---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I write a film, there's a particular…"
description: "\"When I write a film, there's a particular thing I am wrestling with and the question or concern I'm dealing with has to be big enough for me to dedicat..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/josh-radnor-7807_bigs_when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular_3163509.jpg"
---

#  When I write a film, there's a particular thing I am…

![“When I write a film, there's a particular thing I am wrestling with and the question or concern I'm dealing with has to be big enough for me to dedicate a year or two of my life. If the question isn't big enough, or rich enough, I'll lose interest.” quote by Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/josh-radnor-7807_bigs_when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular_3163509.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/josh-radnor-7807_bigs_when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular_3163509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/josh-radnor-7807_bigs_when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular_3163509.jpg)

> “When I write a film, there's a particular thing I am wrestling with and the question or concern I'm dealing with has to be big enough for me to dedicate a year or two of my life. If the question isn't big enough, or rich enough, I'll lose interest.”

[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.

Creative projects need a sufficiently deep, compelling question to sustain long‑term commitment.

**In simple terms:** Big ideas keep you engaged.

Key Takeaway

Choose projects with meaningful stakes.

Themes

creativity purpose commitment vision

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

career motivational

When to use this quote

- film development
- long‑term research
- personal passion projects

Key Concepts

project scope intrinsic motivation artistic integrity

Questions to Reflect On

- What question drives your work?
- How can you deepen a modest idea?

A Different Perspective

Not all questions can be made big enough.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Dealing Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealing-big-1480754/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-particular-863088/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Question Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-concern-5727967/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) [Write Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-film/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [I honesty feel that each film has its own particular challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/i-honesty-feel-that-each-film-has-its-own-particular-challenges/)

[Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/)

> [Over the course of many encounters and many years, I have successfully developed a standard operating procedure for dealing with big, nasty monsters. Run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/over-the-course-of-many-encounters-and-many-years-i-have-successfully/)

[Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/)

> [We are far betting dealing with the big losses-death, divorce, debt, and debilitating illness-than with the daily onslaught of little losses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/we-are-far-betting-dealing-with-the-big-losses-death-divorce-debt-and/)

[Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/)

> [When you're dealing with a big amount of money, you should have your own accountant and your own lawyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-van-zant/when-you-re-dealing-with-a-big-amount-of-money-you-should-have-your/)

[Johnny Van Zant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-van-zant/)

> [When art in general, and film in particular, succeeds is when it pulls you away onto a voyage. Then it's a good film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/when-art-in-general-and-film-in-particular-succeeds-is-when-it-pulls/)

[Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/)

> [Close-Up is a very particular film in my oeuvre. It's a film that was made in a very particular way; mainly because I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbas-kiarostami/close-up-is-a-very-particular-film-in-my-oeuvre-it-s-a-film-that-was/)

[Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbas-kiarostami/)

> [What is interesting to me about film, and documentary film in particular, is that I can write about these people, and you trust my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and-documentary-film-in/)

[Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/)

> [When you're making a film you start living with it, and I find myself sitting down and figuring out a sound or melody that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/when-you-re-making-a-film-you-start-living-with-it-and-i-find-myself/)

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

> [I do a film because at that particular moment, I want to make a film. It is my attempt at moving away from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautham-menon/i-do-a-film-because-at-that-particular-moment-i-want-to-make-a-film/)

[Gautham Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautham-menon/)

> [For me, with any character, there are different ways that you approach understanding him, and in this film in particular, because I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-butterfield/for-me-with-any-character-there-are-different-ways-that-you-approach/)

[Asa Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-butterfield/)

> ['One by Two' is a film about two people who live in the same city and do certain things that affect each other's lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhay-deol/one-by-two-is-a-film-about-two-people-who-live-in-the-same-city-and/)

[Abhay Deol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhay-deol/)

> [People don't want to always see a comedy or an action film. If the film in a particular genre is made well, then it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-leela-bhansali/people-don-t-want-to-always-see-a-comedy-or-an-action-film-if-the/)

[Sanjay Leela Bhansali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-leela-bhansali/)

> [Every frame of every film is from a particular time. So, if you make a film in 2017, the times can't not have a bearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-fazal/every-frame-of-every-film-is-from-a-particular-time-so-if-you-make-a/)

[Ali Fazal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-fazal/)

> [I'm very much for strengthening our industry at home. It's great now there's a lot of work happening but I think with Irish film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-m-very-much-for-strengthening-our-industry-at-home-it-s-great-now/)

[Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/)

> [If somebody feels that a certain recreation fits into their film or a particular song fits into the film, I think that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-kumar/if-somebody-feels-that-a-certain-recreation-fits-into-their-film-or-a/)

[Tulsi Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-kumar/)

## 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 Bigs quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [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/)

> [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/)

[Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/)

[Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/)

> [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/)

[Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/)

[Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/)

> [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/)

[Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/)

[Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I write a film, there's a particular thing I am wrestling with and the question or concern I'm dealing with has to be big enough for me to dedicate a year or two of my life. If the question isn't big enough, or rich enough, I'll lose interest.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Josh Radnor"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular-thing-i-am-wrestling-with/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bigs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular-thing-i-am-wrestling-with/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/josh-radnor-7807_bigs_when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular_3163509.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/josh-radnor-7807_bigs_when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular_3163509.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/josh-radnor-7807_bigs_when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular_3163509.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I write a film, there's a particular thing I am wrestling with and the question or concern I'm dealing…” — 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": "When I write a film, there's...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular-thing-i-am-wrestling-with/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/when-i-write-a-film-there-s-a-particular-thing-i-am-wrestling-with/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
