--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to be a playwright in college…" description: "\"I wanted to be a playwright in college. That's what I was interested in and that's what I was moving toward, and then I had the lucky accident of falli..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/greta-gerwig-2602_acting_i-wanted-to-be-a-playwright-in-college-t_1199800.jpg" --- # I wanted to be a playwright in college. That's what I was… ![“I wanted to be a playwright in college. That's what I was interested in and that's what I was moving toward, and then I had the lucky accident of falling in love with film. I was 19 or 20 that I realized films are made by people. Shooting digitally became cheaper and better. You couldn't make…” quote by Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/greta-gerwig-2602_acting_i-wanted-to-be-a-playwright-in-college-t_1199800.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/greta-gerwig-2602_acting_i-wanted-to-be-a-playwright-in-college-t_1199800.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/greta-gerwig-2602_acting_i-wanted-to-be-a-playwright-in-college-t_1199800.jpg) > “I wanted to be a playwright in college. That's what I was interested in and that's what I was moving toward, and then I had the lucky accident of falling in love with film. I was 19 or 20 that I realized films are made by people. Shooting digitally became cheaper and better. You couldn't make something that looked like a Hollywood film, but you could make something through which you could work out ideas. I was acting, but I was also conceiving the plots and operating the camera when I wasn't onscreen. I got very unvain about film acting, and it became a sort of graduate school for me.” [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A shift from theater to film opened new creative possibilities, with digital tools democratizing filmmaking and serving as practical education. **In simple terms:** Moving to film gave hands‑on learning and creative freedom. Key Takeaway Embrace new mediums for growth. Themes career creativity technology Mood reflective inspired Type educational personal growth When to use this quote - film school - independent projects - career transitions Key Concepts film studies digital media learning by doing Questions to Reflect On - How did digital filmmaking change your storytelling? - What lessons from theater still apply? A Different Perspective Digital tools can limit artistic depth if over‑relied upon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Falling in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-in-love/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-acting/) [Graduate school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate-school/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Playwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playwright/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) ## Related quotes > [When I was seven, I said, "I want to act." When I was 10, I realized that films exist, and I wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/when-i-was-seven-i-said-i-want-to-act-when-i-was-10-i-realized-that/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I tried to make a list of films where there's two men and one woman and I realized there's films like this everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-garrel/i-tried-to-make-a-list-of-films-where-there-s-two-men-and-one-woman/) [Louis Garrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-garrel/) > [I realized some of the films I did, after a few hits that I had, they weren't working for me because I wasn't comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riya-sen/i-realized-some-of-the-films-i-did-after-a-few-hits-that-i-had-they/) [Riya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riya-sen/) > [I think in theater the playwright is king. Those words are unchangeable. They are the reason that everything else flows from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-think-in-theater-the-playwright-is-king-those-words-are/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Film acting is really the trick of doing moments. You rarely do a take that lasts more than 20 seconds. You really earn your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/film-acting-is-really-the-trick-of-doing-moments-you-rarely-do-a-take/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Absolutely, 'Rabbit Hole' gave me a nice first introduction into film acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/absolutely-rabbit-hole-gave-me-a-nice-first-introduction-into-film/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [I want to do music, film, acting - all of that kind of stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-devayne/i-want-to-do-music-film-acting-all-of-that-kind-of-stuff/) [Chi Chi DeVayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-devayne/) > [Getting Lurch's character straightened out was fun because I was brand new to professional film acting. I had only been in radio up till…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cassidy/getting-lurch-s-character-straightened-out-was-fun-because-i-was/) [Ted Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cassidy/) > [Ive had plenty of lessons about film acting and theatre acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/ive-had-plenty-of-lessons-about-film-acting-and-theatre-acting/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [John Cassavetes' films have really altered the way I see film and acting and storytelling and emotion and love, so I see acting as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/john-cassavetes-films-have-really-altered-the-way-i-see-film-and/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [And film acting is incredibly tedious, just by its nature. It's incredibly, mind numbingly slow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/and-film-acting-is-incredibly-tedious-just-by-its-nature-it-s/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [Here is something no real celebrity will ever tell you: film acting is not very fun. Doing the same thing over and over again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/here-is-something-no-real-celebrity-will-ever-tell-you-film-acting-is/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [You can see all sorts of things in film acting if you know where to look and what to look for. One thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/you-can-see-all-sorts-of-things-in-film-acting-if-you-know-where-to/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [That to me is what my idea of film acting should be. There shouldn't be any acting. You should just be watching a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/that-to-me-is-what-my-idea-of-film-acting-should-be-there-shouldn-t/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [Reviews about film acting are very... tricky, because movies are such a collaborative thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/reviews-about-film-acting-are-very-tricky-because-movies-are-such-a/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) ## More by Greta Gerwig > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I think I've always wanted to direct, but I didn't go to film school. I was lucky enough to work in movies, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-think-i-ve-always-wanted-to-direct-but-i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [You only get one life, so you might as well feel all the feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/you-only-get-one-life-so-you-might-as-well-feel-all-the-feelings/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I always have a soft spot in my heart for New York designers and independent designers, people who are doing the fashion equivalent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-always-have-a-soft-spot-in-my-heart-for-new-york-designers-and/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I don't really decide what the core of the story is before I write. I write to figure out what the story is. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-don-t-really-decide-what-the-core-of-the-story-is-before-i-write-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I don't do well when I don't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-don-t-do-well-when-i-don-t-work/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Sacramento is where I grew up, so I felt like it had not been given its proper due in cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/sacramento-is-where-i-grew-up-so-i-felt-like-it-had-not-been-given/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I'm interested in characters that have just a touch of madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-m-interested-in-characters-that-have-just-a-touch-of-madness/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Something people say about acting is that acting is listening. But I think that writing is listening, too. That you really have to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/something-people-say-about-acting-is-that-acting-is-listening-but-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [As a kid, I was a big reader. Books and theater were the way I understood the world, and also the way I organized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/as-a-kid-i-was-a-big-reader-books-and-theater-were-the-way-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Movies are now more often watched on the small screen anyway. But at least for me, what got lost in that is the difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/movies-are-now-more-often-watched-on-the-small-screen-anyway-but-at/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > ['A People's History of the United States' was actually a very big book for me. I read it in high school, and I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/a-people-s-history-of-the-united-states-was-actually-a-very-big-book/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I love New York, but it's a rough city. It's not dangerous now the way it was in the 70's or the 80's, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-love-new-york-but-it-s-a-rough-city-it-s-not-dangerous-now-the-way/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [There's an economy in sports that I always think is a useful metaphor for acting. You have an objective. You're trying to win, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/there-s-an-economy-in-sports-that-i-always-think-is-a-useful-metaphor/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [When I was a kid, I used to do my homework in the living room, where there was a picture window. I was hoping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-do-my-homework-in-the-living-room-where/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) [Explore all 158 Greta Gerwig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to be a playwright in college. That's what I was interested in and that's what I was moving toward, and then I had the lucky accident of falling in love with film. I was 19 or 20 that I realized films are made by people. Shooting digitally became cheaper and better. 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