--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When making documentaries, the most…" description: "\"When making documentaries, the most important thing I learned was to listen, observe gestures and facial expressions.\" — Hirokazu Kore-eda" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/hirokazu-kore-eda-10913_documentaries_when-making-documentaries-the-most-impor_2789752.jpg" --- # When making documentaries, the most important thing I… ![“When making documentaries, the most important thing I learned was to listen, observe gestures and facial expressions.” quote by Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/hirokazu-kore-eda-10913_documentaries_when-making-documentaries-the-most-impor_2789752.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/hirokazu-kore-eda-10913_documentaries_when-making-documentaries-the-most-impor_2789752.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/hirokazu-kore-eda-10913_documentaries_when-making-documentaries-the-most-impor_2789752.jpg) > “When making documentaries, the most important thing I learned was to listen, observe gestures and facial expressions.” [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective documentary filmmaking relies on attentive listening and observing non‑verbal cues to capture authentic human experience. **In simple terms:** Listen and watch to tell true stories. Key Takeaway Prioritize observation over narration. Themes filmmaking documentary communication empathy observation Mood thoughtful observational Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - interviews - field research - media production - education Key Concepts visual storytelling psychology ethnography Questions to Reflect On - What non‑verbal signals reveal hidden stories? - How can you stay present while filming? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on narration can bias perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentaries Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries-important-3370632/) [Facial Expressions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facial-expressions/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Making Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-documentaries-1135980/) [Most important thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most-important-thing/) [Observe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observe/) [Observe Gestures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observe-gestures-3370633/) ## Related quotes > [The relationship between a director and an editor in documentaries is so important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/the-relationship-between-a-director-and-an-editor-in-documentaries-is/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [I live in New York City, and I'm making huge action movies. The people that make huge action movies live in L.A., and they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-live-in-new-york-city-and-i-m-making-huge-action-movies-the-people/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [First of all, being a woman is an incredible asset in many ways in making documentaries. You can be less intimidating, you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ondi-timoner/first-of-all-being-a-woman-is-an-incredible-asset-in-many-ways-in/) [Ondi Timoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ondi-timoner/) > [In some ways, making documentaries is like being a journalist. You interview people and then use the bits you want to use as opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/in-some-ways-making-documentaries-is-like-being-a-journalist-you/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [I don't think there's so much difference between making documentaries and feature films. I think it's even harder to make documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danis-tanovic/i-don-t-think-there-s-so-much-difference-between-making-documentaries/) [Danis Tanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danis-tanovic/) > [I suppose making documentaries is like doing journalism on film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/i-suppose-making-documentaries-is-like-doing-journalism-on-film/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [From making documentaries all these years, it doesn't feel right to lead someone. In narratives, I'm always trying to shoot as though it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-cianfrance/from-making-documentaries-all-these-years-it-doesn-t-feel-right-to/) [Derek Cianfrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-cianfrance/) > [My background is sociology. Combined with my graphic approach, if I could do some film projects, I think I'd be very good at making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-carson/my-background-is-sociology-combined-with-my-graphic-approach-if-i/) [David Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-carson/) > [I had worked in fiction a lot before I started making documentaries, but when I was around 32 or 33-years-old I suddenly got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/i-had-worked-in-fiction-a-lot-before-i-started-making-documentaries/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) > [A publisher friend of mine suggested that I write a book about my grandfather, who had just died. I had nothing else to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/a-publisher-friend-of-mine-suggested-that-i-write-a-book-about-my/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [If you're not doing it for the right reasons, then you'd be dumb to be making documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-neville/if-you-re-not-doing-it-for-the-right-reasons-then-you-d-be-dumb-to-be/) [Morgan Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-neville/) > [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/) > [Well, going way back, when we were making short films, it was just the two of us. Literally, Anna had her little camcorder and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-fleck/well-going-way-back-when-we-were-making-short-films-it-was-just-the/) [Ryan Fleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-fleck/) > [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/) > [I love the idea of documentaries. I love seeing documentaries, and I love making them. Documentaries are incredibly easy to shoot. The ease with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-demme/i-love-the-idea-of-documentaries-i-love-seeing-documentaries-and-i/) [Jonathan Demme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-demme/) ## More by Hirokazu Kore-eda > [Sometimes when you watch children, you feel that they show emotions that you, as an adult, can relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/sometimes-when-you-watch-children-you-feel-that-they-show-emotions/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [We used to have prawn tempura: that was my mother's favourite dish. But she had to go out to work instead of my father,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/we-used-to-have-prawn-tempura-that-was-my-mother-s-favourite-dish-but/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [When I was 27, I won an honorable mention in a scriptwriting contest and got a television job as an assistant director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/when-i-was-27-i-won-an-honorable-mention-in-a-scriptwriting-contest/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [It is righteous to receive state subsidies to make films that criticise the state - I want Japanese people to accept such European values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/it-is-righteous-to-receive-state-subsidies-to-make-films-that/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [I believe that any auteur categorised in terms of an -ist or an -ism wouldn't be able to capture the complex essence of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/i-believe-that-any-auteur-categorised-in-terms-of-an-ist-or-an-ism/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [When I have been told that my films remind people of Ozu, I have never been too convinced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/when-i-have-been-told-that-my-films-remind-people-of-ozu-i-have-never/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [I am hopeful that films can connect people who are in conflict in a separated world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/i-am-hopeful-that-films-can-connect-people-who-are-in-conflict-in-a/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [I