--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never been able to develop a movie…" description: "\"I've never been able to develop a movie over several years, and keep coming back to it and adding to it. I get excited by the spark of an idea, and if ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joe-swanberg-15317_able_i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie_2307098.jpg" --- # I've never been able to develop a movie over several… ![“I've never been able to develop a movie over several years, and keep coming back to it and adding to it. I get excited by the spark of an idea, and if I can't go make that, there's another idea that comes along that I get excited about. It has to happen quickly, in order for it to happen, at all.” quote by Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joe-swanberg-15317_able_i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie_2307098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joe-swanberg-15317_able_i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie_2307098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joe-swanberg-15317_able_i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie_2307098.jpg) > “I've never been able to develop a movie over several years, and keep coming back to it and adding to it. I get excited by the spark of an idea, and if I can't go make that, there's another idea that comes along that I get excited about. It has to happen quickly, in order for it to happen, at all.” [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative ideas fade without swift action; the artist must act quickly to sustain momentum. **In simple terms:** Ideas need fast action to stay alive. Key Takeaway Act on ideas promptly. Themes creativity urgency focus Mood determined energetic Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - film development - writing - project planning Key Concepts artistic process motivation Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance speed with quality? - What systems help capture fleeting ideas? A Different Perspective Rapid execution may sacrifice depth or refinement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Coming back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-back/) [Develop Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/develop-movie-5467002/) [Excited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excited/) [Excited Spark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excited-spark-5467004/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Idea Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-comes-367512/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Make Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-idea-852102/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Spark Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spark-idea-5467003/) [Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sparks/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I like to be able to work quickly, to capture the spark of an idea before it goes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-like-to-be-able-to-work-quickly-to-capture-the-spark-of-an-idea/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [Take up one idea! Make that idea your life ,Think of it .Dream of it,live on that idea.Let the brain,muscles,nerves every part of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/take-up-one-idea-make-that-idea-your-life-think-of-it-dream-of-it/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [à If a person has good idea about you, make his idea be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-ali-as/if-a-person-has-good-idea-about-you-make-his-idea-be-true/) [Hazrat Ali (as](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-ali-as/) > [You can make an idea spread for good but you can also make an idea spread for bad and the power to make an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/you-can-make-an-idea-spread-for-good-but-you-can-also-make-an-idea/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [Stop trying to find the formula that will instantly make your idea into a winner. Instead of being scientists, the best marketers are artists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/stop-trying-to-find-the-formula-that-will-instantly-make-your-idea/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I understand that if someone's going to make me his idea of cool, I can't control that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-understand-that-if-someone-s-going-to-make-me-his-idea-of-cool-i/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [The task of a writer consists of being able to make something out of an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/the-task-of-a-writer-consists-of-being-able-to-make-something-out-of/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [Creating is really what I like to do. The best thing in the world is to have an idea in the back of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/creating-is-really-what-i-like-to-do-the-best-thing-in-the-world-is/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [Make your idea your purpose & passion., Go for it, struggle, & make it happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/make-your-idea-your-purpose-passion-go-for-it-struggle-make-it-happen/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [As you get out and try to do things, you always find that in order to make an idea a reality, it goes through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-forbert/as-you-get-out-and-try-to-do-things-you-always-find-that-in-order-to/) [Steve Forbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-forbert/) > [“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life; dream of it; think of it; live on that idea. Let the brain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/take-up-one-idea-make-that-one-idea-your-life-dream-of-it-think-of-it/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [A social entrepreneur is somebody who knows how to make an idea reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/a-social-entrepreneur-is-somebody-who-knows-how-to-make-an-idea-2/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [People are either funny or they're not, and you can't teach that - but you can teach people to work together to make an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-besser/people-are-either-funny-or-they-re-not-and-you-can-t-teach-that-but/) [Matt Besser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-besser/) > [Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life. Think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaya-prada/take-up-one-idea-make-that-one-idea-your-life-think-of-it-dream-of-it/) [Jaya Prada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaya-prada/) > [Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-up-one-idea-make-that-one-idea-your-life-think-of-it-dream-of-it-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Joe Swanberg > [It's really easy to finish a movie and sort of immediately dive into the next one, because I love working with actors so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/it-s-really-easy-to-finish-a-movie-and-sort-of-immediately-dive-into/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I think there's been a gigantic shift in the way we talk to each other, and the way that we communicate with each other.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-think-there-s-been-a-gigantic-shift-in-the-way-we-talk-to-each/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I want to communicate with people, and I want to make something that works, and that people like. I'm never purposefully trying to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-want-to-communicate-with-people-and-i-want-to-make-something-that/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [There are people I'm drawn to that you just can't do a tiny, no-budget movie with. I would like to pursue some of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/there-are-people-i-m-drawn-to-that-you-just-can-t-do-a-tiny-no-budget/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I'm usually two projects ahead. It's hard for me because I don't have a really long attention span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-m-usually-two-projects-ahead-it-s-hard-for-me-because-i-don-t-have/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [During improvisations, I'll hear people bringing back up details from something I heard about at breakfast or something somebody was saying that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/during-improvisations-i-ll-hear-people-bringing-back-up-details-from/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [My directing is really weird. Everything is based on whether it's working or not. I don't try to fix something if it's not working,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/my-directing-is-really-weird-everything-is-based-on-whether-it-s/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [For a lot of people, you get cramped making decisions together and living together and every other thing that starts to happen. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/for-a-lot-of-people-you-get-cramped-making-decisions-together-and/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I think in general I personally have a tendency to protect other people's feelings, and I've noticed that becomes a major hindrance to communication.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-think-in-general-i-personally-have-a-tendency-to-protect-other/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [My relationship with my wife is fraught with all of the problems that any couples face, but there is a sense of humor that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/my-relationship-with-my-wife-is-fraught-with-all-of-the-problems-that/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I'm a pretty hands-off director. I let people try things, and if it gets over-jokey, then I'll try and rein it in a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-m-a-pretty-hands-off-director-i-let-people-try-things-and-if-it/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I don't have an agent. I don't take meetings or anything like that, so I don't really know what's out there. I'm not closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-don-t-have-an-agent-i-don-t-take-meetings-or-anything-like-that-so/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I learn a lot as a director from acting in other people's films and just in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-learn-a-lot-as-a-director-from-acting-in-other-people-s-films-and/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I think I'll try to keep working in film for a little bit. There's something still kind of magical about it, that I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-think-i-ll-try-to-keep-working-in-film-for-a-little-bit-there-s/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [In the 10 years that I've been a professional filmmaker, the film part of the film industry is really disappearing, right in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/in-the-10-years-that-i-ve-been-a-professional-filmmaker-the-film-part/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) [Explore all 43 Joe Swanberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [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/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never been able to develop a movie over several years, and keep coming back to it and adding to it. I get excited by the spark of an idea, and if I can't go make that, there's another idea that comes along that I get excited about. It has to happen quickly, in order for it to happen, at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Swanberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie-over-several-years-and-keep/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie-over-several-years-and-keep/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joe-swanberg-15317_able_i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie_2307098.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joe-swanberg-15317_able_i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie_2307098.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joe-swanberg-15317_able_i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie_2307098.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've never been able to develop a movie over several years, and keep coming back to it and adding to it. I…” — Joe Swanberg", "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 Swanberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've never been able to develop...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie-over-several-years-and-keep/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-ve-never-been-able-to-develop-a-movie-over-several-years-and-keep/#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 } } ] } ```