--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we made 'Life in a Day,' we asked…" description: "\"When we made 'Life in a Day,' we asked people around the globe to record their lives on a single ordinary day. When we were cutting that film, we talke..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/kevin-macdonald-5800_christmas_when-we-made-life-in-a-day-we-asked-peop_250737.jpg" --- # When we made 'Life in a Day,' we asked people around the… ![“When we made 'Life in a Day,' we asked people around the globe to record their lives on a single ordinary day. When we were cutting that film, we talked about what it might be like if we chose a day that already had significance to people. The result is 'Christmas in a Day.'” quote by Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/kevin-macdonald-5800_christmas_when-we-made-life-in-a-day-we-asked-peop_250737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/kevin-macdonald-5800_christmas_when-we-made-life-in-a-day-we-asked-peop_250737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/kevin-macdonald-5800_christmas_when-we-made-life-in-a-day-we-asked-peop_250737.jpg) > “When we made 'Life in a Day,' we asked people around the globe to record their lives on a single ordinary day. When we were cutting that film, we talked about what it might be like if we chose a day that already had significance to people. The result is 'Christmas in a Day.'” [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The film invites ordinary people to capture a day already meaningful, showing how shared rituals shape collective experience. **In simple terms:** A day with personal meaning reveals shared humanity. Key Takeaway Seek moments that matter to many. Themes community ritual shared experience memory culture Mood reflective warm inspirational Type documentary cultural observational When to use this quote - family gatherings - holiday celebrations - personal storytelling - community projects Key Concepts documentary filmmaking collective narrative social observation Questions to Reflect On - How does a shared holiday influence personal identity? - What stories emerge when everyday life meets tradition? A Different Perspective May overlook individual nuances within broad cultural narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Christmas day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-day/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [For a seeker, Guru Purnima is a day of significance, is a day of New Year. It is the day to review one’s progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/for-a-seeker-guru-purnima-is-a-day-of-significance-is-a-day-of-new/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [For me, what works well about 'Life in a Day' is that it's emotionally affecting without being manipulative. It really does make you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/for-me-what-works-well-about-life-in-a-day-is-that-it-s-emotionally/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [“an extraordinary guy can never have an ordinary day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oasis/an-extraordinary-guy-can-never-have-an-ordinary-day/) [Oasis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oasis/) > [If you love a person truly, you can make an ordinary day very special for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-oberoi/if-you-love-a-person-truly-you-can-make-an-ordinary-day-very-special/) [Vivek Oberoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-oberoi/) > [“No day is an ordinary day; all days are extraordinary, because life itself is extraordinary!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/no-day-is-an-ordinary-day-all-days-are-extraordinary-because-life/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Never have an Ordinary Day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilie-barnes/never-have-an-ordinary-day/) [Emilie Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilie-barnes/) > [“An Ordinary Day The sun rises my eyes lift up I take a deep breath my heart is awake. I open my mouth life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-ghostwriter/an-ordinary-day-the-sun-rises-my-eyes-lift-up-i-take-a-deep-breath-my/) M.I. Ghostwriter > [Just an ordinary day... started out the same old way, but then I looked into your eyes and knew today would be a first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-an-ordinary-day-started-out-the-same-old-way-but-then-i-looked/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It doesn't require a special day to express how much I Love You. If every ordinary day is more than special when I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-estrada/it-doesn-t-require-a-special-day-to-express-how-much-i-love-you-if/) Raymond Estrada > [“No day needs to be ordinary if we realize the gift God is giving us when He gives us another day to live and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/no-day-needs-to-be-ordinary-if-we-realize-the-gift-god-is-giving-us/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“It was a very ordinary day, the day I realised that my becoming is my life and my home and that I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/it-was-a-very-ordinary-day-the-day-i-realised-that-my-becoming-is-my/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [“It seemed like an ordinary day, but little did I know that this wasn’t going to be a normal ballet class.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-todd-hammer/it-seemed-like-an-ordinary-day-but-little-did-i-know-that-this-wasn-t/) [Sarah Todd Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-todd-hammer/) > [I have a very normal, ordinary day-to-day life and it suits me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/i-have-a-very-normal-ordinary-day-to-day-life-and-it-suits-me/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) > [“Every day is ordinary. Until it isn’t. On this early-October morning, the townspeople in Port Fortune wake before dawn to an ordinary day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-d-leclaire/every-day-is-ordinary-until-it-isn-t-on-this-early-october-morning/) [Anne D. LeClaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-d-leclaire/) > [I think that the so-called average person often exhibits a great deal of heroism in getting through an ordinary day . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-think-that-the-so-called-average-person-often-exhibits-a-great-deal/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) ## More by Kevin Macdonald > [It's so nice to be totally artistically free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/it-s-so-nice-to-be-totally-artistically-free/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [Young people read their news online; they expect to get their news for free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/young-people-read-their-news-online-they-expect-to-get-their-news-for/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [I've fallen out very badly with some of the subjects I've interviewed, because they see their lives a certain way; to step into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/i-ve-fallen-out-very-badly-with-some-of-the-subjects-i-ve-interviewed/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [I was a teenager in the '80s, and I was always a bit dismissive of Houston, as I think a lot of people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/i-was-a-teenager-in-the-80s-and-i-was-always-a-bit-dismissive-of/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [With fiction, I've grown to really love the challenge of lying, the challenge of telling a good tale that isn't truthful, and working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/with-fiction-i-ve-grown-to-really-love-the-challenge-of-lying-the/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [When you're an outsider and going into a culture like America, it's easier to stay away from any cliches because you're not really aware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/when-you-re-an-outsider-and-going-into-a-culture-like-america-it-s/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [Although 'The Anderson Platoon' was what we would now call an 'embedded film' - with all the ambiguities that term implies - somehow Schoendoerffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/although-the-anderson-platoon-was-what-we-would-now-call-an-embedded/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [The relationship between director and subject can become very intense. It's a bit like therapy, with lots of transferences going on. It's easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/the-relationship-between-director-and-subject-can-become-very-intense/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [There were many times during the filming of 'Touching the Void' when I wondered why I had ever thought I wanted to make this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/there-were-many-times-during-the-filming-of-touching-the-void-when-i/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [Coming from documentaries, my biggest challenge was to understand actors' psychologies. American actors take it all very seriously; British actors don't enter into all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/coming-from-documentaries-my-biggest-challenge-was-to-understand/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [You can go to places in Africa and Asia and find Marley graffiti. In the slums of Nairobi, you see his lyrics painted on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/you-can-go-to-places-in-africa-and-asia-and-find-marley-graffiti-in/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [The interesting thing to me is that somehow the future of movies will become a more social thing... I think that people will see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/the-interesting-thing-to-me-is-that-somehow-the-future-of-movies-will/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [A publisher friend of mine suggested that I write a book about my grandfather, who had just died. I had nothing else to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/a-publisher-friend-of-mine-suggested-that-i-write-a-book-about-my/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [Elvis Presley's estate is making 30 million a year, and they say that Marley shouldn't be, but he is from a much poorer part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/elvis-presley-s-estate-is-making-30-million-a-year-and-they-say-that/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [I'm not particularly ethnically Scottish; I have one grandfather who is Scottish, although he's called Macdonald, and you don't get a lot more Scottish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/i-m-not-particularly-ethnically-scottish-i-have-one-grandfather-who/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) [Explore all 100 Kevin Macdonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) ## More Christmas quotes > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/) [Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/) > [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) [Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we made 'Life in a Day,' we asked people around the globe to record their lives on a single ordinary day. When we were cutting that film, we talked about what it might be like if we chose a day that already had significance to people. 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