---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And as a filmmaker, I'm trying to unhook…"
description: "\"And as a filmmaker, I'm trying to unhook myself from this idea that unless you have a brilliant, long, enormously lucrative theatrical run, that your m..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/josh-radnor-7807_believe_and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook_1982088.jpg"
---

#  And as a filmmaker, I'm trying to unhook myself from this…

![“And as a filmmaker, I'm trying to unhook myself from this idea that unless you have a brilliant, long, enormously lucrative theatrical run, that your movie somehow failed. And I don't believe that.” quote by Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/josh-radnor-7807_believe_and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook_1982088.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/josh-radnor-7807_believe_and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook_1982088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/josh-radnor-7807_believe_and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook_1982088.jpg)

> “And as a filmmaker, I'm trying to unhook myself from this idea that unless you have a brilliant, long, enormously lucrative theatrical run, that your movie somehow failed. And I don't believe that.”

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

## About This Quote

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

Success in filmmaking isn’t tied to blockbuster runs; artistic value can exist independently of commercial metrics.

**In simple terms:** Movies can succeed without huge box‑office hits.

Key Takeaway

Define success beyond profit.

Themes

creative integrity industry pressure artistic value commercial success

Mood

thoughtful encouraging

Type

creative industry

When to use this quote

- career planning
- creative projects
- budget constraints

Key Concepts

independent film streaming platforms festival circuits

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you measure a film’s impact?
- What alternative success metrics matter?

A Different Perspective

Commercial focus can distort artistic goals.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Theatrical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatrical/)

## Related quotes

> [I already have legitimacy as a filmmaker and now I'm trying to do stuff that's just fun. Until I find a cool tangible subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-already-have-legitimacy-as-a-filmmaker-and-now-i-m-trying-to-do/)

[John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/)

> [So, it didn't do well. But now when I talk to kids who are first seeing it, they're surprised to hear the movie failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-zucker/so-it-didn-t-do-well-but-now-when-i-talk-to-kids-who-are-first-seeing/)

[David Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-zucker/)

> [I didn't want 'Hotel Transylvania' to be the nail in the coffin for cartoony animation. Because if the movie failed, I could see people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genndy-tartakovsky/i-didn-t-want-hotel-transylvania-to-be-the-nail-in-the-coffin-for/)

[Genndy Tartakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genndy-tartakovsky/)

> [I want my audience to say, "Wow, this is a film I'm benefiting from. I'm benefiting from what this filmmaker is trying to say."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pitt/i-want-my-audience-to-say-wow-this-is-a-film-i-m-benefiting-from-i-m/)

[Michael Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pitt/)

> [I think I'm always conscious of not letting things fit into a specific box. Being a filmmaker and trying to chart a career, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-think-i-m-always-conscious-of-not-letting-things-fit-into-a/)

[Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/)

> [One thing I'm not is a moralistic filmmaker. I'm not trying to tell people what to do, and I'm not trying to lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-harron/one-thing-i-m-not-is-a-moralistic-filmmaker-i-m-not-trying-to-tell/)

[Mary Harron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-harron/)

> [I come from a little bit of a theatrical background. I started that way. I don't have a tremendous body of work or anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-come-from-a-little-bit-of-a-theatrical-background-i-started-that/)

[Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/)

> [I do think that, for instance, we've been very lucky to have theatrical careers and be associated with Shakespeare which sometimes gives you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/i-do-think-that-for-instance-we-ve-been-very-lucky-to-have-theatrical/)

[Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/)

> [From musicals to plays, I was part of all things theatrical all through my school life in Chandigarh, and this helped me develop a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/from-musicals-to-plays-i-was-part-of-all-things-theatrical-all/)

[Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/)

> [Figure skating is theatrical, and a part of it is wearing costumes. My costumes were very over-the-top and outrageous for figure skating. But for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/figure-skating-is-theatrical-and-a-part-of-it-is-wearing-costumes-my/)

[Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/)

> [Once I go on stage, the atmosphere is totally theatrical. The greater the illusion, the greater the intensity of the excitement it creates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/once-i-go-on-stage-the-atmosphere-is-totally-theatrical-the-greater/)

[Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/)

