--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can make a movie for $5M, which used to…" description: "\"I can make a movie for $5M, which used to be a routinely low, independent movie, but there's no such thing as that any more.\" — John Waters" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-waters-751_i-can_i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to_1693882.jpg" --- # I can make a movie for $5M, which used to be a routinely… ![“I can make a movie for $5M, which used to be a routinely low, independent movie, but there's no such thing as that any more.” quote by John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-waters-751_i-can_i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to_1693882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-waters-751_i-can_i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to_1693882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-waters-751_i-can_i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to_1693882.jpg) > “I can make a movie for $5M, which used to be a routinely low, independent movie, but there's no such thing as that any more.” [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Film budgets have risen, making low‑budget independent movies rare. **In simple terms:** Low‑budget films are now uncommon. Key Takeaway Seek creative funding or alternative distribution. Themes film industry budgeting independence Mood pragmatic critical Type industry inspirational When to use this quote - independent filmmaking - crowdfunding - digital platforms Key Concepts economics media studies Questions to Reflect On - How can filmmakers adapt to rising costs? - What alternative models support indie films? A Different Perspective High costs can stifle artistic freedom; low‑budget projects may still thrive with new models. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [5M Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/5m-used-1083101/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Independent Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-movie-351066/) [Make Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-movie/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie 5M](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-5m-1083100/) [Movie Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-thing-993234/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [Being in the moment with these guys was just a profound experience every day, and when we shoot a movie it's actually a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-moverman/being-in-the-moment-with-these-guys-was-just-a-profound-experience/) [Oren Moverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-moverman/) > [ I like collaboration, I like to incorporate other people's ideas \[and\] that's what happens when you do a big movie. Unless you're called Stanley… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-gondry/i-like-collaboration-i-like-to-incorporate-other-people-s-ideas-and/) [Michel Gondry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-gondry/) > [Sometimes when you're editing a movie, you have the thing that you don't expect - which is you make it longer and longer as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-anderson/sometimes-when-you-re-editing-a-movie-you-have-the-thing-that-you-don/) [Wes Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-anderson/) > [ What I loved about \[The Other Woman\] movie was the same thing. It was three women who would never have come together for any… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-mann/what-i-loved-about-the-other-woman-movie-was-the-same-thing-it-was/) [Leslie Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-mann/) > [When I was single and on Tinder, that was a good little "Hey, did you ever see this movie?" thing. I would never bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-haun/when-i-was-single-and-on-tinder-that-was-a-good-little-hey-did-you/) [Lindsey Haun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-haun/) > [Every movie has the thing it's about, and then, deep down, it has this thing that it's really about. 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That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-don-t-really-know-how-accepted-i-am-nothing-ever-matters-to-me/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [So I'm a one movie at a time person, I don't develop. Normally we do a movie then one thing leads to another. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/so-i-m-a-one-movie-at-a-time-person-i-don-t-develop-normally-we-do-a/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [The whole movie thing has never been a source of great pride for me, in that Burt Reynolds, who starred in the picture, butchered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-yates/the-whole-movie-thing-has-never-been-a-source-of-great-pride-for-me/) [Brock Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-yates/) > [I'm never so into the three-act movie thing. I know that's the form that people talk about, but it seems to me, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-m-never-so-into-the-three-act-movie-thing-i-know-that-s-the-form/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I think I'm probably the only person that, when the parents lent me money to make the movie, they wished I had not paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-think-i-m-probably-the-only-person-that-when-the-parents-lent-me/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [They all want you to make a movie for under a million dollars, which I don't want to. I don't want to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/they-all-want-you-to-make-a-movie-for-under-a-million-dollars-which-i/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [ Maybe I'll just write books. I'd like to make another movie, but I don't want to go back and \[do\] what they want you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/maybe-i-ll-just-write-books-i-d-like-to-make-another-movie-but-i-don/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## More by John Waters > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm here today because of LSD. LSD gave me the confidence to be who I am today. Completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-here-today-because-of-lsd-lsd-gave-me-the-confidence-to-be-who-i/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [When I was young, there were bars called the 'Hungry Hole,' and in those same neighbourhoods are now gay people pushing baby carriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/when-i-was-young-there-were-bars-called-the-hungry-hole-and-in-those/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [True success is figuring out your life and career so you never have to be around jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/true-success-is-figuring-out-your-life-and-career-so-you-never-have/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Around '62 in Baltimore, all the girls had those big hairdos. 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But they would go to some shopping mall in a deep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/serial-mom-tested-really-well-when-we-finally-got-with-the-right/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [One Christmas, Dennis Dermody, the movie critic of 'Paper,' gave me 'Rock Hudson: A Gathering of Friends,' the master invitation list from Rock Hudson's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/one-christmas-dennis-dermody-the-movie-critic-of-paper-gave-me-rock/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Many hundred-million-dollar Hollywood comedies aren't any good. They're trying to shock you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/many-hundred-million-dollar-hollywood-comedies-aren-t-any-good-they/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [The Easter Bunny is a major reason for heroin addiction in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/the-easter-bunny-is-a-major-reason-for-heroin-addiction-in-america/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [To use bad taste, you have to know the rules of good taste. I've always thanked my mother for that. She taught how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/to-use-bad-taste-you-have-to-know-the-rules-of-good-taste-i-ve-always/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm an old person because I still buy DVDs. I have every one of my albums and 45s - I even have a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-an-old-person-because-i-still-buy-dvds-i-have-every-one-of-my/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I do like Christmas. I do understand that there are people who hate it, and there are other religions that resent it. So, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-do-like-christmas-i-do-understand-that-there-are-people-who-hate-it/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I love to read about anger. A "feel bad" book always makes me feel good. And no other novel in the history of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-love-to-read-about-anger-a-feel-bad-book-always-makes-me-feel-good/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [ Maybe I'll just write books. I'd like to make another movie, but I don't want to go back and \[do\] what they want you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/maybe-i-ll-just-write-books-i-d-like-to-make-another-movie-but-i-don/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) [Explore all 381 John Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## More I can quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. 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Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. 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Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 24,836 I can quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can make a movie for $5M, which used to be a routinely low, independent movie, but there's no such thing as that any more.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Waters" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to-be-a-routinely-low/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "I can" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to-be-a-routinely-low/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-waters-751_i-can_i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to_1693882.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-waters-751_i-can_i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to_1693882.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-waters-751_i-can_i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to_1693882.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can make a movie for $5M, which used to be a routinely low, independent movie, but there's no such thing…” — John Waters", "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 Waters", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can make a movie for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to-be-a-routinely-low/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-can-make-a-movie-for-5m-which-used-to-be-a-routinely-low/#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 } } ] } ```