---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes people can't afford to work for…"
description: "\"Sometimes people can't afford to work for you, or they're not interested or available, and you hate to have written the whole movie with somebody in mi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/john-sayles-12623_available_sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-fo_989820.png"
---

#  Sometimes people can't afford to work for you, or they're…

![“Sometimes people can't afford to work for you, or they're not interested or available, and you hate to have written the whole movie with somebody in mind and not get them.” quote by John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/john-sayles-12623_available_sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-fo_989820.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/john-sayles-12623_available_sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-fo_989820.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/john-sayles-12623_available_sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-fo_989820.png)

> “Sometimes people can't afford to work for you, or they're not interested or available, and you hate to have written the whole movie with somebody in mind and not get them.”

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Creative projects can suffer when collaborators lack availability, interest, or resources, leading to frustration for the primary creator.

**In simple terms:** Lack of partners can stall a project.

Key Takeaway

Plan for backup collaborators early.

Themes

collaboration creative process frustration

Mood

reflective pragmatic

Type

advice reflective

When to use this quote

- film production
- writing teams
- independent projects
- budgeting
- schedule planning

Key Concepts

resource constraints team dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you protect your vision while staying flexible?
- What strategies ensure reliable collaboration?

A Different Perspective

Even with backups, artistic vision may still be compromised.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

## Related quotes

> [I hate that not everything ever written is on iBooks. Man, I hate paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-hate-that-not-everything-ever-written-is-on-ibooks-man-i-hate-paper/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [There are very few groups that really stay together. The leaders of groups make enough money to be able to afford to work a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-granz/there-are-very-few-groups-that-really-stay-together-the-leaders-of/)

[Norman Granz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-granz/)

> [I hate talking about class, but the truth is as an actor you're only going to be doing some really great work if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zawe-ashton/i-hate-talking-about-class-but-the-truth-is-as-an-actor-you-re-only/)

[Zawe Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zawe-ashton/)

> [I had read the scripts that Nora Ephron had written as a movie about Mike McAlary. We were never able to make it at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-callender/i-had-read-the-scripts-that-nora-ephron-had-written-as-a-movie-about/)

[Colin Callender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-callender/)

> [We improv-ed scenes that didn't happen in the movie. We improv-ed the scenes that are written in the movie without the dialogue as written.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-greenwood/we-improv-ed-scenes-that-didn-t-happen-in-the-movie-we-improv-ed-the/)

[Bruce Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-greenwood/)

> [When you've written a movie, you then get together with a whole lot of people and make it. In many ways, I think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-jordan/when-you-ve-written-a-movie-you-then-get-together-with-a-whole-lot-of/)

[Neil Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-jordan/)

> [I've never written a movie, I'm not in the movie business. I go out to L.A. and I'm like everyone else wandering around in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/i-ve-never-written-a-movie-i-m-not-in-the-movie-business-i-go-out-to/)

[Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/)

> [When I show up to act in a movie for somebody else, I just want to be nice and helpful and do what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/when-i-show-up-to-act-in-a-movie-for-somebody-else-i-just-want-to-be/)

[Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/)

> [Then you have these people in the movie theaters that talk the whole time during the movie. You ever go with somebody like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/then-you-have-these-people-in-the-movie-theaters-that-talk-the-whole/)

[Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/)

> [Auditioning is important, and I understand that. If there is somebody making a movie, if there is somebody manufacturing a movie, they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-howard/auditioning-is-important-and-i-understand-that-if-there-is-somebody/)

[Clint Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-howard/)

> [When I was at USC, I did a movie with somebody, and I had a blast doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-willig/when-i-was-at-usc-i-did-a-movie-with-somebody-and-i-had-a-blast-doing/)

Matt Willig

> [You make a movie, and if somebody reads something into it, then great, more power to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/you-make-a-movie-and-if-somebody-reads-something-into-it-then-great/)

[Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/)

> [I'd done a ton of movies here in Hollywood, and I realized that every movie I'd done was somebody's else's work and someone else's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harland-williams/i-d-done-a-ton-of-movies-here-in-hollywood-and-i-realized-that-every/)

[Harland Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harland-williams/)

> [There are so many people I know who could be the greatest film-maker but who will never get the chance to make a movie;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-cassavetes/there-are-so-many-people-i-know-who-could-be-the-greatest-film-maker/)

[Alexandra Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-cassavetes/)

> [I've got a body of work now, I've been doing movies for 32 years, and you never know which movie it is that somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-astin/i-ve-got-a-body-of-work-now-i-ve-been-doing-movies-for-32-years-and/)

[Sean Astin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-astin/)

