--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mentor, [Ingmar] Bergman, when we…" description: "\"My mentor, [Ingmar] Bergman, when we worked on stage, he said you can't convince a thousand people at the big stage where we were working. You can't co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/peter-stormare-15713_bergman_my-mentor-ingmar-bergman-when-we-worked_3125414.jpg" --- # My mentor, \[Ingmar\] Bergman, when we worked on stage, he… ![“My mentor, [Ingmar] Bergman, when we worked on stage, he said you can't convince a thousand people at the big stage where we were working. You can't convince everybody, but just pick one every night that you perform for and make sure that he or she will have an experience that alters their life in…” quote by Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/peter-stormare-15713_bergman_my-mentor-ingmar-bergman-when-we-worked_3125414.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/peter-stormare-15713_bergman_my-mentor-ingmar-bergman-when-we-worked_3125414.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/peter-stormare-15713_bergman_my-mentor-ingmar-bergman-when-we-worked_3125414.jpg) > “My mentor, \[Ingmar\] Bergman, when we worked on stage, he said you can't convince a thousand people at the big stage where we were working. You can't convince everybody, but just pick one every night that you perform for and make sure that he or she will have an experience that alters their life in a more positive way. So, just one every night. That's worth all the struggle and screaming.” [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Impacting one person's life profoundly is more valuable than trying to sway many superficially. **In simple terms:** Focus on deeply moving one individual each night. Key Takeaway Prioritize depth over breadth in performance. Themes art impact individual focus Mood inspirational thoughtful Type motivational practical When to use this quote - live theatre - small audience workshops - personal storytelling Key Concepts theatre performance theory Questions to Reflect On - Who will you aim to touch tonight? - How can you ensure lasting impact? A Different Perspective Not all audiences are receptive; success varies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Mentor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentor/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [People talk about the difference between working on stage and working on film. I think you could say that there are as many differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/people-talk-about-the-difference-between-working-on-stage-and-working/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [I would like to see anyone, prophet, king or God, convince a thousand cats to do the same thing at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-would-like-to-see-anyone-prophet-king-or-god-convince-a-thousand/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Lately Ive been working to convince myself that everything is a computation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-rucker/lately-ive-been-working-to-convince-myself-that-everything-is-a/) [Rudy Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-rucker/) > [I know I shouldn't like him because I know it's not working and so I convince myself I don't. I see him and he'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-i-shouldn-t-like-him-because-i-know-it-s-not-working-and-so-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lately I've been working to convince myself that everything is a computation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-rucker/lately-i-ve-been-working-to-convince-myself-that-everything-is-a/) [Rudy Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-rucker/) > [The truth about filmmaking is you have all these ideas and you're trying to convince everybody that they should buy into this idea, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavid-hood/the-truth-about-filmmaking-is-you-have-all-these-ideas-and-you-re/) [Gavid Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavid-hood/) > [I don't have to convince everybody in the room. I just need a critical mass of the people in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/i-don-t-have-to-convince-everybody-in-the-room-i-just-need-a-critical/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [There are people so blind and self-absorbed in all matters that they always believe that, whatever they desire or think, they can impose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/there-are-people-so-blind-and-self-absorbed-in-all-matters-that-they/) [Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/) > [We spend a good part of our lives trying desperately to convince ourselves as well as everybody else that we know more than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-osgood/we-spend-a-good-part-of-our-lives-trying-desperately-to-convince/) [Charles Osgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-osgood/) > [If you fell head first into a pigsty, you'd try to convince everybody you did it on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/if-you-fell-head-first-into-a-pigsty-you-d-try-to-convince-everybody/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [If a face like Ingrid Bergman's looks at you as though you're adorable, everybody does. You don't have to act very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/if-a-face-like-ingrid-bergman-s-looks-at-you-as-though-you-re/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [I've never felt Truth was Beauty. Never. I've always felt that people can't take too much reality. I like being in Ingmar Bergman's world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-ve-never-felt-truth-was-beauty-never-i-ve-always-felt-that-people/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [“Jack Bergman, Diplomatic Security Service.” “Why”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-emmett/jack-bergman-diplomatic-security-service-why/) Patrick Emmett > [I tell you this: if I was in the house with those people in the Bergman flicks, I'd walk right out, much less pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bronson/i-tell-you-this-if-i-was-in-the-house-with-those-people-in-the/) [Charles Bronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bronson/) > [(On Ingrid Bergman) "I didn't do anything I've never done before, but when the camera moves in on that Bergman face, and she's saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/on-ingrid-bergman-i-didn-t-do-anything-i-ve-never-done-before-but/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) ## More by Peter Stormare > [In my career, I've been lucky to do the bad guys that are more interesting, where the audience wants to spend more time with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/in-my-career-i-ve-been-lucky-to-do-the-bad-guys-that-are-more/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [With my characters, I prefer to not say too much, and in fact, I tend to cut down some of the lines in most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/with-my-characters-i-prefer-to-not-say-too-much-and-in-fact-i-tend-to/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [To me, the most important thing in life is to be a human being. Second is acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/to-me-the-most-important-thing-in-life-is-to-be-a-human-being-second/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I drive one car. I own one house. That's enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-drive-one-car-i-own-one-house-that-s-enough-for-me/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I