--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I did my first film, I didn't have…" description: "\"When I did my first film, I didn't have formal training; I didn't work under any director. I really didn't know how to make a film.\" — Mani Ratnam" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/mani-ratnam-6434_cinema_when-i-did-my-first-film-i-didn-t-have-f_2809312.jpg" --- # When I did my first film, I didn't have formal training; I… ![“When I did my first film, I didn't have formal training; I didn't work under any director. I really didn't know how to make a film.” quote by Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/mani-ratnam-6434_cinema_when-i-did-my-first-film-i-didn-t-have-f_2809312.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/mani-ratnam-6434_cinema_when-i-did-my-first-film-i-didn-t-have-f_2809312.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/mani-ratnam-6434_cinema_when-i-did-my-first-film-i-didn-t-have-f_2809312.jpg) > “When I did my first film, I didn't have formal training; I didn't work under any director. I really didn't know how to make a film.” [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creator admits early filmmaking was self‑taught and unstructured, emphasizing learning through experience over formal education. **In simple terms:** Experience can substitute formal training. Key Takeaway Embrace hands‑on learning. Themes education creativity self‑directed learning Mood inspirational pragmatic Type personal career When to use this quote - independent filmmaking - skill acquisition - mentor‑less paths Key Concepts film theory career development Questions to Reflect On - What skills can self‑learning best develop? - When is formal training essential? A Different Perspective Lack of formal guidance may limit technical proficiency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [In the late '70s, maybe just before I started, there was still an attitude that if you did film you didn't do TV and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/in-the-late-70s-maybe-just-before-i-started-there-was-still-an/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [Coming from having absolutely nothing to having a few grand in the bank, it was a big culture leap. 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But it didn't have the success financially that 'Smokey and the Bandit' did, although that film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-reynolds/i-thought-deliverance-was-a-very-good-film-but-it-didn-t-have-the/) [Burt Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-reynolds/) ## More by Mani Ratnam > [I don't believe in giving advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/i-don-t-believe-in-giving-advice/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [I like songs. It's a weakness that I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/i-like-songs-it-s-a-weakness-that-i-have/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [As a filmmaker, every tool you get to tell the scene better is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/as-a-filmmaker-every-tool-you-get-to-tell-the-scene-better-is/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [When Kamal Haasan did 'Nayakan,' he had done a few roles that had him aged and demanded a lot of commitment from. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/when-kamal-haasan-did-nayakan-he-had-done-a-few-roles-that-had-him/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [I want to make a film that can reach as many as possible so I want to talk in a language which I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/i-want-to-make-a-film-that-can-reach-as-many-as-possible-so-i-want-to/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [Format is just the language. Content is the only thing that is important. Form is like handwriting. Whether you write in a scribble or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/format-is-just-the-language-content-is-the-only-thing-that-is/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [What I feel is great acting might be rubbish for another filmmaker. There is no right or wrong way to do it. 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It is how you make your point and whether you exploit the visual medium maintaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/language-i-think-has-nothing-to-do-with-film-making-it-is-how-you/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [I grew up on the commercial film format. I have grown up all my life watching films and they have all been mainstream commercial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/i-grew-up-on-the-commercial-film-format-i-have-grown-up-all-my-life/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [For a filmmaker, whether the film is liked, understood or appreciated counts as much as the moolah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/for-a-filmmaker-whether-the-film-is-liked-understood-or-appreciated/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [The thing is that when you make a film, it is such an intense experience. 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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": "When I did my first film, I didn't have formal training; I didn't work under any director. 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