--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Basically if you're trying to write films…" description: "\"Basically if you're trying to write films in England you might as well decide to hide for two years. It's just meetings with people who don't really ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/graham-linehan-14594_cinema_basically-if-you-re-trying-to-write-film_3003508.png" --- # Basically if you're trying to write films in England you… ![“Basically if you're trying to write films in England you might as well decide to hide for two years. It's just meetings with people who don't really have any money but pretend they do.” quote by Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/graham-linehan-14594_cinema_basically-if-you-re-trying-to-write-film_3003508.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/graham-linehan-14594_cinema_basically-if-you-re-trying-to-write-film_3003508.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/graham-linehan-14594_cinema_basically-if-you-re-trying-to-write-film_3003508.png) > “Basically if you're trying to write films in England you might as well decide to hide for two years. It's just meetings with people who don't really have any money but pretend they do.” [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing films in England feels futile due to costly, unproductive meetings with financially insecure people. **In simple terms:** Film writing in England is hampered by useless meetings. Key Takeaway Seek efficient collaboration and realistic budgeting. Themes film industry creative process budgeting networking Mood frustrated critical Type industry creative When to use this quote - script development - production planning - fundraising - team building Key Concepts creative block financial constraints industry culture Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives exist to costly networking? - How can writers protect their time and ideas? A Different Perspective Industry may resist change to traditional practices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I'd love to make films in England, and I tried to. I think there's a wealth of amazing talent and astonishing writing over here;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-slade/i-d-love-to-make-films-in-england-and-i-tried-to-i-think-there-s-a/) [David Slade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-slade/) > [I have made almost as many films in England as I have in America. I will come back to England again and again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-have-made-almost-as-many-films-in-england-as-i-have-in-america-i/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [As long as my boss pretend that I make a lot of money, I pretend to work hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loesje/as-long-as-my-boss-pretend-that-i-make-a-lot-of-money-i-pretend-to/) [Loesje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loesje/) > [The truth is, when you make movies, you have to learn how to lie. You have to convince people to give you money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/the-truth-is-when-you-make-movies-you-have-to-learn-how-to-lie-you/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [Everyone knows we get paid a lot of money, so why pretend otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/everyone-knows-we-get-paid-a-lot-of-money-so-why-pretend-otherwise/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I'm going to write films, star in films, direct films. Write records. Perform live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pitt/i-m-going-to-write-films-star-in-films-direct-films-write-records/) [Michael Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pitt/) > [I can't write my films in La-La Land. I don't know how to write for my characters like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-can-t-write-my-films-in-la-la-land-i-don-t-know-how-to-write-for-my/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [I never really thought of comedy as a career. My goal was, when I moved to New York, I was going to write serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/i-never-really-thought-of-comedy-as-a-career-my-goal-was-when-i-moved/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [I write my films with Reema Kagti, and I think all the characters that I have written, somewhere or the other, reflect my thoughts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoya-akhtar/i-write-my-films-with-reema-kagti-and-i-think-all-the-characters-that/) [Zoya Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoya-akhtar/) > [I've been fortunate. I get to write films. I get to write music in films. I get to play arenas wearing a wig.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/i-ve-been-fortunate-i-get-to-write-films-i-get-to-write-music-in/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [It's a great luxury for me to be able to write on the films that I direct, and kind of a nice thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/it-s-a-great-luxury-for-me-to-be-able-to-write-on-the-films-that-i/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [If you want to write for films or TV, you must go to Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/if-you-want-to-write-for-films-or-tv-you-must-go-to-hollywood/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [Growing up, I wanted to write films and make films. Even as I took this detour and stayed in the music world, I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oneohtrix-point-never/growing-up-i-wanted-to-write-films-and-make-films-even-as-i-took-this/) [Oneohtrix Point Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oneohtrix-point-never/) > [I want to make films and write films, which will happen, I'm just taking a different route right now. I'm a bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-boreanaz/i-want-to-make-films-and-write-films-which-will-happen-i-m-just/) [David Boreanaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-boreanaz/) > [I used to go over to my friend's house and we'd watch VCR tapes, three of them a day, and I was like, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/i-used-to-go-over-to-my-friend-s-house-and-we-d-watch-vcr-tapes-three/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) ## More by Graham Linehan > [I think all technology should be plug and play. I would say it's easier to set up a blog than it is to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-think-all-technology-should-be-plug-and-play-i-would-say-it-s/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I'm not really good at character or plot development. I'm just interested in big comedic moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-m-not-really-good-at-character-or-plot-development-i-m-just/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [People are very confused about how to do things on a computer, but generally, if you hover your cursor over things, it will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/people-are-very-confused-about-how-to-do-things-on-a-computer-but/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [The nepotism there is the stuff of legend... It just seems to be a place where people get paid to sit in a building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/the-nepotism-there-is-the-stuff-of-legend-it-just-seems-to-be-a-place/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I think films would get a lot better if people paid leaving the cinema. There's a whole business plan of opening terrible films in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-think-films-would-get-a-lot-better-if-people-paid-leaving-the/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [Of course, I'm not saying that news interviews can't be adversarial. Sometimes, you have to be nasty Columbo or we'd never get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/of-course-i-m-not-saying-that-news-interviews-can-t-be-adversarial/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [If you're a good writer, you don't have everybody shouting in every scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/if-you-re-a-good-writer-you-don-t-have-everybody-shouting-in-every/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I feel that shows like 'Ted' and 'The IT Crowd' are very much more enjoyable watching with friends around a telly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-feel-that-shows-like-ted-and-the-it-crowd-are-very-much-more/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [Part of the job involves thinking about things and eliminating them. You spend a lot of time coming up with ideas that are terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/part-of-the-job-involves-thinking-about-things-and-eliminating-them/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [Conflict is entertaining and it's the stuff of drama - or comedy - but too much conflict, or conflict that's at too high a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/conflict-is-entertaining-and-it-s-the-stuff-of-drama-or-comedy-but/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I'm not very good in the mornings and often stay up late writing, so I get up at about 10am if I'm not on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-m-not-very-good-in-the-mornings-and-often-stay-up-late-writing-so-i/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I get contacted daily by people in America saying is there any legal way to download 'The IT Crowd', but the whole mechanism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-get-contacted-daily-by-people-in-america-saying-is-there-any-legal/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [There is no 'magic water' that you can rub on a script to make the jokes funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/there-is-no-magic-water-that-you-can-rub-on-a-script-to-make-the/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [We're no good at holidays, the wife and I. We just don't have the knack. We had one good one, early on, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/we-re-no-good-at-holidays-the-wife-and-i-we-just-don-t-have-the-knack/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I'm pretty sure that Murdoch loathes the Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-m-pretty-sure-that-murdoch-loathes-the-internet/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) [Explore all 46 Graham Linehan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) ## 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 > [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": "Basically if you're trying to write films in England you might as well decide to hide for two years. 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