am very happy that Japanese film can cross borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/i-am-very-happy-that-japanese-film-can-cross-borders/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [All my mother ever wanted to talk about was what she hated about my father and the times he cheated on her when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/all-my-mother-ever-wanted-to-talk-about-was-what-she-hated-about-my/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [Yes, a family is interesting. You can get a lot of drama in the conflicts there. It's like the sea. It seems calm, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/yes-a-family-is-interesting-you-can-get-a-lot-of-drama-in-the/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [With 'Nobody Knows,' I consciously set out to make a fiction film, which is a different approach from 'Distance,' but I still applied a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/with-nobody-knows-i-consciously-set-out-to-make-a-fiction-film-which/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [I wanted to make 'Nobody Knows,' a kind of summation of the experiences I gained from making my first three films, the good ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/i-wanted-to-make-nobody-knows-a-kind-of-summation-of-the-experiences/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [I would say that 'After the Storm' is much more informed by my personal life than my other movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/i-would-say-that-after-the-storm-is-much-more-informed-by-my-personal/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [The vividness of children is easier to see when they're completely left to their own devices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/the-vividness-of-children-is-easier-to-see-when-they-re-completely/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > ['Like Father, Like Son' gave me the opportunity to show when it is not good with a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/like-father-like-son-gave-me-the-opportunity-to-show-when-it-is-not/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) [Explore all 62 Hirokazu Kore-eda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) ## More Documentaries quotes > [I like the cinema of people like Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton. I am not keen on trying to reproduce reality - for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-jeunet/i-like-the-cinema-of-people-like-terry-gilliam-and-tim-burton-i-am/) [Jean-Pierre Jeunet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-jeunet/) > [Many people, including myself, thought of Jobs as an inventor, an Edison-like figure, but he wasn't. I did a documentary on James Brown recently;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/many-people-including-myself-thought-of-jobs-as-an-inventor-an-edison/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [The documentary style is an incredibly flexible and useful one. It's a wonderful tool for establishing the credibility of the version of things that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gohlke/the-documentary-style-is-an-incredibly-flexible-and-useful-one-it-s-a/) [Frank Gohlke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gohlke/) > [Most of the photographs people take with their cameraphones are of little value in terms of documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/most-of-the-photographs-people-take-with-their-cameraphones-are-of/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [...it is a very risky thing for anyone to go about proclaiming the truth simply because he finds himself in possession of concrete documentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-amado/it-is-a-very-risky-thing-for-anyone-to-go-about-proclaiming-the-truth/) [Jorge Amado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-amado/) > [Most of my life, I thought that I would end up a novelist. But then, in New York City, after college, I started a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/most-of-my-life-i-thought-that-i-would-end-up-a-novelist-but-then-in/) [Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/) > [By calling it a memoir, I meant is as a collection of memories. I thought it was (a more) artful (title) than documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-merchant/by-calling-it-a-memoir-i-meant-is-as-a-collection-of-memories-i/) [Natalie Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-merchant/) > [I'm a documentary photographer. That's what I've always wanted to be; that's where my heart and soul is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-a-documentary-photographer-that-s-what-i-ve-always-wanted-to-be/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [The pictures that were coming from Vietnam were showing us what was really happening on the ground level. It was in contradiction to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nachtwey/the-pictures-that-were-coming-from-vietnam-were-showing-us-what-was/) [James Nachtwey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nachtwey/) > [I'm in school every day. It depends on what it is that you do with all that free time when I'm not on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-lyte/i-m-in-school-every-day-it-depends-on-what-it-is-that-you-do-with-all/) [MC Lyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-lyte/) > [If you merely focus on what we already know, then it's not revelatory. You may as well just go and watch a documentary or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/if-you-merely-focus-on-what-we-already-know-then-it-s-not-revelatory/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [So I do tend to do documentaries where I can move in and out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-apted/so-i-do-tend-to-do-documentaries-where-i-can-move-in-and-out-of-them/) [Michael Apted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-apted/) > [Helen Weaver’s book was a revelation to me! Although I was a young woman in the fifties, I was there, but I wasn’t there!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-cassady/helen-weaver-s-book-was-a-revelation-to-me-although-i-was-a-young/) [Carolyn Cassady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-cassady/) > [There's a tradition of reenactment in documentary which is about sort of illustrating what the past might have been like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-oppenheimer/there-s-a-tradition-of-reenactment-in-documentary-which-is-about-sort/) [Joshua Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-oppenheimer/) > [I've had frustrated storytelling juices that have been lying dormant for a long time, and I guess the documentary was a way of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-ve-had-frustrated-storytelling-juices-that-have-been-lying-dormant/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) [Browse all 718 Documentaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When making documentaries, the most important thing I learned was to listen, observe gestures and facial expressions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hirokazu Kore-eda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/when-making-documentaries-the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Documentaries" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/when-making-documentaries-the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/hirokazu-kore-eda-10913_documentaries_when-making-documentaries-the-most-impor_2789752.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/hirokazu-kore-eda-10913_documentaries_when-making-documentaries-the-most-impor_2789752.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/hirokazu-kore-eda-10913_documentaries_when-making-documentaries-the-most-impor_2789752.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When making documentaries, the most important thing I learned was to listen, observe gestures and facial…” — Hirokazu Kore-eda", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hirokazu Kore-eda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When making documentaries, the most important...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/when-making-documentaries-the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/when-making-documentaries-the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```