--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I make a movie, I have both a…" description: "\"When I make a movie, I have both a specific and vague, amorphous dream idea of what the movie is going to be. Of course, I don't actually know what it'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/noah-baumbach-4015_actually_when-i-make-a-movie-i-have-both-a-specif_3164470.png" --- # When I make a movie, I have both a specific and vague… ![“When I make a movie, I have both a specific and vague, amorphous dream idea of what the movie is going to be. Of course, I don't actually know what it's going to be, but I'm still striving to get to some place with it.” quote by Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/noah-baumbach-4015_actually_when-i-make-a-movie-i-have-both-a-specif_3164470.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/noah-baumbach-4015_actually_when-i-make-a-movie-i-have-both-a-specif_3164470.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/noah-baumbach-4015_actually_when-i-make-a-movie-i-have-both-a-specif_3164470.png) > “When I make a movie, I have both a specific and vague, amorphous dream idea of what the movie is going to be. Of course, I don't actually know what it's going to be, but I'm still striving to get to some place with it.” [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative projects start with vague visions; the process refines them into concrete outcomes. **In simple terms:** Ideas begin vague, become clearer over time. Key Takeaway Embrace ambiguity and keep iterating. Themes creativity process uncertainty Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - film making - writing - design - startup development Key Concepts vision iteration artistic development Questions to Reflect On - How do you move from vague to specific? - What steps keep a project moving? A Different Perspective Vague ideas can stall without direction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Both](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both/) [Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-idea-2060314/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Idea Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-movie-624568/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-movie/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie Specific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-specific-5734448/) [Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Specific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specific/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive/) [Striving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/striving/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) ## Related quotes > [“A dream is an idea involving a sense of possibilities rather than probabilities, of potential rather than limits. A dream is the wellspring of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kriegel/a-dream-is-an-idea-involving-a-sense-of-possibilities-rather-than/) [Robert Kriegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kriegel/) > [“Great dream or idea comes up when you are thinking of something other than yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/great-dream-or-idea-comes-up-when-you-are-thinking-of-something-other/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Succesful people are all dreamers. A dream becomes an idea and then something concrete. I think it all starts with a dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sy/succesful-people-are-all-dreamers-a-dream-becomes-an-idea-and-then/) [Omar Sy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sy/) > [When an idea comes, spend silent time with it. Remember Keats's idea of Negative Capability and Kipling's advice to "drift, wait, and obey." Along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tremain/when-an-idea-comes-spend-silent-time-with-it-remember-keats-s-idea-of/) [Rose Tremain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tremain/) > [I would photograph an idea rather than an object, a dream rather than an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/man-ray/i-would-photograph-an-idea-rather-than-an-object-a-dream-rather-than/) [Man Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/man-ray/) > [“Worth the trouble. If they only knew about her dream. They had no idea.…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/worth-the-trouble-if-they-only-knew-about-her-dream-they-had-no-idea/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [There are few things that define us as a country more distinctly than the idea of the American Dream. The idea that anyone can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/there-are-few-things-that-define-us-as-a-country-more-distinctly-than/) [Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/) > [You really need to have that discipline. It's not even discipline. I just put down these rules. It's not like a vague, 'Motivate yourself!'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumail-nanjiani/you-really-need-to-have-that-discipline-it-s-not-even-discipline-i/) [Kumail Nanjiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumail-nanjiani/) > [Space is something that you have to define. Otherwise, it is like anxiety, which is too vague. A fear is something specific. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bourgeois/space-is-something-that-you-have-to-define-otherwise-it-is-like/) [Louise Bourgeois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bourgeois/) > [I watch movies all the time, so it's hard to pick certain specific directors that have inspired me in the aggregate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-watch-movies-all-the-time-so-it-s-hard-to-pick-certain-specific/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I used to get up and write every day, even if I wasn't working on a specific thing. Now, when I have a thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-used-to-get-up-and-write-every-day-even-if-i-wasn-t-working-on-a/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I have an idea for a movie called 'The Walken Dead' which is about a town where, instead of zombies, everyone becomes Chris Walken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-have-an-idea-for-a-movie-called-the-walken-dead-which-is-about-a/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [It is the idea that it's a movie in a movie. So I did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-spheeris/it-is-the-idea-that-it-s-a-movie-in-a-movie-so-i-did-it/) [Penelope Spheeris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-spheeris/) > [I couldn't do any of my other characters, you know? But I could have done the lady. Church Lady's Malibu Beach party is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/i-couldn-t-do-any-of-my-other-characters-you-know-but-i-could-have/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [I love the idea of a movie hero in a thriller who is able to get ahead by just his brilliance, and not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-love-the-idea-of-a-movie-hero-in-a-thriller-who-is-able-to-get/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) ## More by Noah Baumbach > [There's always some generational-guys-hanging-out movie that is made every few years, I think, and some of them are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/there-s-always-some-generational-guys-hanging-out-movie-that-is-made/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [It's near impossible to make a movie in black and white in the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/it-s-near-impossible-to-make-a-movie-in-black-and-white-in-the-system/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I guess I'm interested in people who are very sophisticated in intellectual ways, while being completely off the mark in emotional ones, with huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-guess-i-m-interested-in-people-who-are-very-sophisticated-in/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [Many of the crew members I work with and continue to work with were friends or have become close friends, and so we keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/many-of-the-crew-members-i-work-with-and-continue-to-work-with-were/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [Dance is a profession with an expiration date for many people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/dance-is-a-profession-with-an-expiration-date-for-many-people/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I've run into more people walking in L.A. than if I drove. Because you stand out so much if you walk. People from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-ve-run-into-more-people-walking-in-l-a-than-if-i-drove-because-you/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I love black-and-white movies that are about contemporary subjects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-love-black-and-white-movies-that-are-about-contemporary-subjects/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I'm always looking for overlooked post-Dylan singer-songwriter records from the '70s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-m-always-looking-for-overlooked-post-dylan-singer-songwriter/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I think sometimes bad behaviour can be liberating for certain people. They need to behave badly to find themselves - to go off path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-think-sometimes-bad-behaviour-can-be-liberating-for-certain-people/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I live in Manhattan now, because, in a way, it was my fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-live-in-manhattan-now-because-in-a-way-it-was-my-fantasy/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I really like my first movie a lot, 'Kicking and Screaming.' I think it's a - I'm very pleased and proud of that movie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-really-like-my-first-movie-a-lot-kicking-and-screaming-i-think-it-s/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I think if we taped a lot of families that claim to be relatively normal, you'd be surprised when you hear some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-think-if-we-taped-a-lot-of-families-that-claim-to-be-relatively/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I do like having books on my shelves. I do value that life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-do-like-having-books-on-my-shelves-i-do-value-that-life/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [When I meet certain filmmakers, sometimes you sit down and you do have some kind of shorthand. It can be fun to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/when-i-meet-certain-filmmakers-sometimes-you-sit-down-and-you-do-have/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [Woody Allen's movies are so much a part of me. I grew up watching them over and over and would read all his comic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/woody-allen-s-movies-are-so-much-a-part-of-me-i-grew-up-watching-them/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) [Explore all 117 Noah Baumbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) ## More Actually quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/) [Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/) > [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. It's often things which other people might not notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/i-ve-actually-got-quite-a-good-memory-i-ve-good-recall-it-s-often/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) > [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) [Browse all 4,248 Actually quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I make a movie, I have both a specific and vague, amorphous dream idea of what the movie is going to be. 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