a-very-limited-theatrical/) [Satyadev Kancharana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satyadev-kancharana/) > [I've also shot plenty of films with very small audiences - 'The Sun Also Rises.' I love that film, but I didn't capture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/i-ve-also-shot-plenty-of-films-with-very-small-audiences-the-sun-also/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [There's a different beauty to big and small audiences, and I don't think one is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kanal/there-s-a-different-beauty-to-big-and-small-audiences-and-i-don-t/) [Tony Kanal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kanal/) > [I've been at this for 40 years. And, as an academic, I've been content with relatively small audiences, with the thought that the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-greenblatt/i-ve-been-at-this-for-40-years-and-as-an-academic-i-ve-been-content/) [Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-greenblatt/) > [One of the benefits of playing to small audiences in small clubs for a few years is that you're allowed to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/one-of-the-benefits-of-playing-to-small-audiences-in-small-clubs-for/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [If you told me thirty years ago that people would be parodying documentary films, I never would have believed it. It wasn't clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/if-you-told-me-thirty-years-ago-that-people-would-be-parodying/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The making of the documentary is an involving and collaborative process where you go deeper unlike in movies where you just borrow someone else's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/the-making-of-the-documentary-is-an-involving-and-collaborative/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [For me, the making of a documentary to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain was an intensely personal journey. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jason/for-me-the-making-of-a-documentary-to-mark-the-70th-anniversary-of/) [David Jason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jason/) > [I spoke to my father about making a documentary on him. I have been seriously contemplating that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbaaz-khan/i-spoke-to-my-father-about-making-a-documentary-on-him-i-have-been/) [Arbaaz Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbaaz-khan/) > [People have said to me, 'Oh, you are much nicer making documentaries than you were in politics.' So I should be. If you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/people-have-said-to-me-oh-you-are-much-nicer-making-documentaries/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [You know, the process of making a documentary is one of discovery, and like writing a story, you follow a lead and that leads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/you-know-the-process-of-making-a-documentary-is-one-of-discovery-and/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [The thing about making a documentary in Las Vegas is there isn't much to film apart from other people making documentaries about Las Vegas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-thing-about-making-a-documentary-in-las-vegas-is-there-isn-t-much/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) ## 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 Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Twenty to thirty years ago, who was making documentary films? 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