--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's all about this abstract entity…" description: "\"It's all about this abstract entity called the story. It's all about the best way to tell the story, and to make a movie about the issues that this sto..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/jose-padilha-18296_abstract_it-s-all-about-this-abstract-entity-call_2966176.jpg" --- # It's all about this abstract entity called the story. It's… ![“It's all about this abstract entity called the story. It's all about the best way to tell the story, and to make a movie about the issues that this story is about. Filmmaking is storytelling, for me.” quote by Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/jose-padilha-18296_abstract_it-s-all-about-this-abstract-entity-call_2966176.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/jose-padilha-18296_abstract_it-s-all-about-this-abstract-entity-call_2966176.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/jose-padilha-18296_abstract_it-s-all-about-this-abstract-entity-call_2966176.jpg) > “It's all about this abstract entity called the story. It's all about the best way to tell the story, and to make a movie about the issues that this story is about. Filmmaking is storytelling, for me.” [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Filmmaking is fundamentally storytelling; the goal is to convey issues through narrative. **In simple terms:** Movies tell stories about issues. Key Takeaway Focus on narrative to convey themes. Themes filmmaking storytelling cinema Mood creative thoughtful Type instructional inspirational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - directing - production planning Key Concepts narrative structure thematic focus Questions to Reflect On - How to balance story and nuance? - What narrative techniques best serve social issues? A Different Perspective Storytelling can oversimplify complex topics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Called Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-story-2422533/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Entity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entity/) [Filmmaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaking/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Make Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-movie/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Filmmaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-filmmaking-4543920/) [Story Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-make/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Tell Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-story/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Vera said: “Why do you feel you have to turn everything into a story?” So I told her why. Because if I tell the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/vera-said-why-do-you-feel-you-have-to-turn-everything-into-a-story-so/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“A level of a house, his father has told him, is called a story. Nathaniel likes that. It makes him feel like maybe he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/a-level-of-a-house-his-father-has-told-him-is-called-a-story/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Experimental novels are sometimes terribly clever and very seldom read. But the story that appeals to the child sitting on your knee is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/experimental-novels-are-sometimes-terribly-clever-and-very-seldom/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [“I say fuck the old advice 'show, don't tell.' It's called story TELLING for a reason, and I'll stick to it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashly-lorenzana/i-say-fuck-the-old-advice-show-don-t-tell-it-s-called-story-telling/) [Ashly Lorenzana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashly-lorenzana/) > [We have in our head something called story grammar. We see the world as a series of episodes rather than logical propositions... In our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/we-have-in-our-head-something-called-story-grammar-we-see-the-world/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“The story is not about the singular virtues of the one being called. The story is about a risk-taking, bold sort of God who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/the-story-is-not-about-the-singular-virtues-of-the-one-being-called/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > ['A Child Called It' was a story about resilience, it was never about boo hoo hoo, it was about a kid that didn't quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-pelzer/a-child-called-it-was-a-story-about-resilience-it-was-never-about-boo/) [Dave Pelzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-pelzer/) > [ I was really inspired by the way people responded, and I wanted to tell that story \[ 'Patriots Day'\]. It's never been more difficult… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-was-really-inspired-by-the-way-people-responded-and-i-wanted-to/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [How can I make a movie about the violence of the police if the police aren't going to let me film it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/how-can-i-make-a-movie-about-the-violence-of-the-police-if-the-police/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [“Your life is your story, so make choices that will write it the way you want it to be written”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-stonex/your-life-is-your-story-so-make-choices-that-will-write-it-the-way/) [Brooke Stonex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-stonex/) > [Sometimes you know the story. Sometimes you make it up as you go along and have no idea how it will come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/sometimes-you-know-the-story-sometimes-you-make-it-up-as-you-go-along/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Every song is a long process. First I have to write a story for it, and then to make it into a song, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonita-alizadeh/every-song-is-a-long-process-first-i-have-to-write-a-story-for-it-and/) [Sonita Alizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonita-alizadeh/) > [“Have a story. And make sure it’s a good one. A DAMN good one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-macleod/have-a-story-and-make-sure-it-s-a-good-one-a-damn-good-one/) [Hugh MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-macleod/) > [Self-trust is so important. When you launch on a story, make your neck loose, feel free, good-natured. And be lazy. Feel that you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/self-trust-is-so-important-when-you-launch-on-a-story-make-your-neck/) [Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## More by Jose Padilha > [Usually I say I have no imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/usually-i-say-i-have-no-imagination/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [Pretty soon we'll have robots in our society, you're going to have a lot of automated processes that used to be done by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/pretty-soon-we-ll-have-robots-in-our-society-you-re-going-to-have-a/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [If