--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And to be fair, most documentaries are…" description: "\"And to be fair, most documentaries are half an hour too long, anyway. Let's not kid ourselves. Most movies are an hour too long. I will say that the in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_changed_and-to-be-fair-most-documentaries-are-ha_2844156.jpg" --- # And to be fair, most documentaries are half an hour too… ![“And to be fair, most documentaries are half an hour too long, anyway. Let's not kid ourselves. Most movies are an hour too long. I will say that the internet has changed everything in terms of distribution and because of iTunes and other outlets like that, length is no longer something you really…” quote by Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_changed_and-to-be-fair-most-documentaries-are-ha_2844156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_changed_and-to-be-fair-most-documentaries-are-ha_2844156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_changed_and-to-be-fair-most-documentaries-are-ha_2844156.jpg) > “And to be fair, most documentaries are half an hour too long, anyway. Let's not kid ourselves. Most movies are an hour too long. I will say that the internet has changed everything in terms of distribution and because of iTunes and other outlets like that, length is no longer something you really think about, in my opinion. It's irrelevant.” [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that modern distribution platforms have made traditional runtime concerns obsolete, rendering length irrelevant for most viewers. **In simple terms:** Length no longer matters because of digital distribution. Key Takeaway Focus on content quality, not duration. Themes film criticism media evolution digital distribution Mood reflective critical Type analytical observational When to use this quote - streaming services - film festivals - indie productions - audience attention spans Key Concepts runtime relevance viewer expectations platform economics Questions to Reflect On - Do you prioritize story over length? - How does platform choice affect your viewing habits? A Different Perspective Some audiences still value traditional pacing and narrative structure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Distribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distribution/) [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentaries Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries-half-309413/) [Fairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairs/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Half Hour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half-hour/) [Hour Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hour-long-330515/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Irrelevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrelevant/) [Itunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/itunes/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Length](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/length/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Movies Hour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies-hour-3746352/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Outlets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlets/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Too long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-long/) ## Related quotes > ['30 for 30s' are amazing. They're little documentaries and can be anywhere from half an hour to an hour-and-a-half - great sports stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/30-for-30s-are-amazing-they-re-little-documentaries-and-can-be/) [James Wolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolk/) > [I heard about the movie business before I even knew what it was. So I surround myself now with people who are like, 'Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/i-heard-about-the-movie-business-before-i-even-knew-what-it-was-so-i/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [I'm probably going to go more the feature film route for a while, just so I have more time on my hands. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-walker/i-m-probably-going-to-go-more-the-feature-film-route-for-a-while-just/) [Ally Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-walker/) > [Obviously there's Netflix, iTunes, and Amazon and all these other outlets. Fake It So Real is now on Fandor, and I think people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/obviously-there-s-netflix-itunes-and-amazon-and-all-these-other/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I wanted to do an hour-long show, and I wanted to something that was dramatic and sometimes funny and humorous, as well. I'm just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-glass/i-wanted-to-do-an-hour-long-show-and-i-wanted-to-something-that-was/) [Ron Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-glass/) > [With my book 'How to Remodel a Man,' I was on Oprah, Fox News, the Early Show, and Good Morning America. Oprah was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/with-my-book-how-to-remodel-a-man-i-was-on-oprah-fox-news-the-early/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [Nobody can understand the pressures of doing an hour-long TV show unless you've done one. Even when you're not on call, you still are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/nobody-can-understand-the-pressures-of-doing-an-hour-long-tv-show/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I do hour-long shows all over the country almost every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/i-do-hour-long-shows-all-over-the-country-almost-every-day/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) > [I don't believe, in a show like ours, that you really want to see character growth. That's just my opinion. Maybe to a small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/i-don-t-believe-in-a-show-like-ours-that-you-really-want-to-see/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [Cheryl Ladd Special - One-hour long, one thought show of jigglevision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-diamond/cheryl-ladd-special-one-hour-long-one-thought-show-of-jigglevision/) [Edwin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-diamond/) > [In television, you make an hour-long episode every seven days; we used to make 'Party Down' in four days per episode. It's quick and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-scott/in-television-you-make-an-hour-long-episode-every-seven-days-we-used/) [Adam Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-scott/) > [“They all had to do something: they had to make a start in life; they had to go through life. Even though a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/they-all-had-to-do-something-they-had-to-make-a-start-in-life-they/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [The hour I have long wished for is now come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/the-hour-i-have-long-wished-for-is-now-come/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Doing