--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The way I work is I'll basically become…" description: "\"The way I work is I'll basically become kind of fixated on a very stripped-down genre, like revenge or something like that, and just start layering on ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/panos-cosmatos-10908_genre_the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become_2740011.jpg" --- # The way I work is I'll basically become kind of fixated on… ![“The way I work is I'll basically become kind of fixated on a very stripped-down genre, like revenge or something like that, and just start layering on top of that and entering in thoughts and ideas, and then the story just kind of builds up that way.” quote by Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/panos-cosmatos-10908_genre_the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become_2740011.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/panos-cosmatos-10908_genre_the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become_2740011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/panos-cosmatos-10908_genre_the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become_2740011.jpg) > “The way I work is I'll basically become kind of fixated on a very stripped-down genre, like revenge or something like that, and just start layering on top of that and entering in thoughts and ideas, and then the story just kind of builds up that way.” [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explains creative process of building a story by fixing a core genre and adding layers. **In simple terms:** Start with a core idea, then expand. Key Takeaway Use a strong foundation to develop complex narratives. Themes creativity process storytelling Mood analytical creative Type artistic methodological When to use this quote - screenwriting - novel writing - game design Key Concepts genre focus iterative development Questions to Reflect On - What core element can anchor your creative project? - How does layering enhance narrative depth? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on a single genre can limit originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revenge/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) [Thoughts and ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-and-ideas/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [When I was a kid, you listened to a certain genre. Now it's like, "I love indie rock, I love hip-hop, jazz, funk." Also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rhys-meyers/when-i-was-a-kid-you-listened-to-a-certain-genre-now-it-s-like-i-love/) [Jonathan Rhys Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rhys-meyers/) > [“Funny how someone could be so important in your life and then ... then you go a long period of time without them even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/funny-how-someone-could-be-so-important-in-your-life-and-then-then/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [I try to stay away from any genre. I like to just make music, and it just is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravyn-lenae/i-try-to-stay-away-from-any-genre-i-like-to-just-make-music-and-it/) [Ravyn Lenae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravyn-lenae/) > [I don't really worry about whether things fit into a genre or not, it's whether I like it and whether the two things sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thighpaulsandra/i-don-t-really-worry-about-whether-things-fit-into-a-genre-or-not-it/) [Thighpaulsandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thighpaulsandra/) > [I don't really think about genre. I like to write books that I'd love to read myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-don-t-really-think-about-genre-i-like-to-write-books-that-i-d-love/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [It's kind of like a revenge thing. Yeah, we beat them twice in a row, but they beat us last. We want to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-harding/it-s-kind-of-like-a-revenge-thing-yeah-we-beat-them-twice-in-a-row/) Lindsey Harding > [Revenge is sweet, just like sugar. sugar can knock your teeth out, just like my revenge!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keesling-moraiji-tatenda/revenge-is-sweet-just-like-sugar-sugar-can-knock-your-teeth-out-just/) [Keesling Moraiji Tatenda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keesling-moraiji-tatenda/) > [It's hard to believe that these self-centered people have nuclear weapons that they can fire at any moment. Even modern wars are fought like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/it-s-hard-to-believe-that-these-self-centered-people-have-nuclear/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [All my movies, like Revenge, are under two hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-scott/all-my-movies-like-revenge-are-under-two-hours/) [Tony Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-scott/) > [Even modern wars are fought like revenge tales from some petty grievance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/even-modern-wars-are-fought-like-revenge-tales-from-some-petty/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [I really like revenge movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-flacco/i-really-like-revenge-movies/) [Joe Flacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-flacco/) > [Nothing inspires forgiveness quite like revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/nothing-inspires-forgiveness-quite-like-revenge/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [I would like to take revenge but I'm not looking for excuses for having lost to her](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-dementieva/i-would-like-to-take-revenge-but-i-m-not-looking-for-excuses-for/) [Elena Dementieva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-dementieva/) > [“A HUMAN BIGGEST WEAPON (PATIENCE AND TIMING) IF U DO NOT GET THEM RIGHT THEY WILL DESTROY YOU, BUT IF U GET THEM RIGHT,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-dan-hodges/a-human-biggest-weapon-patience-and-timing-if-u-do-not-get-them-right/) Kurt Dan Hodges > [The players are looking forward to it because they'd like revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-arnold/the-players-are-looking-forward-to-it-because-they-d-like-revenge/) Graham Arnold ## More by Panos Cosmatos > [I've had a VHS collection for many, many years. But I would prefer to watch a movie in the best format possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/i-ve-had-a-vhs-collection-for-many-many-years-but-i-would-prefer-to/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [My goal from the very beginning was to make very visually lush, juicy films that you can really sink your teeth into. That's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/my-goal-from-the-very-beginning-was-to-make-very-visually-lush-juicy/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [I try to look at the films as I make them from a distance, in a way. I think of them as kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/i-try-to-look-at-the-films-as-i-make-them-from-a-distance-in-a-way-i/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [In the night there's sometimes a sort of cursed quality to the Pacific Northwest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/in-the-night-there-s-sometimes-a-sort-of-cursed-quality-to-the/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [Well, when I was really young and we lived in Sweden, the only films that were around at that point were... We had this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/well-when-i-was-really-young-and-we-lived-in-sweden-the-only-films/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [I think what I was unconsciously expressing in 'Black Rainbow' was a very abstract and metaphorical grief, in the way I had suppressed my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/i-think-what-i-was-unconsciously-expressing-in-black-rainbow-was-a/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [I think most religious belief structures are essentially like mind