--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm always cribbing from real life. I'm…" description: "\"I'm always cribbing from real life. I'm not a very creative filmmaker.\" — Kevin Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/kevin-smith-3887_creative_i-m-always-cribbing-from-real-life-i-m-n_2273735.png" --- # I'm always cribbing from real life. I'm not a very… ![“I'm always cribbing from real life. I'm not a very creative filmmaker.” quote by Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/kevin-smith-3887_creative_i-m-always-cribbing-from-real-life-i-m-n_2273735.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/kevin-smith-3887_creative_i-m-always-cribbing-from-real-life-i-m-n_2273735.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/kevin-smith-3887_creative_i-m-always-cribbing-from-real-life-i-m-n_2273735.png) > “I'm always cribbing from real life. I'm not a very creative filmmaker.” [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The filmmaker admits he draws heavily from real life, feeling limited in creative imagination. **In simple terms:** He relies on real experiences for films. Key Takeaway Embrace real life as creative fuel. Themes creativity film self‑critique Mood introspective humorous Type filmmaking self‑reflection When to use this quote - screenwriting - directing - personal projects Key Concepts autobiographical storytelling creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can personal experience inspire originality? - What techniques expand creative imagination? A Different Perspective May undervalue imaginative storytelling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-filmmaker-5279282/) [Cribbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cribbing-5179155/) [Cribbing Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cribbing-real-5279281/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) ## Related quotes > [I don't mind children cribbing answers off other children. It's one of the ways they can learn. 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It happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeshi-kitano/i-think-my-way-of-showing-violence-is-unique-from-that-of-other/) [Takeshi Kitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeshi-kitano/) > [I want to do some bigger films, so long as there's some sort of exciting creative element or a good filmmaker behind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/i-want-to-do-some-bigger-films-so-long-as-there-s-some-sort-of/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [Working with HBO was an opportunity to experience creative freedom and 'long-form development' that filmmakers didn't have a chance to do before the emergence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/working-with-hbo-was-an-opportunity-to-experience-creative-freedom/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [I'm the perfect amount of guarded. I don't reveal too much, and I never reveal who the songs are about. They are real life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/i-m-the-perfect-amount-of-guarded-i-don-t-reveal-too-much-and-i-never/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [The terrorists who committed the 2003 Istanbul attacks were locals, that is, Turks. And when filmmaker Theo van Gogh was murdered in the Netherlands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-schily/the-terrorists-who-committed-the-2003-istanbul-attacks-were-locals/) [Otto Schily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-schily/) > [Even from a really young age I was a huge movie buff - five, six, seven, eight. Just loved movies, but in a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/even-from-a-really-young-age-i-was-a-huge-movie-buff-five-six-seven/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [Filmmakers get into trouble when they're watching too many DVDs and quoting all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mangold/filmmakers-get-into-trouble-when-they-re-watching-too-many-dvds-and/) [James Mangold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mangold/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I think it is kind of depressing how few female filmmakers there are. I think it is in general depressing how few women there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/i-think-it-is-kind-of-depressing-how-few-female-filmmakers-there-are/) [Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/) > [I love awards, especially if I get them. It's up to the courage of the filmmakers to make art in cinema, not just business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gazzara/i-love-awards-especially-if-i-get-them-it-s-up-to-the-courage-of-the/) [Ben Gazzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gazzara/) > [Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/love-is-all-a-matter-of-timing-it-s-no-good-meeting-the-right-person/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [I still don't feel I know Hitchcock at all. I find that the more one looks, the more elusive he becomes. But my admiration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/i-still-don-t-feel-i-know-hitchcock-at-all-i-find-that-the-more-one/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) ## More by Kevin Smith > [“GOD DOESN’T HATE FAGS OR ANYBODY ELSE FOR THAT MATTER. GOD SAVES! THEN, GOD PASSES IT TO GRETZKY - WHO ROOFS THAT SHIT, TOP-SHELF!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/god-doesn-t-hate-fags-or-anybody-else-for-that-matter-god-saves-then/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [I grew up in a pretty gay world - my brother's gay and he's been married to a man for 20 years, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/i-grew-up-in-a-pretty-gay-world-my-brother-s-gay-and-he-s-been/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [There was never any down side to casting friends over professionals. It was always fun seeing folks who never performed before stretching their wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/there-was-never-any-down-side-to-casting-friends-over-professionals/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [I know what it feels like to carry a lot of weight in a society that's very image-conscious. It's a thin person's world, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/i-know-what-it-feels-like-to-carry-a-lot-of-weight-in-a-society-that/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [Stop…stop, that’s the next generation of fans… How dare you pass judgment on those 12-year-old girls who like vampires! They need to be encouraged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/stop-stop-that-s-the-next-generation-of-fans-how-dare-you-pass/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [Sometimes the path you're on is not as important as the direction you're heading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/sometimes-the-path-you-re-on-is-not-as-important-as-the-direction-you/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [Any book is a self-help guide if you can take something from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/any-book-is-a-self-help-guide-if-you-can-take-something-from-it/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [In anything I've ever written, all the characters sound like me, which I don't think is a bad thing. It makes sense. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/in-anything-i-ve-ever-written-all-the-characters-sound-like-me-which/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [If you grow up fat, you have to try harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/if-you-grow-up-fat-you-have-to-try-harder/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [Other filmmakers make their movies and put them out and that's that. For me, for some odd reason, it goes deeper than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/other-filmmakers-make-their-movies-and-put-them-out-and-that-s-that/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [So I know how I watch movies which is on my laptop, man. And that's how I suspect a lot of people do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/so-i-know-how-i-watch-movies-which-is-on-my-laptop-man-and-that-s-how/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [It's too expensive, that's the thing nobody wants to talk about. It is too expensive to make movies. That's not true, it is too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/it-s-too-expensive-that-s-the-thing-nobody-wants-to-talk-about-it-is/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [Based on the timely and helpful responses to my support issues, I feel that I made the right decision to become a customer earlier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/based-on-the-timely-and-helpful-responses-to-my-support-issues-i-feel/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [“Brodie Bruce: You're gonna listen to me? To something I said!? Jesus, man, haven't I made it abundantly clear during the tenure of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/brodie-bruce-you-re-gonna-listen-to-me-to-something-i-said-jesus-man/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [I know you're supposed to tell kids not to do drugs, but, kids, do it! Do weed! Don't do the other stuff, but weed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/i-know-you-re-supposed-to-tell-kids-not-to-do-drugs-but-kids-do-it-do/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) [Explore all 120 Kevin Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm always cribbing from real life. 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