--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was on 'The Shield' for a year before…" description: "\"I was on 'The Shield' for a year before 'Crash' came out, and it was like doing an independent film every week.\" — Michael Pena" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/michael-pena-3926_cinema_i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-cr_1687542.jpg" --- # I was on 'The Shield' for a year before 'Crash' came out… ![“I was on 'The Shield' for a year before 'Crash' came out, and it was like doing an independent film every week.” quote by Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/michael-pena-3926_cinema_i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-cr_1687542.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/michael-pena-3926_cinema_i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-cr_1687542.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/michael-pena-3926_cinema_i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-cr_1687542.jpg) > “I was on 'The Shield' for a year before 'Crash' came out, and it was like doing an independent film every week.” [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Working on 'The Shield' felt like constant independent film production, highlighting intense, fast-paced TV work. **In simple terms:** TV work can be as demanding as indie film. Key Takeaway Embrace fast-paced creative environments. Themes entertainment work ethic production Mood energetic realistic Type professional motivational When to use this quote - career - production schedules - team collaboration Key Concepts television indie film creative process Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage creative pressure? - What sustains you in fast projects? A Different Perspective High pressure can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Independent film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-film/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [I love doing independent films, but it's very hard to make a living that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-love-doing-independent-films-but-it-s-very-hard-to-make-a-living/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [I've been doing independent films for 10 years, but one out of five didn't see the light of day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scoot-mcnairy/i-ve-been-doing-independent-films-for-10-years-but-one-out-of-five/) [Scoot McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scoot-mcnairy/) > [Many of us had this idea of doing independent film, of making personal, relevant films, as opposed to Hollywood fluff. I directed a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kane-pappas/many-of-us-had-this-idea-of-doing-independent-film-of-making-personal/) [Robert Kane Pappas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kane-pappas/) > [I'm used to doing independent film where the style is a lot more casual. With improvising, you obviously find so much out on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-m-used-to-doing-independent-film-where-the-style-is-a-lot-more/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [It's a unique experience when you're doing an independent film where you have one person who puts up all the funds to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-a-unique-experience-when-you-re-doing-an-independent-film-where/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [Well, the whole trick to doing an independent film, is to keep great pace and momentum. You're shooting maybe three times as many scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kline/well-the-whole-trick-to-doing-an-independent-film-is-to-keep-great/) [Kevin Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kline/) > [The truth for me is that I've been doing independent film since the get-go, so that's a big passion of mine, but the big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-collins/the-truth-for-me-is-that-i-ve-been-doing-independent-film-since-the/) [Lynn Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-collins/) > [I have walked away from enormous amounts of money and I have made that life I have wanted somewhat in this business. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-clarkson/i-have-walked-away-from-enormous-amounts-of-money-and-i-have-made/) [Patricia Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-clarkson/) > [I enjoy doing independent films more, only because there's more freedom. There's not as many cooks tampering with what you are trying to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/illeana-douglas/i-enjoy-doing-independent-films-more-only-because-there-s-more/) [Illeana Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/illeana-douglas/) > [I love independent films, it's the only place as an actor you're totally allowed to breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/i-love-independent-films-it-s-the-only-place-as-an-actor-you-re/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [There was an interesting article in Los Angeles Magazine about women directors. A woman director makes one bad independent film and her career is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-was-an-interesting-article-in-los-angeles-magazine-about-women/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [On the set of an independent film you can tell that nobody is doing it for the money. Everyone is there because they love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/on-the-set-of-an-independent-film-you-can-tell-that-nobody-is-doing/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [The great thing about an independent film is that you're too busy working, and you're too busy hoping to God to get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-dowd/the-great-thing-about-an-independent-film-is-that-you-re-too-busy/) [Ann Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-dowd/) > [A lot of independent films offer a harsh reality check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/a-lot-of-independent-films-offer-a-harsh-reality-check/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [Here are the good things about independent films: They do the more interesting, chancy scripts. They're run by love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/here-are-the-good-things-about-independent-films-they-do-the-more/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) ## More by Michael Pena > [I was in L.A., like, four months, and I got my first part. Then I was like, 'OK, I'm staying.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-was-in-l-a-like-four-months-and-i-got-my-first-part-then-i-was-like/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [Kicks to the legs, they're not very cool. They're brutal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/kicks-to-the-legs-they-re-not-very-cool-they-re-brutal/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [There's a bigger percentage of good cops than bad cops. But the bad cops should be penalised like regular people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/there-s-a-bigger-percentage-of-good-cops-than-bad-cops-but-the-bad/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I grew up in the ghetto, and the thing is when there were problems, I knew when to get away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-grew-up-in-the-ghetto-and-the-thing-is-when-there-were-problems-i/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I think, in any debate, you have to respect the other person's point of view, if you agree or disagree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-think-in-any-debate-you-have-to-respect-the-other-person-s-point-of/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I didn't realise I lived in the ghetto until we moved out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-didn-t-realise-i-lived-in-the-ghetto-until-we-moved-out/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [The joy of 'Crash' was that it was all about the work. It was my first real part. Before that, it was a line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/the-joy-of-crash-was-that-it-was-all-about-the-work-it-was-my-first/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I don't think people are experiencing superhero fatigue. Do you hear people complaining that there are too many action movies? I think it's good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-don-t-think-people-are-experiencing-superhero-fatigue-do-you-hear/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I think that when you’re doing a comedy and it makes you laugh, there’s a certain… like you can reject it, and it’s okay.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-think-that-when-you-re-doing-a-comedy-and-it-makes-you-laugh-there/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I thought of myself as an individual ever since I was little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-thought-of-myself-as-an-individual-ever-since-i-was-little/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I just wanted to be a part of something that's a horror movie that scares you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-just-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-something-that-s-a-horror-movie-that/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I don't know why - I have a ton of books: five full cabinets of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-don-t-know-why-i-have-a-ton-of-books-five-full-cabinets-of-them/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I feel really comfortable with going for the reality of the drama, but I'm not much for the comedy of it. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-feel-really-comfortable-with-going-for-the-reality-of-the-drama-but/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [The reason I love Lollapalooza is because it's a great music festival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/the-reason-i-love-lollapalooza-is-because-it-s-a-great-music-festival/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I was in really good shape after I finished this movie, 'End of Watch.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-was-in-really-good-shape-after-i-finished-this-movie-end-of-watch/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) [Explore all 119 Michael Pena quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) ## 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 > [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": "I was on 'The Shield' for a year before 'Crash' came out, and it was like doing an independent film every week.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Pena" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-crash-came-out-and-it-was-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-crash-came-out-and-it-was-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/michael-pena-3926_cinema_i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-cr_1687542.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/michael-pena-3926_cinema_i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-cr_1687542.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/michael-pena-3926_cinema_i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-cr_1687542.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was on 'The Shield' for a year before 'Crash' came out, and it was like doing an independent film every…” — Michael Pena", "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": "Michael Pena", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was on 'The Shield' for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-crash-came-out-and-it-was-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-was-on-the-shield-for-a-year-before-crash-came-out-and-it-was-like/#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 } } ] } ```