--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing about our movies is, we write…" description: "\"The thing about our movies is, we write thirty drafts. That's a very detailed script. Which means that if you try to crank it out week to week in telev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/jay-chandrasekhar-5190_drafts_the-thing-about-our-movies-is-we-write-t_267734.jpg" --- # The thing about our movies is, we write thirty drafts… ![“The thing about our movies is, we write thirty drafts. That's a very detailed script. Which means that if you try to crank it out week to week in television, it's impossible.” quote by Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/jay-chandrasekhar-5190_drafts_the-thing-about-our-movies-is-we-write-t_267734.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/jay-chandrasekhar-5190_drafts_the-thing-about-our-movies-is-we-write-t_267734.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/jay-chandrasekhar-5190_drafts_the-thing-about-our-movies-is-we-write-t_267734.jpg) > “The thing about our movies is, we write thirty drafts. That's a very detailed script. Which means that if you try to crank it out week to week in television, it's impossible.” [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a film script involves extensive drafting, making rapid weekly TV production unrealistic without sacrificing quality. **In simple terms:** Film scripts need many revisions; TV schedules are too fast. Key Takeaway Allow ample time for script development. Themes creativity process quality time-management film television Mood pragmatic optimistic Type advice analytical When to use this quote - feature film development - TV pilot writing - script workshops - production planning - deadline pressure Key Concepts writing production cycles creative collaboration Questions to Reflect On - Can TV writers adapt the film process? - What shortcuts preserve quality under tight deadlines? A Different Perspective Fast TV writing can still succeed with strong outlines and teamwork. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [In fact, when I finally realized I was really going to write, when I was about thirty-four, I was working on my Ph.D. in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-jo-campbell/in-fact-when-i-finally-realized-i-was-really-going-to-write-when-i/) [Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-jo-campbell/) > [You do movies because you love movies and you write music because you love writing music, and sometimes there's this magic combination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-desplat/you-do-movies-because-you-love-movies-and-you-write-music-because-you/) [Alexandre Desplat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-desplat/) > [I think the books are the books. They were conceived as books. They weren't conceived as movies. When I write scripts, that's an idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-think-the-books-are-the-books-they-were-conceived-as-books-they/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [In this world that we live in we have originality in literature, but we also have TV and movies. I write love stories. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/in-this-world-that-we-live-in-we-have-originality-in-literature-but/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I feel more influenced in my own work by dreams than I do by other writers' works in a way. Or by popular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-feel-more-influenced-in-my-own-work-by-dreams-than-i-do-by-other/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I think we all live dichotomies. I'm a father of three boys and a loyal homebody sort of husband and father. And yet I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-blake-nelson/i-think-we-all-live-dichotomies-i-m-a-father-of-three-boys-and-a/) [Tim Blake Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-blake-nelson/) > [When I've acted, and it's not been something I've written or have had at least a hand in writing, I do think there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/when-i-ve-acted-and-it-s-not-been-something-i-ve-written-or-have-had/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [If you look at any of my movies I write, direct, edit, and produce them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/if-you-look-at-any-of-my-movies-i-write-direct-edit-and-produce-them/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [I produce more movies than I write, but when I write, it is such an immersive, intense process that it probably takes as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kinberg/i-produce-more-movies-than-i-write-but-when-i-write-it-is-such-an/) [Simon Kinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kinberg/) > [There are people who would rather choke than go see my movies. They write me letters all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/there-are-people-who-would-rather-choke-than-go-see-my-movies-they/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > ['Super Troopers' did well but not crazy-well theatrically. But it did so well after that it - in ancillary markets - that it became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/super-troopers-did-well-but-not-crazy-well-theatrically-but-it-did-so/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [I number my drafts, and by the time a book is done, I'll have 75 or 80 drafts of some sections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-number-my-drafts-and-by-the-time-a-book-is-done-i-ll-have-75-or-80/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I have to re-write a lot. I couldn't tell you how many drafts I write, but I know I've done at least twenty rewrites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-willis-holt/i-have-to-re-write-a-lot-i-couldn-t-tell-you-how-many-drafts-i-write/) [Kimberly Willis Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-willis-holt/) > [With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write-a-draft-of-the-script-i-was/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [Recently a study proved that working from a larger, less cluttered computer screen increases concentration. I could have told them that. And yes, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/recently-a-study-proved-that-working-from-a-larger-less-cluttered/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) ## More by Jay Chandrasekhar > [I'm from Chicago. And I was an actor in high school and college, and I wanted to see if I could make a run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/i-m-from-chicago-and-i-was-an-actor-in-high-school-and-college-and-i/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [My father and mother were both doctors, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/my-father-and-mother-were-both-doctors-yes/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > ['Super Troopers' did well but not crazy-well theatrically. But it did so well after that it - in ancillary markets - that it became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/super-troopers-did-well-but-not-crazy-well-theatrically-but-it-did-so/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [The thing about people from Chicago and the Northwest suburbs is that they're very cocky. I think that serves us well in the show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/the-thing-about-people-from-chicago-and-the-northwest-suburbs-is-that/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [Colgate is the epitome of having it both ways. Academically, it ranks in the top twenty schools in the country, but it