--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, I'm always drawn to the drama…" description: "\"Well, I'm always drawn to the drama first. A story is really only interesting to me, if you can remove all of the genre moments and remove the supernat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/mike-flanagan-10114_always_well-i-m-always-drawn-to-the-drama-first_1602467.jpg" --- # Well, I'm always drawn to the drama first. A story is… ![“Well, I'm always drawn to the drama first. A story is really only interesting to me, if you can remove all of the genre moments and remove the supernatural element, and it still works. Then, I'm interested.” quote by Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/mike-flanagan-10114_always_well-i-m-always-drawn-to-the-drama-first_1602467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/mike-flanagan-10114_always_well-i-m-always-drawn-to-the-drama-first_1602467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/mike-flanagan-10114_always_well-i-m-always-drawn-to-the-drama-first_1602467.jpg) > “Well, I'm always drawn to the drama first. A story is really only interesting to me, if you can remove all of the genre moments and remove the supernatural element, and it still works. Then, I'm interested.” [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. A story must stand on its own without genre tricks; true drama persists when stripped of supernatural elements. **In simple terms:** Good stories work even without genre or magic. Key Takeaway Focus on core narrative strength. Themes storytelling drama authenticity Mood analytical curious Type literary critical When to use this quote - screenwriting workshops - novel drafting - film criticism Key Concepts narrative structure character depth genre theory Questions to Reflect On - Can a story be compelling without any genre cues? - When does stripping genre weaken a tale? A Different Perspective Pure drama may lack audience appeal; genre can enhance accessibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Supernatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supernatural/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Whatever the drama of the story is, you have to be true to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/whatever-the-drama-of-the-story-is-you-have-to-be-true-to-it/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [“It is not my job to explain the story or understand the story or reduce it to a phrase or offer it as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-carlson/it-is-not-my-job-to-explain-the-story-or-understand-the-story-or/) [Ron Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-carlson/) > [When you make a movie, everyone should leave their own personal problems at home. When they start bringing those to set, filming can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-leave-their-own-personal/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [“You don't have to know me, to read my drama-story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shin-haido/you-don-t-have-to-know-me-to-read-my-drama-story/) Shin Haido > [I think that in any role you have, whether TV or film, it's hard to do comedy and drama within one story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callie-thorne/i-think-that-in-any-role-you-have-whether-tv-or-film-it-s-hard-to-do/) [Callie Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callie-thorne/) > [On 'Supernatural,' you go to a location and another location, and every week they do amazing things up there. You have to kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-edlund/on-supernatural-you-go-to-a-location-and-another-location-and-every/) [Ben Edlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-edlund/) > [In television, women can really run anything. It can be a comedy, it can be a drama, it can be genre, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/in-television-women-can-really-run-anything-it-can-be-a-comedy-it-can/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [Something about the genre of period drama feels so quintessentially British.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-bailey/something-about-the-genre-of-period-drama-feels-so-quintessentially/) [Jonathan Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-bailey/) > [I don't consciously sit down thinking I'm blurring genre lines, for the most part. I try to stay focused solely on serving the needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-g-tremblay/i-don-t-consciously-sit-down-thinking-i-m-blurring-genre-lines-for/) [Paul G. Tremblay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-g-tremblay/) > [In drama, you're interacting with other actors to tell the story. The camera is like the theater: it's the artistic fourth wall. In a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-graves/in-drama-you-re-interacting-with-other-actors-to-tell-the-story-the/) [Peter Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-graves/) > [I would love to do a love story or a socially relevant drama. Something on the lines of Netflix originals. I would love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roop-durgapal/i-would-love-to-do-a-love-story-or-a-socially-relevant-drama/) [Roop Durgapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roop-durgapal/) > [“Perfect. I would have an unbalanced psychopath on my hands armed with immortal supernatural power. This night kept getting better and better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-cole/perfect-i-would-have-an-unbalanced-psychopath-on-my-hands-armed-with/) [Courtney Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-cole/) > [“I hadn't realized she could shrink... It makes sense now with the tricks Ari was able to perform with her." "She wasn't born that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-bock/i-hadn-t-realized-she-could-shrink-it-makes-sense-now-with-the-tricks/) [J.T. Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-bock/) > [I have always been fascinated by the supernatural elements in stories, whether fairy tales, myths, film or literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-supernatural-elements-in-stories/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) ## 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 ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Well, I'm always drawn to the drama first. 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