--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always felt that I shouldn't make a…" description: "\"I've always felt that I shouldn't make a movie if someone else could do it better.\" — Joe Dante" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/joe-dante-15763_cinema_i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a_282170.png" --- # I've always felt that I shouldn't make a movie if someone… ![“I've always felt that I shouldn't make a movie if someone else could do it better.” quote by Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/joe-dante-15763_cinema_i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a_282170.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/joe-dante-15763_cinema_i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a_282170.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/joe-dante-15763_cinema_i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a_282170.png) > “I've always felt that I shouldn't make a movie if someone else could do it better.” [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding projects when others can do them better respects artistic integrity and collaboration. **In simple terms:** Don't create if you aren't the best fit. Key Takeaway Respect others' strengths. Themes ethics collaboration humility Mood thoughtful respectful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - film production - scriptwriting - directing - co‑producing Key Concepts creative responsibility artistic integrity teamwork Questions to Reflect On - When should you step aside for others? - How do you assess your unique contribution? A Different Perspective May limit personal growth opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [I felt that I shouldn't be an actor who just makes movie after movie in a quest for prestige and money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-be-an-actor-who-just-makes-movie-after-movie/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [When you're done shooting, the movie that you're going to release when you're done shooting is as bad as it will ever be. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-you-re-done-shooting-the-movie-that-you-re-going-to-release-when/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [You don't want to make a movie just to make a movie. You better have a point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/you-don-t-want-to-make-a-movie-just-to-make-a-movie-you-better-have-a/) [Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/) > [I always love when everybody else is really bringing their game, because it's only going to make the movie better; it just makes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/i-always-love-when-everybody-else-is-really-bringing-their-game/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [A film has got to demand to be made. Otherwise - if it's just, 'Shall we? Why not?' - you shouldn't make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/a-film-has-got-to-demand-to-be-made-otherwise-if-it-s-just-shall-we/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [“If your argument is based on a lie, you shouldn't make it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-kirk/if-your-argument-is-based-on-a-lie-you-shouldn-t-make-it/) [T.J. Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-kirk/) > [I make fun of a lot of stuff I shouldn't make fun of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-the-drag-queen/i-make-fun-of-a-lot-of-stuff-i-shouldn-t-make-fun-of/) [Bob the Drag Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-the-drag-queen/) > [We shouldn't make life any harder for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-heinz-rummenigge/we-shouldn-t-make-life-any-harder-for-ourselves/) [Karl-Heinz Rummenigge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-heinz-rummenigge/) > [“You shouldn’t make lame commitments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/you-shouldn-t-make-lame-commitments/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [A movie is never any better than the stupidest man connected with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/a-movie-is-never-any-better-than-the-stupidest-man-connected-with-it/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [I fear my taste is too good to trust myself to write a good movie. I just feel like I know what a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/i-fear-my-taste-is-too-good-to-trust-myself-to-write-a-good-movie-i/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [If the film is nominated for awards, and even if it wins them, it doesn't make the movie any better, just as if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/if-the-film-is-nominated-for-awards-and-even-if-it-wins-them-it-doesn/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [I was afraid to watch 'Blade Runner' in the theater because I was afraid the movie would be better than what I myself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/i-was-afraid-to-watch-blade-runner-in-the-theater-because-i-was/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [Listen, whatever makes the movie better. That's the attitude you have to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/listen-whatever-makes-the-movie-better-that-s-the-attitude-you-have/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [Jaws' was a big one. It's a classic. The shark not working while making that movie made it much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-duffer/jaws-was-a-big-one-it-s-a-classic-the-shark-not-working-while-making/) [Ross Duffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-duffer/) ## More by Joe Dante > [My generation remembered going to the movies as an event. We would see these things, we would bring them home, and we would think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/my-generation-remembered-going-to-the-movies-as-an-event-we-would-see/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [One of the things I've always tried to do is to inject myself as much as possible into the movie, so I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/one-of-the-things-i-ve-always-tried-to-do-is-to-inject-myself-as-much/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [When you make a 3-D movie you actually have to plan the way the visuals look because there's a parallax issue, and there's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/when-you-make-a-3-d-movie-you-actually-have-to-plan-the-way-the/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [I think I entered the market around the time when there was getting to be less snobbery about the difference between feature films and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-think-i-entered-the-market-around-the-time-when-there-was-getting/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [I'm always looking for films, but the horror scripts that I get tend to be very repetitive and often not that interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-m-always-looking-for-films-but-the-horror-scripts-that-i-get-tend/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [There go the goddamn brownies!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/there-go-the-goddamn-brownies/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [When the first movie to show the anger people have about the war is a grade Z zombie movie, that tells you all you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/when-the-first-movie-to-show-the-anger-people-have-about-the-war-is-a/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [There's so little difference between television and features as far as you make the film. I mean, you have less money and it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/there-s-so-little-difference-between-television-and-features-as-far/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [I don't believe that you can judge the worth of a movie in the atmosphere in which it comes out the first time. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-don-t-believe-that-you-can-judge-the-worth-of-a-movie-in-the/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [I've sort of closed my mind off to reality shows: I just don't watch them, don't care about them, don't know who the characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-ve-sort-of-closed-my-mind-off-to-reality-shows-i-just-don-t-watch/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [I mean, movies are all geared to be basically under 25, and they're all tentpoles, explosions, excitement and all that - they take advantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-mean-movies-are-all-geared-to-be-basically-under-25-and-they-re-all/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [Repetitiveness is one of the things that's most difficult to get away from in genre pictures, because people come specifically to see certain kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/repetitiveness-is-one-of-the-things-that-s-most-difficult-to-get-away/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [I love 'Evil Dead 2!' Who doesn't love 'Evil Dead 2?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-love-evil-dead-2-who-doesn-t-love-evil-dead-2/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [Editing is where movies are made or broken. Many a film has been saved and many a film has been ruined in the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/editing-is-where-movies-are-made-or-broken-many-a-film-has-been-saved/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) > [Movies cost so much that studios really try to impose their personality over yours. A lot of times, you can get swallowed up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/movies-cost-so-much-that-studios-really-try-to-impose-their/) [Joe Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) [Explore all 42 Joe Dante quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [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/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always felt that I shouldn't make a movie if someone else could do it better.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Dante" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a-movie-if-someone-else-could/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a-movie-if-someone-else-could/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/joe-dante-15763_cinema_i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a_282170.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/joe-dante-15763_cinema_i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a_282170.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/joe-dante-15763_cinema_i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a_282170.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always felt that I shouldn't make a movie if someone else could do it better.” — Joe Dante", "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": "Joe Dante", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dante/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always felt that I shouldn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a-movie-if-someone-else-could/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dante/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-make-a-movie-if-someone-else-could/#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 } } ] } ```