--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an Asian immigrant coming in, for the…" description: "\"As an Asian immigrant coming in, for the longest time I still had problems getting in the lot because they're just not used to seeing someone like me w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-lin-4717_cinema_as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the_384846.jpg" --- # As an Asian immigrant coming in, for the longest time I… ![“As an Asian immigrant coming in, for the longest time I still had problems getting in the lot because they're just not used to seeing someone like me who's directing these films. I do think ultimately there's a point where we can kind of just shed that label and become filmmakers.” quote by Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-lin-4717_cinema_as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the_384846.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-lin-4717_cinema_as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the_384846.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-lin-4717_cinema_as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the_384846.jpg) > “As an Asian immigrant coming in, for the longest time I still had problems getting in the lot because they're just not used to seeing someone like me who's directing these films. I do think ultimately there's a point where we can kind of just shed that label and become filmmakers.” [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Industry bias can limit opportunities, but persistence and talent can break stereotypes. **In simple terms:** Bias blocks but perseverance opens doors. Key Takeaway Persist and showcase skill to redefine expectations. Themes diversity film perseverance Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - film festivals - studio hiring - directing opportunities Key Concepts representation systemic bias career development Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to challenge industry preconceptions? - How does representation affect audience perception? A Different Perspective Change may be slow and face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asian Immigrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian-immigrant-3483996/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directing Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-films-401888/) [Films Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-think/) [Immigrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Label Filmmakers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/label-filmmakers-3483995/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Directing films is easier said than done. The job needs a lot of sensibility to put many things in place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/directing-films-is-easier-said-than-done-the-job-needs-a-lot-of/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [I'm happy directing films. On television, the direction takes your entire life away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-khan/i-m-happy-directing-films-on-television-the-direction-takes-your/) [Farah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-khan/) > [I used to dream about presenting a comedy show and also about directing films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-cornish/i-used-to-dream-about-presenting-a-comedy-show-and-also-about/) [Joe Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-cornish/) > [I really, really love directing films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frankenheimer/i-really-really-love-directing-films/) [John Frankenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frankenheimer/) > [I was always looking for a career that could combine my creative interests with my technical side, and it ends up directing films is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/i-was-always-looking-for-a-career-that-could-combine-my-creative/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [Curiously, directing my own films have made me more tolerant and patient. I've always been an extremely impatient actor. Waiting around drove me nuts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/curiously-directing-my-own-films-have-made-me-more-tolerant-and/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [It's not easy to strap yourself down to a desk and bash on a keyboard when you know you can direct lots of films,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-ritchie/it-s-not-easy-to-strap-yourself-down-to-a-desk-and-bash-on-a-keyboard/) [Guy Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-ritchie/) > [There is an established tradition of actors directing films that have a particular, personal meaning for them - Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/there-is-an-established-tradition-of-actors-directing-films-that-have/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [I found in making and directing films that the less you have voiceover, the better it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-found-in-making-and-directing-films-that-the-less-you-have/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [I don't rehearse films as much as opera or theatre. When I began directing films I thought a long rehearsal was a good idea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beresford/i-don-t-rehearse-films-as-much-as-opera-or-theatre-when-i-began/) [Bruce Beresford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beresford/) > [When I'm directing films, I mostly try to create an environment on set that mimics what's in my mind as to the tone and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmony-korine/when-i-m-directing-films-i-mostly-try-to-create-an-environment-on-set/) [Harmony Korine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmony-korine/) > [Directing films is my passion and hobby and I'm blessed to have that as my profession and to be loved by the audience for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-khosla-kumar/directing-films-is-my-passion-and-hobby-and-i-m-blessed-to-have-that/) [Divya Khosla Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-khosla-kumar/) > [Because I'm a little ADD, I would like to incorporate even more facets to my career eventually, such as writing and directing films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemp-muhl/because-i-m-a-little-add-i-would-like-to-incorporate-even-more-facets/) [Kemp Muhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemp-muhl/) > [My M.F.A was in directing, and all the films I've made, for film school and after, I've written, directed and shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-s-fletcher/my-m-f-a-was-in-directing-and-all-the-films-i-ve-made-for-film-school/) [Geoffrey S. Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-s-fletcher/) > [I think the older that I'm getting, the more I'm understand what a privileged job I have, and what an opportunity I have. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-considine/i-think-the-older-that-i-m-getting-the-more-i-m-understand-what-a/) [Paddy Considine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-considine/) ## More by Justin Lin > [You can't cheat comedy. You know, it either is going to be there on the day you capture or it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/you-can-t-cheat-comedy-you-know-it-either-is-going-to-be-there-on-the/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but feel incredibly lucky to be in the position I am now and to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/i-made-a-lot-of-mistakes-along-the-way-but-feel-incredibly-lucky-to/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [My brothers and I would try to talk our dad into letting us stay up and watch 'Star Trek.' I remember watching it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/my-brothers-and-i-would-try-to-talk-our-dad-into-letting-us-stay-up/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [Fast and the Furious' is really a postmodern Western.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/fast-and-the-furious-is-really-a-postmodern-western/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I wanted to have fun after 'Annapolis,' and make a Western.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/i-wanted-to-have-fun-after-annapolis-and-make-a-western/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [When I go on set, it's very important, the lenses I choose, what I choose to frame or not frame and that's how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/when-i-go-on-set-it-s-very-important-the-lenses-i-choose-what-i/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [My Taiwanese parents came to America with no money and supported my brothers and me as small business owners in Orange County, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/my-taiwanese-parents-came-to-america-with-no-money-and-supported-my/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [There's no guidebook on how to be a filmmaker. I just try to do my best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/there-s-no-guidebook-on-how-to-be-a-filmmaker-i-just-try-to-do-my-best/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [Hollywood should be global.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/hollywood-should-be-global/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [People I work with are part of my family now: I feel like that's the new sense of family around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/people-i-work-with-are-part-of-my-family-now-i-feel-like-that-s-the/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I remember when I was a kid, I'd watch 'Kung Fu Theater' on TV, and all the movies would star guys named things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/i-remember-when-i-was-a-kid-i-d-watch-kung-fu-theater-on-tv-and-all/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [If you put forth a really diverse cast and you fight for it and it doesn't do well - and it may fail for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/if-you-put-forth-a-really-diverse-cast-and-you-fight-for-it-and-it/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I love Kubrick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/i-love-kubrick/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [All of my definitions of family were heavily influenced by my 'Star Trek' experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/all-of-my-definitions-of-family-were-heavily-influenced-by-my-star/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [That's in the mission statement when you're part of 'Trek.' It's our job to try to be bold and push forward. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/that-s-in-the-mission-statement-when-you-re-part-of-trek-it-s-our-job/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) [Explore all 107 Justin Lin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As an Asian immigrant coming in, for the longest time I still had problems getting in the lot because they're just not used to seeing someone like me who's directing these films. I do think ultimately there's a point where we can kind of just shed that label and become filmmakers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Justin Lin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the-longest-time-i-still-had/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the-longest-time-i-still-had/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-lin-4717_cinema_as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the_384846.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-lin-4717_cinema_as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the_384846.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-lin-4717_cinema_as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the_384846.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As an Asian immigrant coming in, for the longest time I still had problems getting in the lot because…” — Justin Lin", "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": "Justin Lin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As an Asian immigrant coming in,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the-longest-time-i-still-had/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/as-an-asian-immigrant-coming-in-for-the-longest-time-i-still-had/#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 } } ] } ```