> [At this point we've answered about every question you could possibly imagine about Deep Space Nine, so we do this thing called Theatrical Jazz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-auberjonois/at-this-point-we-ve-answered-about-every-question-you-could-possibly/)

[Rene Auberjonois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-auberjonois/)

> [I deliberately look for colorful people. They're very right for theatre. Theatre has to be theatrical. If you can get color into the accountant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanford-wilson/i-deliberately-look-for-colorful-people-they-re-very-right-for/)

[Lanford Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lanford-wilson/)

> [“I was grotesque to the theatrical pitch, a stage miser, but I was certainly not a physical impossibility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-was-grotesque-to-the-theatrical-pitch-a-stage-miser-but-i-was/)

[H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/)

> [My dad's family were political and he was always a theatrical creature, whereas my mum is really musical and her father was the touring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/my-dad-s-family-were-political-and-he-was-always-a-theatrical/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

## More by Josh Radnor

> [I learned to choose my battles. Sometimes I let my producer deal with something that I didn't want to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/i-learned-to-choose-my-battles-sometimes-i-let-my-producer-deal-with/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [One thing I'm most proud of, in my movies, is that I think the performances are super-strong, but that's not all me. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/one-thing-i-m-most-proud-of-in-my-movies-is-that-i-think-the/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [It's really hard to be poor in New York - I was really poor when I lived in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/it-s-really-hard-to-be-poor-in-new-york-i-was-really-poor-when-i/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [In writing scripts now, having made a film, I'm much more conscious of what it means to shoot and edit a movie, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/in-writing-scripts-now-having-made-a-film-i-m-much-more-conscious-of/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [One of the secrets to life is saying yes to change and allowing things to transition, but I also think you have to mark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/one-of-the-secrets-to-life-is-saying-yes-to-change-and-allowing/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [We're like a gardener with a hose and our attention is water - we can water flowers or we can water weeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/we-re-like-a-gardener-with-a-hose-and-our-attention-is-water-we-can/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [Time off from the news is always something I welcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/time-off-from-the-news-is-always-something-i-welcome/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [My trick is the trick that everyone knows: Work really hard and prepare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/my-trick-is-the-trick-that-everyone-knows-work-really-hard-and-prepare/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [I think that the mark of a great book is that it will meet you wherever you're at and you'll feel and experience something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/i-think-that-the-mark-of-a-great-book-is-that-it-will-meet-you/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [There's that great Bill Hicks line - the comedian - where he says, "Are you proud to be an American?" "I don't know. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/there-s-that-great-bill-hicks-line-the-comedian-where-he-says-are-you/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [When I'm working, it's great. When I'm not working, it's great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/when-i-m-working-it-s-great-when-i-m-not-working-it-s-great/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [I find myself going out less and less. When you're 22 and see older people start to do that, it's depressing, but once you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/i-find-myself-going-out-less-and-less-when-you-re-22-and-see-older/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [It's strange to look back over a full season. Our characters have accrued all these memories, but so have we, the actors. And sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/it-s-strange-to-look-back-over-a-full-season-our-characters-have/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [One man's uplift is another man's sentimental hooey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/one-man-s-uplift-is-another-man-s-sentimental-hooey/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

> [When I go to movies and I love the movie, it's because it feels like it articulated something about how we're living now, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/when-i-go-to-movies-and-i-love-the-movie-it-s-because-it-feels-like/)

[Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

[Explore all 87 Josh Radnor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

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

> [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/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "And as a filmmaker, I'm trying to unhook myself from this idea that unless you have a brilliant, long, enormously lucrative theatrical run, that your movie somehow failed. And I don't believe that.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Josh Radnor"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook-myself-from-this-idea-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook-myself-from-this-idea-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/josh-radnor-7807_believe_and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook_1982088.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/josh-radnor-7807_believe_and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook_1982088.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/josh-radnor-7807_believe_and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook_1982088.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“And as a filmmaker, I'm trying to unhook myself from this idea that unless you have a brilliant, long…” — Josh Radnor",
                "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": "Josh Radnor",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "And as a filmmaker, I'm trying...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook-myself-from-this-idea-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/and-as-a-filmmaker-i-m-trying-to-unhook-myself-from-this-idea-that/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
