--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I made a decision back in 1978 that, in a…" description: "\"I made a decision back in 1978 that, in a trade off for money when I directed Halloween, I would have my name above the title in order to basically bra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/john-carpenter-11345_decision_i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a_3170830.png" --- # I made a decision back in 1978 that, in a trade off for… ![“I made a decision back in 1978 that, in a trade off for money when I directed Halloween, I would have my name above the title in order to basically brand these movies my own.” quote by John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/john-carpenter-11345_decision_i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a_3170830.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/john-carpenter-11345_decision_i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a_3170830.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/john-carpenter-11345_decision_i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a_3170830.png) > “I made a decision back in 1978 that, in a trade off for money when I directed Halloween, I would have my name above the title in order to basically brand these movies my own.” [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He chose to place his name above the title to claim ownership and brand the film as his own, sacrificing higher pay. **In simple terms:** He prioritized personal branding over money. Key Takeaway Brand yourself, even at a cost. Themes branding ownership creative control career decisions Mood proud determined reflective Type statement personal When to use this quote - directors negotiating credits - independent filmmakers marketing - artists seeking recognition - entrepreneurs building personal brands Key Concepts personal branding trade-offs film industry Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for personal brand? - How does branding affect creative freedom? A Different Perspective May reduce immediate earnings and create expectations for future work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brand Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brand-movies-582512/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision 1978](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-1978-5771005/) [Directed Halloween](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directed-halloween-5771004/) [Halloween](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/halloween/) [Halloween Title](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/halloween-title-5771003/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Directed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-directed-5771006/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) ## Related quotes > [I've probably done myself a disservice as a brand because the movies I've made. They've all been completely different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/i-ve-probably-done-myself-a-disservice-as-a-brand-because-the-movies/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [“I met this six-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes... the devil's eyes." ~Dr. Sam Loomis/Halloween”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-met-this-six-year-old-child-with-this-blank-pale-emotionless-face/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [In Halloween, I viewed the characters as simply normal teenagers. Laurie, Jamie Lee's character, was shy and somewhat repressed. And Michael Myers, the killer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/in-halloween-i-viewed-the-characters-as-simply-normal-teenagers/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [“It was a small town by a small river and a small lake in a small northern part of a Midwest state. There wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/it-was-a-small-town-by-a-small-river-and-a-small-lake-in-a-small/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [For me, writing something in the spirit of Halloween is like Mother Teresa writing on charity and sacrifice. It's just second nature to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/for-me-writing-something-in-the-spirit-of-halloween-is-like-mother/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [Seems like Americans just want it to be Halloween all year. The holiday just keeps getting more popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/seems-like-americans-just-want-it-to-be-halloween-all-year-the/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [Some people say, 'Oh you're a weird queen. You're a punk queen.' All queens are weird! I don't care if you're in a sickening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-needles/some-people-say-oh-you-re-a-weird-queen-you-re-a-punk-queen-all/) [Sharon Needles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-needles/) > [“Halloweenies: People who break up around Halloween because it's the last stop before the family-filled, gift-mandated, high pressure holidays: Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-chupack/halloweenies-people-who-break-up-around-halloween-because-it-s-the/) [Cindy Chupack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-chupack/) > [Halloween is woke, and there's nothing we can do about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-blum/halloween-is-woke-and-there-s-nothing-we-can-do-about-it/) [Jason Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-blum/) > [There was a time when Vader and I had a main event Pay-Per-View match, back in 1993 at Halloween Havoc, and I firmly thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/there-was-a-time-when-vader-and-i-had-a-main-event-pay-per-view-match/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [Very fun! Here is one I like: Double, dubloe toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble. ~ Shakespeare Macbeth Hope you Halloween is spirit-filled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin/very-fun-here-is-one-i-like-double-dubloe-toil-and-trouble-fire-burn/) [Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin/) > [“Did you know that at one time trick-or-treating was stopped? It's true. During World War II children were not allowed to trick or treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-bozzo/did-you-know-that-at-one-time-trick-or-treating-was-stopped-it-s-true/) [Linda Bozzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-bozzo/) > [I was invited to a halloween party until 12, but made a good choice of studying instead :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana/i-was-invited-to-a-halloween-party-until-12-but-made-a-good-choice-of/) [Mariana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Hoes gonna be tricking their treats tonight! Happy Halloween!