viruses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/i-think-most-religious-belief-structures-are-essentially-like-mind/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [I don't know anybody who goes horseback riding at sunset, but everybody watches TV and eats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/i-don-t-know-anybody-who-goes-horseback-riding-at-sunset-but/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [Certain things just rub me the wrong way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/certain-things-just-rub-me-the-wrong-way/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [We moved around a lot when I was younger. I never really felt at home until we moved to Canada, but even then, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/we-moved-around-a-lot-when-i-was-younger-i-never-really-felt-at-home/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [I just find there's nothing funnier and more scary than a delusional man who thinks they're the center of the universe, and in fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/i-just-find-there-s-nothing-funnier-and-more-scary-than-a-delusional/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [My mother died in 1997 and I spiralled into this self-destructive vortex of trying to annihilate my consciousness. I was afraid to face the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/my-mother-died-in-1997-and-i-spiralled-into-this-self-destructive/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [A lot of films mistake convolutedness for complexity. To me, a simple story can be a powerful spine to build around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/a-lot-of-films-mistake-convolutedness-for-complexity-to-me-a-simple/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [The thing I do miss about the way some sequels were in the past was that each film felt like its own unique, complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/the-thing-i-do-miss-about-the-way-some-sequels-were-in-the-past-was/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) > [I was, like, 'I really wanna see an Eric Rohmer movie take place in a Bert I. Gordon universe.' Where there's a story going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/i-was-like-i-really-wanna-see-an-eric-rohmer-movie-take-place-in-a/) [Panos Cosmatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) [Explore all 62 Panos Cosmatos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/) ## More Genre quotes > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [ He \[ the son\]'s grown up listening to all types of music, and the natural form of rebellion is to find the one genre… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-knowles/he-the-son-s-grown-up-listening-to-all-types-of-music-and-the-natural/) [Solange Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-knowles/) > [I don't really think in terms of genre, I think in terms of story and character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-don-t-really-think-in-terms-of-genre-i-think-in-terms-of-story-and/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I've just always loved really good projects. The things that draw me into a new project have very little to do with genre and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel-staite/i-ve-just-always-loved-really-good-projects-the-things-that-draw-me/) [Jewel Staite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel-staite/) > [As a rule, I don't worry about genre. I just want to tell a good story, with characters that interest me and my readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/as-a-rule-i-don-t-worry-about-genre-i-just-want-to-tell-a-good-story/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Trombone virtuoso and innovative composer, Papo combines the best of jazz and Latin music to create a genre that is unique and wild. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brecker/trombone-virtuoso-and-innovative-composer-papo-combines-the-best-of/) Michael Brecker > [Gothic in its purest sense is actually a very powerful, twisted genre, but the way it was being used by by journalists - 'goff'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siouxsie-sioux/gothic-in-its-purest-sense-is-actually-a-very-powerful-twisted-genre/) [Siouxsie Sioux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siouxsie-sioux/) > [The great thing about the arts, and especially popular music, is that it really does cut across genres and races and classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/the-great-thing-about-the-arts-and-especially-popular-music-is-that/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [“What we've done is make the categories of science fiction and fantasy larger, freer, and more inclusive than any other genre of contemporary literature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/what-we-ve-done-is-make-the-categories-of-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I knew what kind of genre 'Casa de mi Padre' was going for. But my character, specifically, I think is very real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-rodriguez/i-knew-what-kind-of-genre-casa-de-mi-padre-was-going-for-but-my/) [Genesis Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-rodriguez/) > [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/) > [I'm not a fan of any genre but am a fan of movies that are intelligent and/or funny. That goes across all genres: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-a-fan-of-any-genre-but-am-a-fan-of-movies-that-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The excellence of this important contribution to genre literature CANNOT be overstated A masterwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-nolan/the-excellence-of-this-important-contribution-to-genre-literature/) William F. Nolan > [I have finally become my own genre, and now that's what publishers want. I have a wonderful publisher now, Mulholland, very innovated, very fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/i-have-finally-become-my-own-genre-and-now-that-s-what-publishers/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) > [There is a real problem with the lack of diversity, specifically in genre films and the superheroes our kids grow up watching and emulating,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/there-is-a-real-problem-with-the-lack-of-diversity-specifically-in/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) [Browse all 2,187 Genre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The way I work is I'll basically become kind of fixated on a very stripped-down genre, like revenge or something like that, and just start layering on top of that and entering in thoughts and ideas, and then the story just kind of builds up that way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Panos Cosmatos" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become-kind-of-fixated-on-a-very/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genre" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become-kind-of-fixated-on-a-very/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/panos-cosmatos-10908_genre_the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become_2740011.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/panos-cosmatos-10908_genre_the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become_2740011.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/panos-cosmatos-10908_genre_the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become_2740011.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The way I work is I'll basically become kind of fixated on a very stripped-down genre, like revenge or…” — Panos Cosmatos", "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": "Panos Cosmatos", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panos-cosmatos/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The way I work is I'll...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become-kind-of-fixated-on-a-very/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panos-cosmatos/the-way-i-work-is-i-ll-basically-become-kind-of-fixated-on-a-very/#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 } } ] } ```