--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing I say when people ask…" description: "\"The first thing I say when people ask what's the difference [between doing TV and film], is that film has an ending and TV doesn't. When I write a film..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jason-reitman-6741_asks_the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-wh_1867056.jpg" --- # The first thing I say when people ask what's the… ![“The first thing I say when people ask what's the difference [between doing TV and film], is that film has an ending and TV doesn't. When I write a film, all I think about is where the thing ends and how to get the audience there. And in television, it can't end. You need the audience to return the…” quote by Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jason-reitman-6741_asks_the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-wh_1867056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jason-reitman-6741_asks_the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-wh_1867056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jason-reitman-6741_asks_the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-wh_1867056.jpg) > “The first thing I say when people ask what's the difference \[between doing TV and film\], is that film has an ending and TV doesn't. When I write a film, all I think about is where the thing ends and how to get the audience there. And in television, it can't end. You need the audience to return the next week. It kind of shifts the drive of the story. But I find that more as a writer than as a director.” [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Film narratives require a definitive conclusion, while TV relies on ongoing arcs to retain viewers. **In simple terms:** Movies end, TV continues. Key Takeaway Structure stories for their medium. Themes storytelling media audience engagement Mood analytical creative Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - screenwriting - showrunning - pilot development - season planning Key Concepts narrative structure episodic vs. cinematic Questions to Reflect On - How does an ending shape audience satisfaction? - What techniques keep TV audiences returning? A Different Perspective TV’s endless format can dilute narrative impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Doing Tv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-tv-291049/) [Ending Tv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ending-tv-2551101/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-ending-2551102/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-week/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Television End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-end-2447545/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tvs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tvs/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Write Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-film-234192/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [They were just kind of simultaneous - the film ending and the sets being destroyed. I was struck the first time I saw the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-grint/they-were-just-kind-of-simultaneous-the-film-ending-and-the-sets/) [Rupert Grint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-grint/) > [The thing I always laugh about is we tried for years to make successful television. And at the end of the day, we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-russo/the-thing-i-always-laugh-about-is-we-tried-for-years-to-make/) [Anthony Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-russo/) > [I love movies and I like a lot of good television. At the end of the project, I don't care if they changed \[it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-love-movies-and-i-like-a-lot-of-good-television-at-the-end-of-the/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [I don't really see a huge divide between filmmaking and television. In the end, a lot of people are going to be watching this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/i-don-t-really-see-a-huge-divide-between-filmmaking-and-television-in/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [When I write a film, all I think about is where the thing ends and how to get the audience there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/when-i-write-a-film-all-i-think-about-is-where-the-thing-ends-and-how/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I write for film or, in this case, television when I haven't got a play cooking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-write-for-film-or-in-this-case-television-when-i-haven-t-got-a-play/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [It is much easier to do a film about something that the audience readily knows about - say, cricket. It is much more difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vetrimaaran/it-is-much-easier-to-do-a-film-about-something-that-the-audience/) [Vetrimaaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vetrimaaran/) > [I don't have the privilege of choice to say, 'I want to work with you,' and the person will say, 'Yes, come on, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditi-rao-hydari/i-don-t-have-the-privilege-of-choice-to-say-i-want-to-work-with-you/) [Aditi Rao Hydari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditi-rao-hydari/) > [I write and film history; I don't make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/i-write-and-film-history-i-don-t-make-it/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [I grew up with Forrest J. Ackerman's 'Famous Monsters of Filmland' along with a plethora of movie tomes and wanted to write about film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-knowles/i-grew-up-with-forrest-j-ackerman-s-famous-monsters-of-filmland-along/) [Harry Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-knowles/) > [I'm keeping my day job, because Poptropica is something that really energizes me. I'd love to create a TV series or write a film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-kinney/i-m-keeping-my-day-job-because-poptropica-is-something-that-really/) [Jeff Kinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-kinney/) > [I want to write a film. I need to think of the right idea and focus on that; I love writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-whitehall/i-want-to-write-a-film-i-need-to-think-of-the-right-idea-and-focus-on/) [Jack Whitehall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-whitehall/) > [I