--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, utter failure is to make a film…" description: "\"For me, utter failure is to make a film that people pay their money to go see and they don't like.\" — Peter Jackson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/peter-jackson-1771_cinema_for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-t_1120539.jpg" --- # For me, utter failure is to make a film that people pay… ![“For me, utter failure is to make a film that people pay their money to go see and they don't like.” quote by Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/peter-jackson-1771_cinema_for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-t_1120539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/peter-jackson-1771_cinema_for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-t_1120539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/peter-jackson-1771_cinema_for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-t_1120539.jpg) > “For me, utter failure is to make a film that people pay their money to go see and they don't like.” [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a film that fails to engage paying audiences is considered a total failure by the creator. **In simple terms:** A film that audiences dislike is a failure. Key Takeaway Prioritize audience connection. Themes creativity audience failure Mood frustrated reflective Type critical analytical When to use this quote - movie production - budget planning - marketing strategies Key Concepts filmmaking expectation management Questions to Reflect On - How do you test audience reaction early? - What metrics best predict viewer satisfaction? A Different Perspective Even with good intentions, audience taste can be unpredictable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-make-649442/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-people/) [Make Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-film/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Utter Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utter-failure-2492271/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes I can realize that ... i'm an utter failure in accepting the reality..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikku/sometimes-i-can-realize-that-i-m-an-utter-failure-in-accepting-the/) [Ikku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikku/) > [Mistakes are often the stepping stones to utter failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/mistakes-are-often-the-stepping-stones-to-utter-failure/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Genre aside, I'd like to make a film about people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-marceau/genre-aside-i-d-like-to-make-a-film-about-people/) [Sophie Marceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-marceau/) > [You make a film and you can't really pick the way it's put to the public. You control the content, but the way it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/you-make-a-film-and-you-can-t-really-pick-the-way-it-s-put-to-the/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [You can make a film with a phone and a computer if you want, if you have the time. So it's a world that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/you-can-make-a-film-with-a-phone-and-a-computer-if-you-want-if-you/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [You're never in control. That - that is the greatest fallacy of the - you know, there's over 200 people that it requires to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/you-re-never-in-control-that-that-is-the-greatest-fallacy-of-the-you/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [Those are the films I want to make. I don't want to make a film about, "Oh, those poor prostitutes!" Or "Oh, isn't it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-longinotto/those-are-the-films-i-want-to-make-i-don-t-want-to-make-a-film-about/) [Kim Longinotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-longinotto/) > [I've discovered I can't make a film about people I dislike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jehane-noujaim/i-ve-discovered-i-can-t-make-a-film-about-people-i-dislike/) [Jehane Noujaim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jehane-noujaim/) > [I'm very lucky to say that I worked with a lot of directors who cannot make a bad film. Like when Wim Wenders, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-m-very-lucky-to-say-that-i-worked-with-a-lot-of-directors-who/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [When I made my first film, I think the thing was probably helped me the most was that it was such an unusual thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/when-i-made-my-first-film-i-think-the-thing-was-probably-helped-me/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [ Ultimately, the people \[who\] are going to help you make your film are the people who believe in you and believe in the story.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-rees/ultimately-the-people-who-are-going-to-help-you-make-your-film-are/) [Dee Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-rees/) > [The dream is real, my friends. The failure to make it work is the unreality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-cade-bambara/the-dream-is-real-my-friends-the-failure-to-make-it-work-is-the/) [Toni Cade Bambara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-cade-bambara/) > [“Failure itself is a relative concept. If my metric had been to become an anarcho-communist revolutionary, then my complete failure to make any money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/failure-itself-is-a-relative-concept-if-my-metric-had-been-to-become/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“Failure to make a decision was in itself a decision—he”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/failure-to-make-a-decision-was-in-itself-a-decision-he/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Congealed thinking is the forerunner of failure... make sure you are always receptive to new ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-crane/congealed-thinking-is-the-forerunner-of-failure-make-sure-you-are/) [George W. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-crane/) ## More by Peter Jackson > [It's not a happy time when a film drops dead on your doorstep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/it-s-not-a-happy-time-when-a-film-drops-dead-on-your-doorstep/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [I don't have an anti-Hollywood feeling. It's just I'm a New Zealander. I was born in New Zealand, and it's where my house is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/i-don-t-have-an-anti-hollywood-feeling-it-s-just-i-m-a-new-zealander/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [The only thing about 3-D is the dullness of the image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/the-only-thing-about-3-d-is-the-dullness-of-the-image/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [You shouldn't think of these movies as being 'The Lord of the Rings.' The Lord of the Rings is, and always will be, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/you-shouldn-t-think-of-these-movies-as-being-the-lord-of-the-rings/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [It's one thing to support your kid, but if you have an interest in what your child is doing, it makes it a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/it-s-one-thing-to-support-your-kid-but-if-you-have-an-interest-in/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [Strategically, horror films are a good way to start your career. You can get a lot of impact with very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/strategically-horror-films-are-a-good-way-to-start-your-career-you/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [To his ex-wife in court, he said I lost interest in you when the Botox lost its effect and you looked like a plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/to-his-ex-wife-in-court-he-said-i-lost-interest-in-you-when-the-botox/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > ['Bad Taste' was - it was, in many respects, my sort of, my, I guess, my single-minded desire to want to break into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/bad-taste-was-it-was-in-many-respects-my-sort-of-my-i-guess-my-single/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [To me, fantasy should be as real as possible. I don't buy into the notion that because it's fantastic, it should be unrealistic, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/to-me-fantasy-should-be-as-real-as-possible-i-don-t-buy-into-the/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [I always have had a slightly jaundiced view about people who promote books about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/i-always-have-had-a-slightly-jaundiced-view-about-people-who-promote/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [Obviously, movies, you're often on location, out in the rain or the sun, in a real place where the trees and the cars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/obviously-movies-you-re-often-on-location-out-in-the-rain-or-the-sun/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [Structure is important in film, but there's often structure to be found in the most unlikely of places! It's quite possible to build a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/structure-is-important-in-film-but-there-s-often-structure-to-be/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [Film is such a powerful medium. It's like a weapon and I think you have a duty to self-censor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/film-is-such-a-powerful-medium-it-s-like-a-weapon-and-i-think-you/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [I remember when I was - I must've been 17 or 18 years old - I remember 'The Empire Strikes Back' had a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/i-remember-when-i-was-i-must-ve-been-17-or-18-years-old-i-remember/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [I love collaborating with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/i-love-collaborating-with-people/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) [Explore all 209 Peter Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For me, utter failure is to make a film that people pay their money to go see and they don't like.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Jackson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-that-people-pay-their-money-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-that-people-pay-their-money-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/peter-jackson-1771_cinema_for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-t_1120539.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/peter-jackson-1771_cinema_for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-t_1120539.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/peter-jackson-1771_cinema_for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-t_1120539.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For me, utter failure is to make a film that people pay their money to go see and they don't like.” — Peter Jackson", "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": "Peter Jackson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For me, utter failure is to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-that-people-pay-their-money-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/for-me-utter-failure-is-to-make-a-film-that-people-pay-their-money-to/#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 } } ] } ```