a sitcom is like doing a play - you rehearse for three or four days, and then you shoot what you rehearsed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-belushi/doing-a-sitcom-is-like-doing-a-play-you-rehearse-for-three-or-four/) [James Belushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-belushi/) > [“The hour is only long thus, if you've waited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-limbu/the-hour-is-only-long-thus-if-you-ve-waited/) [J. Limbu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-limbu/) ## More by Nicolas Winding Refn > [L.A. is, on one hand, very mysterious; it's very modern. It's a mysterious place - it's a haunting place - and everything in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/l-a-is-on-one-hand-very-mysterious-it-s-very-modern-it-s-a-mysterious/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The digital revolution is forever. They put importance on that option as well. With Amazon, you're getting the best of both worlds, with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-digital-revolution-is-forever-they-put-importance-on-that-option/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I think the Internet is the greatest invention since women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-think-the-internet-is-the-greatest-invention-since-women/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I've always felt that I was from the future because the future is really not about what you make but what you stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-was-from-the-future-because-the-future-is/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Art thrives on obstacles. The bigger the obstacle, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/art-thrives-on-obstacles-the-bigger-the-obstacle-the-better-the-drama/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [ Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started \[The Neon Demon\]. She turned seventeen during the shoot. Four weeks before Cannes, she turned eighteen. She… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/elle-fanning-was-fifteen-when-we-started-the-neon-demon-she-turned/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The casting of any film is around 60% of the film, but it's also about the right casting insight. It's a bit like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-casting-of-any-film-is-around-60-of-the-film-but-it-s-also-about/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [How can creativity be bad? You can have, "I liked it" or "I didn't like it," but, in the end, it's an individual experience.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/how-can-creativity-be-bad-you-can-have-i-liked-it-or-i-didn-t-like-it/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I always approach every film I make as if it was going to be the last. So if I'm going to go out, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-always-approach-every-film-i-make-as-if-it-was-going-to-be-the-last/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I can't make a film that I don't feel comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-can-t-make-a-film-that-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I'm a huge admirer of Keanu. I think he's absolutely extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-m-a-huge-admirer-of-keanu-i-think-he-s-absolutely-extraordinary/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Sometimes I just play the theme from Arthur. It reminds me of my childhood in New York and I just love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/sometimes-i-just-play-the-theme-from-arthur-it-reminds-me-of-my/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The greatest artists were in a situation where they had to pay their bills. That's a very convenient way to get very creative very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greatest-artists-were-in-a-situation-where-they-had-to-pay-their/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I sometimes play different kinds of music to see where the performers end up. I play one genre. Then something else when I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-sometimes-play-different-kinds-of-music-to-see-where-the-performers/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The greater the darkness, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greater-the-darkness-the-better-the-drama/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) [Explore all 237 Nicolas Winding Refn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## More Changed quotes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [You made me hate my own reflection Question every choice I make So I could try to be perfect But I will try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn/you-made-me-hate-my-own-reflection-question-every-choice-i-make-so-i/) [Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn/) > [Everything has changed and nothing has changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lowery/everything-has-changed-and-nothing-has-changed/) [Joseph Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lowery/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [When I became Miss World, I couldn't believe I had won it. I used to sleep with my crown because I was scared someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/when-i-became-miss-world-i-couldn-t-believe-i-had-won-it-i-used-to/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [As the light changed from red to green to yellow and back to red again, I sat there thinking about life. Was it nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-the-light-changed-from-red-to-green-to-yellow-and-back-to-red/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Working with Rihanna has changed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bibi-bourelly/working-with-rihanna-has-changed-my-life/) [Bibi Bourelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bibi-bourelly/) > [The international game has changed for bidding cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ueberroth/the-international-game-has-changed-for-bidding-cities/) [Peter Ueberroth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ueberroth/) > [You changed my life, don't know what you're doing to me with your love. You got me feeling super human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-changed-my-life-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-to-me-with-your-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not changing because I'm part of a hit. People around me have changed in their attitude toward me, but I haven't changed. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-penny/i-m-not-changing-because-i-m-part-of-a-hit-people-around-me-have/) [Joe Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-penny/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) [Browse all 6,529 Changed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And to be fair, most documentaries are half an hour too long, anyway. Let's not kid ourselves. Most movies are an hour too long. 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