actually write film music because I'm classically trained on the piano so as well as songwriting I also write actual film music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-brown/i-actually-write-film-music-because-i-m-classically-trained-on-the/) [Vanessa Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-brown/) > [I want people to know about all the kinds of music that I write. Some believe I just write film scores, which is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ennio-morricone/i-want-people-to-know-about-all-the-kinds-of-music-that-i-write-some/) [Ennio Morricone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ennio-morricone/) > [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/) ## More by Jason Reitman > [When I write a film, all I think about is where the thing ends and how to get the audience there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/when-i-write-a-film-all-i-think-about-is-where-the-thing-ends-and-how/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I think it's a mistake for young filmmakers to just buy digital equipment and shoot a feature. Make short films first, make your mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-think-it-s-a-mistake-for-young-filmmakers-to-just-buy-digital/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > ['Election' is a movie I'd give a leg to cross the director's name out and put mine in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/election-is-a-movie-i-d-give-a-leg-to-cross-the-director-s-name-out/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [It’s funny, I can sit through the worst horror film ever made! But even a quite good romantic comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/it-s-funny-i-can-sit-through-the-worst-horror-film-ever-made-but-even/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Things like Facebook have made you feel as though you're connected to everybody. You've got a thousand friends on Facebook, but you don't actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/things-like-facebook-have-made-you-feel-as-though-you-re-connected-to/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [It's funny, I can sit through the worst horror film ever made but even a quite good romantic comedy can drive me nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/it-s-funny-i-can-sit-through-the-worst-horror-film-ever-made-but-even-2/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I laugh a lot in horror films. If I'm scared in a horror film, I try to think about what's scaring me... particularly, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-laugh-a-lot-in-horror-films-if-i-m-scared-in-a-horror-film-i-try-to/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I used to have a group called Bad-Movie Saturday. Every Saturday, six of us would go see the worst movie that came out each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-used-to-have-a-group-called-bad-movie-saturday-every-saturday-six/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [ “\[With comedy and wanting to make people laugh,\] when you're a child, all you want is ANY kind of laugh. You get them to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/with-comedy-and-wanting-to-make-people-laugh-when-you-re-a-child-all/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [From the onset of the 'Live-Read' series, we wanted to hit all the major writers and Woody Allen is simply one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/from-the-onset-of-the-live-read-series-we-wanted-to-hit-all-the-major/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [There certainly is no secret in that there are plenty of people who don't like plenty of my movies. Each one of my films…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/there-certainly-is-no-secret-in-that-there-are-plenty-of-people-who/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Creating a wonderful drama is an art form, while comedy is just entertainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/creating-a-wonderful-drama-is-an-art-form-while-comedy-is-just/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Most people see a documentary about the meat industry and then they become a vegetarian for a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/most-people-see-a-documentary-about-the-meat-industry-and-then-they/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Discover how little you know about the people you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/discover-how-little-you-know-about-the-people-you-know/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I'm a kind of private guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-m-a-kind-of-private-guy/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) [Explore all 98 Jason Reitman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) [Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thing I say when people ask what's the difference [between doing TV and film], is that film has an ending and TV doesn't. When I write a film, all I think about is where the thing ends and how to get the audience there. And in television, it can't end. You need the audience to return the next week. It kind of shifts the drive of the story. But I find that more as a writer than as a director.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jason Reitman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-what-s-the-difference-between/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-what-s-the-difference-between/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jason-reitman-6741_asks_the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-wh_1867056.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jason-reitman-6741_asks_the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-wh_1867056.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jason-reitman-6741_asks_the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-wh_1867056.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first thing I say when people ask what's the difference [between doing TV and film], is that film has an…” — Jason Reitman", "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": "Jason Reitman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first thing I say when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-what-s-the-difference-between/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/the-first-thing-i-say-when-people-ask-what-s-the-difference-between/#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 } } ] } ```