--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always tell young filmmakers, don't go…" description: "\"I always tell young filmmakers, don't go make a feature. Make a short. When you're ready to make a feature, people will tell you. Your friends will tel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/jay-duplass-16656_fans_i-always-tell-young-filmmakers-don-t-go_635860.jpg" --- # I always tell young filmmakers, don't go make a feature… ![“I always tell young filmmakers, don't go make a feature. Make a short. When you're ready to make a feature, people will tell you. Your friends will tell you. Your fans will tell you. Festivals will tell you. Listen to your audience.” quote by Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/jay-duplass-16656_fans_i-always-tell-young-filmmakers-don-t-go_635860.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/jay-duplass-16656_fans_i-always-tell-young-filmmakers-don-t-go_635860.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/jay-duplass-16656_fans_i-always-tell-young-filmmakers-don-t-go_635860.jpg) > “I always tell young filmmakers, don't go make a feature. Make a short. When you're ready to make a feature, people will tell you. Your friends will tell you. Your fans will tell you. Festivals will tell you. Listen to your audience.” [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advice to start with short films before tackling features, learning from audience feedback. **In simple terms:** Start small, learn from feedback before big projects. Key Takeaway Begin with shorts, listen to audience. Themes filmmaking career development learning audience feedback Mood encouraging practical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - film school projects - indie film festivals - crowdfunding campaigns - online video series Key Concepts incremental growth creative process risk management Questions to Reflect On - What small project can you start today? - How will audience feedback shape your next step? A Different Perspective Shorts may not fully prepare for feature complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fans/) [Festivals Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/festivals-tell-5115695/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Make Feature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-feature-556743/) [Make Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-short-832407/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short/) [Tell Festivals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-festivals-5115694/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Young Filmmakers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-filmmakers-263342/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [I would rather make feature movies because, let's face it, you take more time. You take seven days to do a show, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-fawcett/i-would-rather-make-feature-movies-because-let-s-face-it-you-take/) [Farrah Fawcett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-fawcett/) > [The time that it takes to make the feature is really contingent on the feature being sort of almost ready-made - so coming to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/the-time-that-it-takes-to-make-the-feature-is-really-contingent-on/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [“Make each feature work hard to be implemented. Make each feature prove itself and show that it's a survivor. It's like "Fight Club". You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/37-signals/make-each-feature-work-hard-to-be-implemented-make-each-feature-prove/) [37 Signals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/37-signals/) > [We had this idea, and I think a lot of people did going in, that you can make some short film and it's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-duffer/we-had-this-idea-and-i-think-a-lot-of-people-did-going-in-that-you/) [Ross Duffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-duffer/) > [You can do a short film in three to four days, and then you can show it. Look at the careers you seen go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-polson/you-can-do-a-short-film-in-three-to-four-days-and-then-you-can-show/) [John Polson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-polson/) > [I didn't want to be short. I've tried to pretend that being a short guy didn't matter. I tried to make up for being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/i-didn-t-want-to-be-short-i-ve-tried-to-pretend-that-being-a-short/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [I was told I would never make it because I'm too short. Well, I'm still too short. It doesn't matter what your height is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-puckett/i-was-told-i-would-never-make-it-because-i-m-too-short-well-i-m-still/) [Kirby Puckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-puckett/) > [Since I was 20, I wanted to make a short film and send it to international short film festivals. It never happened. I became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/since-i-was-20-i-wanted-to-make-a-short-film-and-send-it-to/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [I would love to be able to make short films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-would-love-to-be-able-to-make-short-films/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [The exciting thing about today with the Internet, streaming, and YouTube, is you can just go do it. You can go make a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/the-exciting-thing-about-today-with-the-internet-streaming-and/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I went back to Dallas for a little while to finish my short film 'Rusty Forkblade.' It was not the instant success I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-daugherty/i-went-back-to-dallas-for-a-little-while-to-finish-my-short-film/) [Evan Daugherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-daugherty/) > [The difference you make is nothing short of