--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humans are vulnerable, messy little…" description: "\"Humans are vulnerable, messy little animals and that's normal. And all I want to do is make a space for that in my films.\" — Mike Mills" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/mike-mills-12624_animal_humans-are-vulnerable-messy-little-anima_215584.png" --- # Humans are vulnerable, messy little animals and that's… ![“Humans are vulnerable, messy little animals and that's normal. And all I want to do is make a space for that in my films.” quote by Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/mike-mills-12624_animal_humans-are-vulnerable-messy-little-anima_215584.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/mike-mills-12624_animal_humans-are-vulnerable-messy-little-anima_215584.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/mike-mills-12624_animal_humans-are-vulnerable-messy-little-anima_215584.png) > “Humans are vulnerable, messy little animals and that's normal. And all I want to do is make a space for that in my films.” [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human imperfection is natural; films should reflect that reality. **In simple terms:** Accept human messiness and show it in movies. Key Takeaway Create authentic, messy human narratives. Themes humanity film authenticity vulnerability Mood introspective empathetic Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - documentary filmmaking - character driven scripts - intimate storytelling - screenwriting Key Concepts narrative realism character depth Questions to Reflect On - How can you portray messiness without alienating viewers? - What stories benefit from raw authenticity? A Different Perspective Audience may prefer polished narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [Humans are vulnerable, because they’re capable of being hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/humans-are-vulnerable-because-they-re-capable-of-being-hurt/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [You have to make a space in your heart, in your mind and in your life itself for authentic human connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-have-to-make-a-space-in-your-heart-in-your-mind-and-in-your-life/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Sometimes two people need to step apart and make a space between that each might see the other anew, in a glance across a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/sometimes-two-people-need-to-step-apart-and-make-a-space-between-that/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Some people think happiness is a luxury, but it's a necessity. You need to make space for it in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-brinkley/some-people-think-happiness-is-a-luxury-but-it-s-a-necessity-you-need/) [Christie Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-brinkley/) > [The great thing about the dead, they make space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-great-thing-about-the-dead-they-make-space/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Clear clutter. Make space for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-vandenberg/clear-clutter-make-space-for-you/) [Magdalena VandenBerg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-vandenberg/) > [“The Queen inhales deeply. “Nothing I have attempted has improved the situation. What do you suggest, Nicholas?” “He needs space to . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/the-queen-inhales-deeply-nothing-i-have-attempted-has-improved-the/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [Make space in your life, space for health and happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-carr/make-space-in-your-life-space-for-health-and-happiness/) [Kris Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-carr/) > [If there are people who don't have access to creating their own TV shows or telling the stories they want to tell, then absolutely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-bailey/if-there-are-people-who-don-t-have-access-to-creating-their-own-tv/) [Jonathan Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-bailey/) > [When something enters your life that is so big and so non-negotiable as catastrophic illness, you either go in denial for a while or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/when-something-enters-your-life-that-is-so-big-and-so-non-negotiable/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [My limitations make space for the gifts of other people. Without the grace of our limitations we would be isolated, dry, and insufferable creatures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/my-limitations-make-space-for-the-gifts-of-other-people-without-the/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“the right one does not stand in your way they make space for you to step forward”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/the-right-one-does-not-stand-in-your-way-they-make-space-for-you-to/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [May we try to listen and be silent in order to make space for the beauty of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/may-we-try-to-listen-and-be-silent-in-order-to-make-space-for-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“The idea is to make the space around you into a zone where nothing mortal can survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-parker-2/the-idea-is-to-make-the-space-around-you-into-a-zone-where-nothing/) K. J. Parker > [I just want people to know that. I'm not trying to make space for other trans women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-just-want-people-to-know-that-i-m-not-trying-to-make-space-for/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) ## More by Mike Mills > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Shooting a film is like a kismet quest. You have thirty days and you need magic to happen. So that's why I wear suits.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/shooting-a-film-is-like-a-kismet-quest-you-have-thirty-days-and-you/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Life is too short for a half-rack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/life-is-too-short-for-a-half-rack/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [To be honest, we have no control over what's going on with a movie, much less what people are going to think of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/to-be-honest-we-have-no-control-over-what-s-going-on-with-a-movie/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Making a movie is so hard, you'd better make movies about something you really know about. And even more, it's really good to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/making-a-movie-is-so-hard-you-d-better-make-movies-about-something/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [I'm not a craftsman of graphics or art or film. I'm more of an idea generator and manufacturer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/i-m-not-a-craftsman-of-graphics-or-art-or-film-i-m-more-of-an-idea/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Life doesn't just happen; it's constructed through the history of power. And that's something I am interested in and so is the art world:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/life-doesn-t-just-happen-it-s-constructed-through-the-history-of/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Actors are pretending for you, but they're not lying. They are not putting on a guise instead of themselves. They are finding things inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/actors-are-pretending-for-you-but-they-re-not-lying-they-are-not/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [My experience, with both my parents, is that grief has a lot of down, sad things, but I was also really emotionally raw, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/my-experience-with-both-my-parents-is-that-grief-has-a-lot-of-down/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [I am definitely writing letters to lots of directors in my mind when I'm making a film. I'm chasing Woody Allen and Godard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/i-am-definitely-writing-letters-to-lots-of-directors-in-my-mind-when/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [The littlest thing can have the strongest connection when you're grieving. Your Proustian, poetic nerve is turned up to ten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/the-littlest-thing-can-have-the-strongest-connection-when-you-re/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [One good and bad thing about New York is there's so much exciting stuff and so many people doing something interesting. I actually find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/one-good-and-bad-thing-about-new-york-is-there-s-so-much-exciting/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Being a good Hans Haacke student, part of his influence on me is that there's no difference between a gallery show and a film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/being-a-good-hans-haacke-student-part-of-his-influence-on-me-is-that/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [I don't really believe that documentary is objective reality and fiction is all illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/i-don-t-really-believe-that-documentary-is-objective-reality-and/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [I would hate to think I'm promoting sadness as an aesthetic. But I grew up in not just a family but a town and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/i-would-hate-to-think-i-m-promoting-sadness-as-an-aesthetic-but-i/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) [Explore all 54 Mike Mills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Humans are vulnerable, messy little animals and that's normal. 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