is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/colgate-is-the-epitome-of-having-it-both-ways-academically-it-ranks/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [Ultimately, in regular television, you've got seven or eight executives and maybe 50 people in the room with dials who are deciding whether a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/ultimately-in-regular-television-you-ve-got-seven-or-eight-executives/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [To me, I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, and my identity is of a suburban Chicago person. It's not like, 'Oh, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/to-me-i-grew-up-in-the-suburbs-of-chicago-and-my-identity-is-of-a/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [In 2010, The Princeton Review ranked Colgate the most beautiful campus in America - I agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/in-2010-the-princeton-review-ranked-colgate-the-most-beautiful-campus/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [A lot of filmmaking is just sort of slowed down by lawyers who feel they're more important than the filmmakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/a-lot-of-filmmaking-is-just-sort-of-slowed-down-by-lawyers-who-feel/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [Occasionally, we would shoot something and think, 'This is it; we are over the line.' But the test audiences didn't have a problem with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/occasionally-we-would-shoot-something-and-think-this-is-it-we-are/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [Often, when you're in some of these writing rooms for... and the most restrictive is network television, right? They say, 'Wow, that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/often-when-you-re-in-some-of-these-writing-rooms-for-and-the-most/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [Filmmaking, at the end of the day, is really - in addition to the story and all of the equipment and the actors, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/filmmaking-at-the-end-of-the-day-is-really-in-addition-to-the-story/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [We shot 'Super Troopers' on the side of the road in the summer in Poughkeepsie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/we-shot-super-troopers-on-the-side-of-the-road-in-the-summer-in/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [Many films you see in theaters are financed through outside sources. With big films, the studio will pay, hoping to reap the reward of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/many-films-you-see-in-theaters-are-financed-through-outside-sources/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [The smartest thing a filmmaker can do is to become a good editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/the-smartest-thing-a-filmmaker-can-do-is-to-become-a-good-editor/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) [Explore all 102 Jay Chandrasekhar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) ## More Drafts quotes > [Recently a study proved that working from a larger, less cluttered computer screen increases concentration. I could have told them that. And yes, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/recently-a-study-proved-that-working-from-a-larger-less-cluttered/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write-a-draft-of-the-script-i-was/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [I have to re-write a lot. I couldn't tell you how many drafts I write, but I know I've done at least twenty rewrites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-willis-holt/i-have-to-re-write-a-lot-i-couldn-t-tell-you-how-many-drafts-i-write/) [Kimberly Willis Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-willis-holt/) > [I number my drafts, and by the time a book is done, I'll have 75 or 80 drafts of some sections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-number-my-drafts-and-by-the-time-a-book-is-done-i-ll-have-75-or-80/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I don't read anything electronically. I don't write electronically, either - except e-mails to my family and friends. I write in longhand. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-don-t-read-anything-electronically-i-don-t-write-electronically/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Obviously, drafts sometimes are good ones, or bad ones; I think you can get a good, quality player late in the lottery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hill/obviously-drafts-sometimes-are-good-ones-or-bad-ones-i-think-you-can/) [Grant Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-hill/) > [I'd really be happy with any team that drafts me. It means they see something in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-morant/i-d-really-be-happy-with-any-team-that-drafts-me-it-means-they-see/) [Ja Morant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-morant/) > [I'm pretty obsessive-compulsive, and I'm very fast. I tend to not write for a long period of time until I can't not write, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rapp/i-m-pretty-obsessive-compulsive-and-i-m-very-fast-i-tend-to-not-write/) [Adam Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rapp/) > [I'm constantly at war with myself to quit goofing around, and the internet hasn't helped that any. I've learned that I have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-abu-jaber/i-m-constantly-at-war-with-myself-to-quit-goofing-around-and-the/) [Diana Abu-Jaber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-abu-jaber/) > [It's always hard, but it's always fun to attack a premise that you think is interesting. It does take a few drafts for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-levin/it-s-always-hard-but-it-s-always-fun-to-attack-a-premise-that-you/) [Victor Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-levin/) > [I haven't had trouble with writer's block. I think it's because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-haven-t-had-trouble-with-writer-s-block-i-think-it-s-because-my/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I wrote the screenplay for 'This Is Where I Leave You' - all 40 drafts of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/i-wrote-the-screenplay-for-this-is-where-i-leave-you-all-40-drafts-of/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [I can get really obsessive. I like writing many drafts, and I try not to because it is very time-consuming, especially when you're working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-windley/i-can-get-really-obsessive-i-like-writing-many-drafts-and-i-try-not/) [Carol Windley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-windley/) > [I began my first novel when I was 15. It went through three drafts, of around 40,000 words each. If I find it, I'll burn it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/i-began-my-first-novel-when-i-was-15-it-went-through-three-drafts-of/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [The art of poetry consists in taking the poem through draft after draft, without losing its inspirational magic: he removes everything irrelevant or distracting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/the-art-of-poetry-consists-in-taking-the-poem-through-draft-after/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) Browse all 132 Drafts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing about our movies is, we write thirty drafts. That's a very detailed script. 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