you are in Brazil and you grew up in a right-wing dictatorship, you think Marxism is liberating. But if you grew up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/if-you-are-in-brazil-and-you-grew-up-in-a-right-wing-dictatorship-you/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [I love the sharpness and political tone of RoboCop and I think that such a film is now urgently needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/i-love-the-sharpness-and-political-tone-of-robocop-and-i-think-that/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [Listen, I like great actors. You can be a movie star without being a great actor - this has been proved several times -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/listen-i-like-great-actors-you-can-be-a-movie-star-without-being-a/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [No wonder we have a lot of violence in Rio: the corrupt and violent policemen meet the violent criminals in the streets. What else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/no-wonder-we-have-a-lot-of-violence-in-rio-the-corrupt-and-violent/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [We make violent cops, we make violent criminals, and no wonder we have shootouts in slums all of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/we-make-violent-cops-we-make-violent-criminals-and-no-wonder-we-have/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [How can I make a movie about the violence of the police if the police aren't going to let me film it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/how-can-i-make-a-movie-about-the-violence-of-the-police-if-the-police/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [RoboCop the first movie was fantastic. But even if there was no movie, the concept of RoboCop is brilliant, first because it lends itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/robocop-the-first-movie-was-fantastic-but-even-if-there-was-no-movie/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [A film is a living thing. The screenplay is a guideline. You really need to have a good, sound script to know that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/a-film-is-a-living-thing-the-screenplay-is-a-guideline-you-really/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [As it turns out, what looks like science sometimes is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/as-it-turns-out-what-looks-like-science-sometimes-is-not/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [If you replace a soldier with a machine, you take away the possibility of the soldier or the policeman to not do something the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/if-you-replace-a-soldier-with-a-machine-you-take-away-the-possibility/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [Either you look back and deal with your hypocrisy, or you dismiss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/either-you-look-back-and-deal-with-your-hypocrisy-or-you-dismiss-it/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [As a filmmaker, I make the films that I love, that are in my heart. That's what I care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/as-a-filmmaker-i-make-the-films-that-i-love-that-are-in-my-heart-that/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [I think the media needs a little criticizing now, as it did in the '80s, don't you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/i-think-the-media-needs-a-little-criticizing-now-as-it-did-in-the-80s/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) [Explore all 35 Jose Padilha quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) ## More Abstract quotes > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-the-abstract-of-the-past-but-beauty-is-the-promise-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Where human eyes have never seen, where human beings have never been, I build a world of abstract dreams, and I wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-ra/where-human-eyes-have-never-seen-where-human-beings-have-never-been-i/) [Sun Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-ra/) > [A little too abstract, a little too wise, It is time for us to kiss the earth again, It is time to let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-jeffers/a-little-too-abstract-a-little-too-wise-it-is-time-for-us-to-kiss-the/) [Robinson Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-jeffers/) > [“Happy is very abstract, you can't touch it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-veal/happy-is-very-abstract-you-can-t-touch-it/) [Julius Veal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-veal/) > [Abstract Expressionism was invented by New York drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/abstract-expressionism-was-invented-by-new-york-drunks/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [The more horrible this world (as today, for instance), the more abstract our art, whereas a happy world brings forth an art of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-more-horrible-this-world-as-today-for-instance-the-more-abstract/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [Describing comic sensibility is near impossible. It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) [Anthony W. Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-w-ivins/) > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. Some or all of these elements move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-calder/a-mobile-is-an-abstract-sculpture-made-chiefly-out-of-sheet-metal/) [Alexander Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-calder/) > [I'm this superphilosophical kind of person. Stuck in a prison of abstract ideas and overpowering emotions, I have this personality that makes it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuo-kirino/i-m-this-superphilosophical-kind-of-person-stuck-in-a-prison-of/) [Natsuo Kirino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuo-kirino/) > [Future lawyers should be more aware that law is not a system of abstract logic, but the web of arrangements, rooted in history but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/future-lawyers-should-be-more-aware-that-law-is-not-a-system-of/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [The trouble is that when you read criticisms about the other films that I've made you get the impression that they're all about themes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/the-trouble-is-that-when-you-read-criticisms-about-the-other-films/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Painting is... a richer language than words... Painting operates through signs which are not abstract and incorporeal like words. The signs of painting are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/painting-is-a-richer-language-than-words-painting-operates-through/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) [Browse all 1,403 Abstract quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's all about this abstract entity called the story. It's all about the best way to tell the story, and to make a movie about the issues that this story is about. 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