started as a director very young and fell into acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-started-as-a-director-very-young-and-fell-into-acting/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I don't personally like slasher movies that make you scream in the movie theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-don-t-personally-like-slasher-movies-that-make-you-scream-in-the/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [There are some movies that I remember a couple of seconds and I want to carry those couple of seconds in my heart forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/there-are-some-movies-that-i-remember-a-couple-of-seconds-and-i-want/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [The best paycheck you can get as a producer and creator is when people are happy to be on the show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/the-best-paycheck-you-can-get-as-a-producer-and-creator-is-when/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I like the clowns from the circus that have more paint on their face. They were all funny and made me laugh. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-like-the-clowns-from-the-circus-that-have-more-paint-on-their-face/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [People who are registered to vote should vote. I vote all the time. If I'm not in the country, I do it over mail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/people-who-are-registered-to-vote-should-vote-i-vote-all-the-time-if/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I started as a director, but I was too bored with actors. I preferred to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-started-as-a-director-but-i-was-too-bored-with-actors-i-preferred/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I've been very lucky and fortunate to meet people that are very inspirational in their spirits, too, and not just as filmmakers - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-ve-been-very-lucky-and-fortunate-to-meet-people-that-are-very/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [If I had the money, I would love to open up a movie theater that just played images and colors and beautiful music. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/if-i-had-the-money-i-would-love-to-open-up-a-movie-theater-that-just/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [Sometimes you have to trust your guts and your instinct and improvise a little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/sometimes-you-have-to-trust-your-guts-and-your-instinct-and-improvise/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [Since I started, like, 200 years ago, I've always wanted to direct and write. But I've been so busy - and fortunate and lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/since-i-started-like-200-years-ago-i-ve-always-wanted-to-direct-and/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) [Explore all 42 Peter Stormare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) ## More Bergman quotes > [(On Ingrid Bergman) "I didn't do anything I've never done before, but when the camera moves in on that Bergman face, and she's saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/on-ingrid-bergman-i-didn-t-do-anything-i-ve-never-done-before-but/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [I tell you this: if I was in the house with those people in the Bergman flicks, I'd walk right out, much less pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bronson/i-tell-you-this-if-i-was-in-the-house-with-those-people-in-the/) [Charles Bronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bronson/) > [“Jack Bergman, Diplomatic Security Service.” “Why”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-emmett/jack-bergman-diplomatic-security-service-why/) Patrick Emmett > [I've never felt Truth was Beauty. Never. I've always felt that people can't take too much reality. I like being in Ingmar Bergman's world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-ve-never-felt-truth-was-beauty-never-i-ve-always-felt-that-people/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [If a face like Ingrid Bergman's looks at you as though you're adorable, everybody does. You don't have to act very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/if-a-face-like-ingrid-bergman-s-looks-at-you-as-though-you-re/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [ \[Akiro\] Kurosawa, no doubt, was a big influence. Movies sometimes more than directors have influenced me: The Grapes of Wrath, by John Ford, was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/costa-gavras/akiro-kurosawa-no-doubt-was-a-big-influence-movies-sometimes-more/) [Costa-Gavras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/costa-gavras/) > [Maybe the best example of the unmuscled hero is Humphrey Bogart in 'Casablanca.' Bogart was 15 years older than Ingrid Bergman, and it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/maybe-the-best-example-of-the-unmuscled-hero-is-humphrey-bogart-in/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [Bergman movies were the most influential. They used to show at Goucher University, which was where my parents used to live. 'Brink of Life'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/bergman-movies-were-the-most-influential-they-used-to-show-at-goucher/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Bergman made countless masterpieces, but for one reason or another, 'Winter Light' stays closest to my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-paltrow/bergman-made-countless-masterpieces-but-for-one-reason-or-another/) [Jake Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-paltrow/) > [I will watch everything that Cary Grant did, or Kubrick made or Bergman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/i-will-watch-everything-that-cary-grant-did-or-kubrick-made-or-bergman/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [Bergman's my favorite filmmaker, if I had to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-eggers/bergman-s-my-favorite-filmmaker-if-i-had-to-choose/) [Robert Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-eggers/) > [I owe Mr. Bergman so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-owe-mr-bergman-so-much/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [This man (Bergman) is one of the few film directors-perhaps the only one in the world-to have said as much about human nature as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-kieslowski/this-man-bergman-is-one-of-the-few-film-directors-perhaps-the-only/) [Krzysztof Kieslowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-kieslowski/) > [I remember those days with Bergman with great nostalgia. We were aware that the films were going to be quite important, and the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-remember-those-days-with-bergman-with-great-nostalgia-we-were-aware/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I'm an incurable romantic, and 'Casablanca''s one of the most romantic pictures I've ever seen - the combination of Bogart and Bergman is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-adam/i-m-an-incurable-romantic-and-casablanca-s-one-of-the-most-romantic/) [Ken Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-adam/) Browse all 81 Bergman quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My mentor, [Ingmar] Bergman, when we worked on stage, he said you can't convince a thousand people at the big stage where we were working. 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