--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought we would have at most an…" description: "\"I thought we would have at most an audience of 5,000 devotees because I made the decision to stick to craft, not to gossip, not to be interested in any..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10e/james-lipton-13418_about_i-thought-we-would-have-at-most-an-audie_472666.jpg" --- # I thought we would have at most an audience of 5,000… ![“I thought we would have at most an audience of 5,000 devotees because I made the decision to stick to craft, not to gossip, not to be interested in any of the juicy stuff that they talk about on other shows, but stick to the question of craft.” quote by James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10e/james-lipton-13418_about_i-thought-we-would-have-at-most-an-audie_472666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10e/james-lipton-13418_about_i-thought-we-would-have-at-most-an-audie_472666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10e/james-lipton-13418_about_i-thought-we-would-have-at-most-an-audie_472666.jpg) > “I thought we would have at most an audience of 5,000 devotees because I made the decision to stick to craft, not to gossip, not to be interested in any of the juicy stuff that they talk about on other shows, but stick to the question of craft.” [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing craft over sensationalism may limit audience size but preserves artistic integrity and personal fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Choosing quality over fame keeps true purpose. Key Takeaway Stay true to your art, not the hype. Themes integrity craft authenticity Mood thoughtful determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - independent filmmaking - podcast production - writing workshops - academic lectures Key Concepts artistic discipline media criticism Questions to Reflect On - What does success mean to you beyond numbers? - How can you balance integrity with reach? A Different Perspective Narrow focus can restrict exposure and revenue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craft/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Gossip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gossip/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [I would lose myself too much if I thought of myself as the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-would-lose-myself-too-much-if-i-thought-of-myself-as-the-audience/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I make some movies for myself. I do that sometimes when the subject matter is very sensitive and very personal and I really can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-make-some-movies-for-myself-i-do-that-sometimes-when-the-subject/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I've always thought of the audience. I just want to entertain the audience. That's what it's about: what's good for the movie, what's best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-ve-always-thought-of-the-audience-i-just-want-to-entertain-the/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [What I didn't know that by sticking to craft we would blow open some doors that I never saw opened before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/what-i-didn-t-know-that-by-sticking-to-craft-we-would-blow-open-some/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I was dealing with craft, and that's the surprising thing, the number of people who have literally broken down on our stage, because when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the-surprising-thing-the-number/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [We, as humans, have actually developed a sense of social responsibility. We have gone beyond our basic instincts. We can and we do. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/we-as-humans-have-actually-developed-a-sense-of-social-responsibility/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Unlike scandal-monger Ed Klein’s fantastical No. 1 best-selling narrative about the supposed Blood Feud between the Clintons and the Obamas, Halper’s study is juicy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-grove/unlike-scandal-monger-ed-klein-s-fantastical-no-1-best-selling/) Lloyd Grove > [“It was one hell of a case, all right; one of those juicy ones with all the right elements.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-one-hell-of-a-case-all-right-one-of-those-juicy-ones-with-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In high school I spent most of my time in jeans and T-shirts or Juicy sweats. We're such a laid-back town. 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And I'm fucking these chicks out of D.O.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juicy-j/juicy-got-chips-like-frito-lay-and-i-m-fucking-these-chicks-out-of-d/) [Juicy J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juicy-j/) > [If your thighs look like the hood of a white Toyota minivan after a hailstorm, you aren't juicy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/if-your-thighs-look-like-the-hood-of-a-white-toyota-minivan-after-a/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) ## More by James Lipton > [What I didn't know that by sticking to craft we would blow open some doors that I never saw opened before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/what-i-didn-t-know-that-by-sticking-to-craft-we-would-blow-open-some/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [The studio is meant to be always a place where, first of all, they can be out of spotlight, and second, where they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/the-studio-is-meant-to-be-always-a-place-where-first-of-all-they-can/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I may be writing well, I may be writing poorly, but I enjoy the act of writing and sometimes when it turns out okay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-may-be-writing-well-i-may-be-writing-poorly-but-i-enjoy-the-act-of/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [And I thought if I don't pre-interview - first of all, we couldn't afford it - but the second thing was it would force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/and-i-thought-if-i-don-t-pre-interview-first-of-all-we-couldn-t/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I'll miss it until the day I die, and I'm convinced to this day that I can get on a horse and jump a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-ll-miss-it-until-the-day-i-die-and-i-m-convinced-to-this-day-that-i/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [The definition of genius, really, should be that that person can do what the rest of us have to learn how to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/the-definition-of-genius-really-should-be-that-that-person-can-do/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [They will take a role that scares them over a role that doesn't. That's another thing I like about actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/they-will-take-a-role-that-scares-them-over-a-role-that-doesn-t-that/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [Our language, one of our most precious natural resources, deserves at least as much protection as our woodlands, streams and whooping cranes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/our-language-one-of-our-most-precious-natural-resources-deserves-at/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [We are the only school in America, drama school in America that trains actors, writers and directors side by side for three years in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/we-are-the-only-school-in-america-drama-school-in-america-that-trains/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [When you're talking about the thing that is most important to someone, they're liable to feel something strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/when-you-re-talking-about-the-thing-that-is-most-important-to-someone/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I stopped writing at the age of 18. I had written incessantly before that. I read, of course, because I was in university, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-stopped-writing-at-the-age-of-18-i-had-written-incessantly-before/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I was originally going to be a lawyer, and the only thing I remember from the art of cross-examination is - you can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-originally-going-to-be-a-lawyer-and-the-only-thing-i-remember/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [Olivier was another case of a genius, who couldn't understand why anybody would have any trouble doing this, because for him it came so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/olivier-was-another-case-of-a-genius-who-couldn-t-understand-why/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I was dealing with craft, and that's the surprising thing, the number of people who have literally broken down on our stage, because when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the-surprising-thing-the-number/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [Hackman is able to live in the moment which means there is nothing for him at that split second than what is occurring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/hackman-is-able-to-live-in-the-moment-which-means-there-is-nothing/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) [Explore all 50 James Lipton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. 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