## More by John Sayles

> [But compared to writing a novel, where you can be God, I did the Bay of Pigs invasion in six pages once, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/but-compared-to-writing-a-novel-where-you-can-be-god-i-did-the-bay-of/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [Not that I've always loved the movie when they finally come out, or if they ever come out-because many of them don't come out-but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/not-that-i-ve-always-loved-the-movie-when-they-finally-come-out-or-if/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [I think I got spoiled and that writing a short story and getting it published, or writing a novel and getting it published, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-think-i-got-spoiled-and-that-writing-a-short-story-and-getting-it/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [I never thought about being a writer as I grew up. A writer wasn't something I wanted to be. An outfielder was something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-never-thought-about-being-a-writer-as-i-grew-up-a-writer-wasn-t/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [My argument has always been that this is not an anti-Bush film, it's a pro-democracy film. And if Bush comes out on the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/my-argument-has-always-been-that-this-is-not-an-anti-bush-film-it-s-a/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [To this day, I get rewrite offers where they say: 'We feel this script needs work with character, dialogue, plot and tone,' and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/to-this-day-i-get-rewrite-offers-where-they-say-we-feel-this-script/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [And it was out in the theaters in two weeks. This is not, 'We're going to develop twenty-five and maybe one's going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/and-it-was-out-in-the-theaters-in-two-weeks-this-is-not-we-re-going/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [The media in America has become so cowed and compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/the-media-in-america-has-become-so-cowed-and-compromised/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [You get to say, 'Here's my philosophical idea about what the costume should like,' and the costume designer comes and gives you choices and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/you-get-to-say-here-s-my-philosophical-idea-about-what-the-costume/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [“There is great literature about imprisonment, . . . about the foot soldier, . . . about the sea -- but not one great work about flying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/there-is-great-literature-about-imprisonment-about-the-foot-soldier/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [I certainly grew up seeing more movies and television than I read books, but when it came time to do the thing itself you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-certainly-grew-up-seeing-more-movies-and-television-than-i-read/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [When I read a story or see something play out in front of me I say, how come nobody's made a movie or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/when-i-read-a-story-or-see-something-play-out-in-front-of-me-i-say/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [For me the writing, when I'm going to direct it myself, is really just the first draft, and I don't change it very much;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/for-me-the-writing-when-i-m-going-to-direct-it-myself-is-really-just/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [I remember being out here at the Sunset Marquis, and whoever knocked on the door, I would take that picture that I was writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-remember-being-out-here-at-the-sunset-marquis-and-whoever-knocked/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

> [I don't have a social agenda. I just don't choose to ignore what's in front of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-don-t-have-a-social-agenda-i-just-don-t-choose-to-ignore-what-s-in/)

[John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

[Explore all 54 John Sayles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/)

## More Available quotes

> [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/)

[Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/)

> [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/)

[Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/)

> [Tell the truth about your wound, and then you will get a truthful picture of the remedy to apply to it. Don't pack whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/tell-the-truth-about-your-wound-and-then-you-will-get-a-truthful/)

[Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/)

> [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/)

[Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/)

> [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [I used practically all the money I had available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-used-practically-all-the-money-i-had-available/)

[Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/)

> [But we need to be very clear: because of our decades of collective denial, no gradual, incremental options are now available to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/but-we-need-to-be-very-clear-because-of-our-decades-of-collective/)

[Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/)

> [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/)

[Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/)

> [I m Single , Eligible But Not Available .. Limited Edition :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faisal-khan-neal/i-m-single-eligible-but-not-available-limited-edition-d/)

Faisal Khan Neal

> [I do worry because it takes all types to make our culture, to make our art. We need it to be available to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-mcintosh/i-do-worry-because-it-takes-all-types-to-make-our-culture-to-make-our/)

[Neve McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-mcintosh/)

> [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [The internal peace of every country depends upon the knowledge that force is available to uphold law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-grey-1st-viscount-grey-of-fallodon/the-internal-peace-of-every-country-depends-upon-the-knowledge-that/)

[Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-grey-1st-viscount-grey-of-fallodon/)

> [It is truly amazing that, with much less neuroscientific knowledge available, Hayek's model comes closer, in some respects, to being neurophysiologically verifiable than those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-fuster/it-is-truly-amazing-that-with-much-less-neuroscientific-knowledge/)

Joaquin Fuster

> [While it's wonderful that investors have access to all the data now available to them, it has become a full-time job to sift through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/while-it-s-wonderful-that-investors-have-access-to-all-the-data-now/)

[Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/)

> [I'm in production year round. I work long hours. I have a dog and a wife. There's not a lot of available time for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-in-production-year-round-i-work-long-hours-i-have-a-dog-and-a/)

[Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/)

Browse all 2,134 Available quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Sometimes people can't afford to work for you, or they're not interested or available, and you hate to have written the whole movie with somebody in mind and not get them.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Sayles"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-for-you-or-they-re-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Available"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-for-you-or-they-re-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/john-sayles-12623_available_sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-fo_989820.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/john-sayles-12623_available_sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-fo_989820.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/john-sayles-12623_available_sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-fo_989820.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes people can't afford to work for you, or they're not interested or available, and you hate to have…” — John Sayles",
                "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 Sayles",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Sometimes people can't afford to work...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-for-you-or-they-re-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-for-you-or-they-re-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