legendary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-difference-you-make-is-nothing-short-of-legendary/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to release another CD this year, finish writing a screenplay, and make another short film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-barry/i-want-to-release-another-cd-this-year-finish-writing-a-screenplay/) [Todd Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-barry/) > [I always think it's just best to just make stuff and to carry on making stuff, even if it's not off your own back,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-lowe/i-always-think-it-s-just-best-to-just-make-stuff-and-to-carry-on/) [Alice Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-lowe/) ## More by Jay Duplass > [Independent filmmaking burns off a lot of storytelling fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/independent-filmmaking-burns-off-a-lot-of-storytelling-fat/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [In ultralight backpacking, modified gear pieces come into play, like a tent you hoist with your trekking poles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/in-ultralight-backpacking-modified-gear-pieces-come-into-play-like-a/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [It is very common for people to come up to the cast members and say, 'Our family is OK now because of 'Transparent.''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/it-is-very-common-for-people-to-come-up-to-the-cast-members-and-say/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [Now that I'm acting, I've realized that I don't have a lot of barriers. Certain actors have a hard time with anger or with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/now-that-i-m-acting-i-ve-realized-that-i-don-t-have-a-lot-of-barriers/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [I guess I need a hobby. Currently my primary hobby is complaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/i-guess-i-need-a-hobby-currently-my-primary-hobby-is-complaining/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [Our brains will destroy ourselves if we don't put it outward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/our-brains-will-destroy-ourselves-if-we-don-t-put-it-outward/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [When you grow up in New Orleans, like, the only way to be an artist is to be a 55-year-old black musician. That's basically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/when-you-grow-up-in-new-orleans-like-the-only-way-to-be-an-artist-is/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [An interview is only as good as both parties are willing to give to the interview and that includes the interviewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/an-interview-is-only-as-good-as-both-parties-are-willing-to-give-to/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [I went to film school at UT Austin. I learned a lot, and that school's good for puking up all your bad movies early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/i-went-to-film-school-at-ut-austin-i-learned-a-lot-and-that-school-s/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [Breakups usually don't happen down by the river with beautiful lighting. The moment you realize your relationship may be over might happen in Aisle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/breakups-usually-don-t-happen-down-by-the-river-with-beautiful/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [My wife is a social worker and a feminist, and it feels natural to me to have these relationships with these powerhouse women that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/my-wife-is-a-social-worker-and-a-feminist-and-it-feels-natural-to-me/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [If we are to maintain a relevant and just industry, we must all open our eyes to the obvious lack of equality in wages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/if-we-are-to-maintain-a-relevant-and-just-industry-we-must-all-open/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [My whole life, I've been the one in my family that's always too emotional and too sensitive. That's, like, my role in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/my-whole-life-i-ve-been-the-one-in-my-family-that-s-always-too/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [I think the press mistakenly thought that all of these 'mumblecore' filmmakers were banded together in a similar ideology, but the truth is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/i-think-the-press-mistakenly-thought-that-all-of-these-mumblecore/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [I do own a unicycle, which I use for workout purposes as opposed to doing tricks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/i-do-own-a-unicycle-which-i-use-for-workout-purposes-as-opposed-to/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) [Explore all 39 Jay Duplass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) ## More Fans quotes > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/) [Michael W. 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I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I think metal fans are more loyal than other fans, and they are often more inclined to collect the albums of their favorite bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varg-vikernes/i-think-metal-fans-are-more-loyal-than-other-fans-and-they-are-often/) [Varg Vikernes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varg-vikernes/) > [I want to fight the fights that fans want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/i-want-to-fight-the-fights-that-fans-want-to-see/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [When you win you're going to get fans chanting your name and when you don't do great they're going to give you stick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/when-you-win-you-re-going-to-get-fans-chanting-your-name-and-when-you/) [Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/) > [I just know that I wasn't happy where I was. 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