--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always liked the challenge of that, how…" description: "\"I always liked the challenge of that, how to take an inanimate object and build something around it that's scary.\" — Mike Flanagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/mike-flanagan-10114_always_i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how_2426377.jpg" --- # I always liked the challenge of that, how to take an… ![“I always liked the challenge of that, how to take an inanimate object and build something around it that's scary.” quote by Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/mike-flanagan-10114_always_i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how_2426377.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/mike-flanagan-10114_always_i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how_2426377.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/mike-flanagan-10114_always_i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how_2426377.jpg) > “I always liked the challenge of that, how to take an inanimate object and build something around it that's scary.” [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating horror involves turning ordinary objects into sources of fear. **In simple terms:** Make everyday things scary. Key Takeaway Innovate fear through familiarity. Themes creativity fear design Mood imaginative spooky Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - film production - theme design - haunted attractions Key Concepts psychology of terror storytelling visual art Questions to Reflect On - How can mundane objects be reimagined fearfully? - What makes an object inherently unsettling? A Different Perspective Risk of cliché if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) [Build Scary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-scary-6155505/) [Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge/) [Challenge Inanimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-inanimate-6155506/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Inanimate Object](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inanimate-object-309243/) [Scary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scary/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) ## Related quotes > [“It was just a book. An inanimate object. The only power it held was what she chose to give it. It could only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/it-was-just-a-book-an-inanimate-object-the-only-power-it-held-was/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [I always design the hat with the wearer in mind; otherwise, it's an inanimate object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/i-always-design-the-hat-with-the-wearer-in-mind-otherwise-it-s-an/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [No inanimate object is ever fully determined by the laws of physics and chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/no-inanimate-object-is-ever-fully-determined-by-the-laws-of-physics/) [Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/) > [There's some sort of unspoken license... when outlandish things come out of an inanimate object, somehow it equals humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/there-s-some-sort-of-unspoken-license-when-outlandish-things-come-out/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [“She? You’re not one of those people who name their cars and coffee mugs, are you? It’s an inanimate object. Get over it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ee/she-you-re-not-one-of-those-people-who-name-their-cars-and-coffee/) [Susan Ee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ee/) > [I love bringing the inanimate object to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/i-love-bringing-the-inanimate-object-to-life/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Never fight an inanimate object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/never-fight-an-inanimate-object/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [My biggest fear? My biggest fear would be turning into an inanimate object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-criss/my-biggest-fear-my-biggest-fear-would-be-turning-into-an-inanimate/) [Darren Criss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-criss/) > [To me, respect for human life begins with making it more difficult to obtain an inanimate object that is designed to snuff it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hanff-korelitz/to-me-respect-for-human-life-begins-with-making-it-more-difficult-to/) [Jean Hanff Korelitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hanff-korelitz/) > ["Is Art worth dying for?" Well I don't know a single inanimate object that's worth dying for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/is-art-worth-dying-for-well-i-don-t-know-a-single-inanimate-object/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [What my work is about is, 'Can something that is not an inanimate object be considered valuable?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tino-sehgal/what-my-work-is-about-is-can-something-that-is-not-an-inanimate/) [Tino Sehgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tino-sehgal/) > [The animators bring their own spontaneity to it as well, because when they do a take of a shot it really is like just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-anderson/the-animators-bring-their-own-spontaneity-to-it-as-well-because-when/) [Wes Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-anderson/) > [Our goal is not simply to reconstruct the Japan that existed before March 11, 2011, but to build a new Japan. We are determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/our-goal-is-not-simply-to-reconstruct-the-japan-that-existed-before/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) > [What's life without a scary challenge or two?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-hope-fletcher/what-s-life-without-a-scary-challenge-or-two/) [Carrie Hope Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-hope-fletcher/) > [Robert Englund's done an amazing job over the years playing Freddy. Everybody's that's a fan of "Nightmare" loves Robert and you know so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-earle-haley/robert-englund-s-done-an-amazing-job-over-the-years-playing-freddy/) [Jackie Earle Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-earle-haley/) ## More by Mike Flanagan > [I think in a lot of ways, 'The Shining' is about alcoholism and 'Doctor Sleep' is actually about recovery. They go together pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/i-think-in-a-lot-of-ways-the-shining-is-about-alcoholism-and-doctor/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [It's a wonderful thing to watch an actor just act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/it-s-a-wonderful-thing-to-watch-an-actor-just-act/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [I like to say that Hollywood is one of the most democratic entities in the world and the reason why is every ticket is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/i-like-to-say-that-hollywood-is-one-of-the-most-democratic-entities/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [When horror is about something - capital-A about - that's when it's really landing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/when-horror-is-about-something-capital-a-about-that-s-when-it-s/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [For me it's about creating and sustaining tension for as long as possible, and I'm not generally interested in allowing that tension to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/for-me-it-s-about-creating-and-sustaining-tension-for-as-long-as/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [A movie studio has to answer to a marketing department, and to shareholders, to ensure the broadest audience possible for its product; it tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/a-movie-studio-has-to-answer-to-a-marketing-department-and-to/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [For me, 'The Haunting of Hill House' is a series about life after a haunting, what happens after the credits roll in most horror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/for-me-the-haunting-of-hill-house-is-a-series-about-life-after-a/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [A viewer's imagination is a powerful storyteller, and can often come up with things way more frightening than what you can explicitly show in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/a-viewer-s-imagination-is-a-powerful-storyteller-and-can-often-come/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [Midnight Mass' is kind of my baby; I've been working on that for six years. I started writing it while 'Oculus' was in preproduction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/midnight-mass-is-kind-of-my-baby-i-ve-been-working-on-that-for-six/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [Whenever I would see horror movies I would be traumatized and I'd have to watch them behind my hands or behind the couch sometimes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/whenever-i-would-see-horror-movies-i-would-be-traumatized-and-i-d/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [Depending on how 'Doctor Sleep' does, we'll see what movie opportunities there will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/depending-on-how-doctor-sleep-does-we-ll-see-what-movie-opportunities/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [Well, as a kid I did all the Bloody Mary games and using a mirror to scare yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/well-as-a-kid-i-did-all-the-bloody-mary-games-and-using-a-mirror-to/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [I'm sure many more people saw 'Hush' in the first weekend it was on Netflix than saw 'Oculus' in theatres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/i-m-sure-many-more-people-saw-hush-in-the-first-weekend-it-was-on/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [Well when I hear 'slasher' I think about the 80s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/well-when-i-hear-slasher-i-think-about-the-80s/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) > [I think it was in sixth grade, though, when I picked up my first Stephen King book, which was 'It,' that knocked me over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/i-think-it-was-in-sixth-grade-though-when-i-picked-up-my-first/) [Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) [Explore all 67 Mike Flanagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always liked the challenge of that, how to take an inanimate object and build something around it that's scary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Flanagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how-to-take-an-inanimate-object/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how-to-take-an-inanimate-object/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/mike-flanagan-10114_always_i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how_2426377.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/mike-flanagan-10114_always_i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how_2426377.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/mike-flanagan-10114_always_i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how_2426377.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always liked the challenge of that, how to take an inanimate object and build something around it that's…” — Mike Flanagan", "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": "Mike Flanagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always liked the challenge of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how-to-take-an-inanimate-object/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/i-always-liked-the-challenge-of-that-how-to-take-an-inanimate-object/#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 } } ] } ```