--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was going for my graduate degree…" description: "\"When I was going for my graduate degree, I decided I was going to make a feature film as my thesis. That's what I was famous for-that I had my thesis f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/francis-ford-coppola-2337_cinema_when-i-was-going-for-my-graduate-degree_1700840.jpg" --- # When I was going for my graduate degree, I decided I was… ![“When I was going for my graduate degree, I decided I was going to make a feature film as my thesis. That's what I was famous for-that I had my thesis film be a feature film, which was 'You're a Big Boy Now.'” quote by Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/francis-ford-coppola-2337_cinema_when-i-was-going-for-my-graduate-degree_1700840.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/francis-ford-coppola-2337_cinema_when-i-was-going-for-my-graduate-degree_1700840.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/francis-ford-coppola-2337_cinema_when-i-was-going-for-my-graduate-degree_1700840.jpg) > “When I was going for my graduate degree, I decided I was going to make a feature film as my thesis. That's what I was famous for-that I had my thesis film be a feature film, which was 'You're a Big Boy Now.'” [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A thesis can be a full-length feature, merging academic work with artistic ambition. **In simple terms:** Thesis can become a movie. Key Takeaway Pursue bold, unconventional academic projects. Themes education creativity risk Mood inspirational practical Type cinematic educational When to use this quote - film school - career launch - creative research Key Concepts interdisciplinary work artistic ambition Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance academic rigor with artistic freedom? - What risks are worth taking in creative projects? A Different Perspective Academic standards may resist nontraditional formats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Feature film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feature-film/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-big-318571/) [Film Thesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-thesis-1148800/) [Graduation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation/) [Thesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thesis/) [Thesis Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thesis-famous-1148801/) [Thesis Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thesis-film-1148799/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't get the degree because in my last year, for my thesis film I made a feature called Permanent Vacation and they'd given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/i-didn-t-get-the-degree-because-in-my-last-year-for-my-thesis-film-i/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [The first thing that we did when we moved out to Seattle was enroll me in Stone Soup Theatre. That kind of led into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/the-first-thing-that-we-did-when-we-moved-out-to-seattle-was-enroll/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [At AFI, you make three cycle films your first year, and then you make a thesis film your second year, and I watched Darren…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zal-batmanglij/at-afi-you-make-three-cycle-films-your-first-year-and-then-you-make-a/) [Zal Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zal-batmanglij/) > [My first film was a big dud at the box office, and my second film did decently. I used to wonder how it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shraddha-kapoor/my-first-film-was-a-big-dud-at-the-box-office-and-my-second-film-did/) [Shraddha Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shraddha-kapoor/) > [For a filmmaker, it's a rare chance to do a personal film on a big canvas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/for-a-filmmaker-it-s-a-rare-chance-to-do-a-personal-film-on-a-big/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Each kind of film, big or small, has its challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/each-kind-of-film-big-or-small-has-its-challenges/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [If you wanna do a film where you have a big scope, you've got to make your characters relatable and genuine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/if-you-wanna-do-a-film-where-you-have-a-big-scope-you-ve-got-to-make/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [A certain kind of film is a big theatrical film and a certain kind of film isn't. It doesn't bother me so much that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/a-certain-kind-of-film-is-a-big-theatrical-film-and-a-certain-kind-of/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [After the blockbuster 'Magadheera,' I made a film with comedian Sunil as the hero. If I am interested in making a film - big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-s-rajamouli/after-the-blockbuster-magadheera-i-made-a-film-with-comedian-sunil-as/) [S. S. Rajamouli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-s-rajamouli/) > [A film can be big or small - I have to just fall in love with it. To connect with the character, the script,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-green/a-film-can-be-big-or-small-i-have-to-just-fall-in-love-with-it-to/) [Eva Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-green/) > [I learnt a lot from my first film. I realised that even if you perform well or the budget of the film is big,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackky-bhagnani/i-learnt-a-lot-from-my-first-film-i-realised-that-even-if-you-perform/) [Jackky Bhagnani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackky-bhagnani/) > [I come from a place where getting a call to do a film is a big thing. I would work double hard to better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-deverakonda/i-come-from-a-place-where-getting-a-call-to-do-a-film-is-a-big-thing/) [Vijay Deverakonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-deverakonda/) > [The truth for me is that I've been doing independent film since the get-go, so that's a big passion of mine, but the big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-collins/the-truth-for-me-is-that-i-ve-been-doing-independent-film-since-the/) [Lynn Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-collins/) > [We love making movies. We got into the business to make movies. At the end of the day, whether you're doing a low budget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/we-love-making-movies-we-got-into-the-business-to-make-movies-at-the/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [ It \[Hancock\] happens to be a big budget film and big star like Will Smith, but it actually has a lot of weight to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/it-hancock-happens-to-be-a-big-budget-film-and-big-star-like-will/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) ## More by Francis Ford Coppola > [I wrote the script of Patton. I had this very bizarre opening where he stands up in front of an American flag and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-wrote-the-script-of-patton-i-had-this-very-bizarre-opening-where-he/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [The only TV I would be interested in exploring would be live television. There's no substitute for a team of artists performing at their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/the-only-tv-i-would-be-interested-in-exploring-would-be-live/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [I have more of a vivid imagination than I have talent. I cook up ideas. It's just a characteristic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-have-more-of-a-vivid-imagination-than-i-have-talent-i-cook-up-ideas/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [I associate my motion picture career more with being unhappy and scared, or being under the gun, than with anything pleasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-associate-my-motion-picture-career-more-with-being-unhappy-and/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Collaboration is like the sex of creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/collaboration-is-like-the-sex-of-creativity/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Frank Capra was a prop man, I think. John Ford was a prop man. It was a little bit of a father and son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/frank-capra-was-a-prop-man-i-think-john-ford-was-a-prop-man-it-was-a/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Death is what makes life an event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/death-is-what-makes-life-an-event/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [I have much to learn from my daughter Sofia. Her minimalism exposes my limitations: I'm too instinctive and operatic, I put too much heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-have-much-to-learn-from-my-daughter-sofia-her-minimalism-exposes-my/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [It's ironic that at age 32, at probably the greatest moment of my career, with The Godfather having such an enormous success, I wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/it-s-ironic-that-at-age-32-at-probably-the-greatest-moment-of-my/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Without a doubt, I was born to want to make cinema, but the kind of cinema I want to make is not like commercial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/without-a-doubt-i-was-born-to-want-to-make-cinema-but-the-kind-of/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [I had been a kid that moved so much, I didn’t have a lot of friends. Theater really represented that kind of camaraderie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-had-been-a-kid-that-moved-so-much-i-didn-t-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Wine is so much more than a beverage. It's a romance, a story, a drama-all of those things that are basically putting on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/wine-is-so-much-more-than-a-beverage-it-s-a-romance-a-story-a-drama/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [When I do a novel, I don't really use the script, I use the book; when I did Apocalypse Now, I used Heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/when-i-do-a-novel-i-don-t-really-use-the-script-i-use-the-book-when-i/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Listen, if there's one sure-fire rule that I have learned in this business, it's that I don't know anything about human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/listen-if-there-s-one-sure-fire-rule-that-i-have-learned-in-this/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [There can't be art without risk. It's like saying No Sex, and then expecting there to be children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/there-can-t-be-art-without-risk-it-s-like-saying-no-sex-and-then/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) [Explore all 171 Francis Ford Coppola quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) ## 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": "When I was going for my graduate degree, I decided I was going to make a feature film as my thesis. 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