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hoes-gonna-be-tricking-their-treats-tonight-happy-halloween/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Carpenter > [The strongest human emotion is fear. It's the essence of any good thriller that, for a little while, you believe in the boogeyman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/the-strongest-human-emotion-is-fear-it-s-the-essence-of-any-good/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [From early on, when synthesizers were first introduced into music, I liked the idea that you could get a big sound with them, electronic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/from-early-on-when-synthesizers-were-first-introduced-into-music-i/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [It's a very good time for horror. This business certainly has changed, but there's still room for serious horror films. Look at 28 Days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/it-s-a-very-good-time-for-horror-this-business-certainly-has-changed/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [Horror is always the same. It changes with the culture and changes with technology. The stories are always the same. There are just two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/horror-is-always-the-same-it-changes-with-the-culture-and-changes/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [ Horror is a reaction; it's not a genre. Somebody's life would have to be in danger for it \[story\] to be a horror story. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/horror-is-a-reaction-it-s-not-a-genre-somebody-s-life-would-have-to/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [ A lot of it \[success\] is luck. That's a huge part of it that no one wants to talk about. You just got to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/a-lot-of-it-success-is-luck-that-s-a-huge-part-of-it-that-no-one/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [I don't watch my films. I've seen 'em enough after cutting them and putting the music on. I don't ever want to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-don-t-watch-my-films-i-ve-seen-em-enough-after-cutting-them-and/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [I just aim for basketball season to start. I don't really care about anything else in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-just-aim-for-basketball-season-to-start-i-don-t-really-care-about/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [One of my heroes is a composer named James Bernard, and oh my God... I can still listen to his music today and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/one-of-my-heroes-is-a-composer-named-james-bernard-and-oh-my-god-i/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [What scares me is what scares you. We're all afraid of the same things. That's why horror is such a powerful genre. All you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/what-scares-me-is-what-scares-you-we-re-all-afraid-of-the-same-things/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [In Halloween, I viewed the characters as simply normal teenagers. Laurie, Jamie Lee's character, was shy and somewhat repressed. And Michael Myers, the killer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/in-halloween-i-viewed-the-characters-as-simply-normal-teenagers/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [I can play just about any keyboard but I can't read or write a note.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-can-play-just-about-any-keyboard-but-i-can-t-read-or-write-a-note/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [We all question our sanity. Everyone has had an experience of loss of control of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/we-all-question-our-sanity-everyone-has-had-an-experience-of-loss-of/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [“I met this six-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes... the devil's eyes." ~Dr. Sam Loomis/Halloween”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-met-this-six-year-old-child-with-this-blank-pale-emotionless-face/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [I'm pretty happy with who I am. I like myself and what I'm doing. I don't need to be the world's greatest director or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-m-pretty-happy-with-who-i-am-i-like-myself-and-what-i-m-doing-i-don/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) [Explore all 60 John Carpenter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I made a decision back in 1978 that, in a trade off for money when I directed Halloween, I would have my name above the title in order to basically brand these movies my own.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Carpenter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a-trade-off-for-money-when-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decision" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a-trade-off-for-money-when-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/john-carpenter-11345_decision_i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a_3170830.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/john-carpenter-11345_decision_i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a_3170830.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/john-carpenter-11345_decision_i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a_3170830.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I made a decision back in 1978 that, in a trade off for money when I directed Halloween, I would have my…” — John Carpenter", "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": "John Carpenter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I made a decision back in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a-trade-off-for-money-when-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/i-made-a-decision-back-in-1978-that-in-a-trade-off-for-money-when-i/#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 } } ] } ```