--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even if I had $200 million, I'm very wary…" description: "\"Even if I had $200 million, I'm very wary of overusing CGI. I think it's a great tool and it can be used really effectively, but I feel like it does te..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rian-johnson-10580_cgi_even-if-i-had-200-million-i-m-very-wary_1072189.jpg" --- # Even if I had $200 million, I'm very wary of overusing… ![“Even if I had $200 million, I'm very wary of overusing CGI. I think it's a great tool and it can be used really effectively, but I feel like it does tend to be overused and especially in sci-fi stuff.” quote by Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rian-johnson-10580_cgi_even-if-i-had-200-million-i-m-very-wary_1072189.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rian-johnson-10580_cgi_even-if-i-had-200-million-i-m-very-wary_1072189.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rian-johnson-10580_cgi_even-if-i-had-200-million-i-m-very-wary_1072189.jpg) > “Even if I had $200 million, I'm very wary of overusing CGI. I think it's a great tool and it can be used really effectively, but I feel like it does tend to be overused and especially in sci-fi stuff.” [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) ## 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 acknowledges CGI’s value but cautions that excessive reliance, especially in sci‑fi, can diminish storytelling quality. **In simple terms:** Use CGI wisely, don’t overdo it. Key Takeaway Balance practical effects and CGI for stronger narratives. Themes film technology storytelling budget creativity Mood analytical critical Type practical industry. When to use this quote - budget planning - directorial decisions - genre analysis Key Concepts cinematography media studies visual effects Questions to Reflect On - When is CGI essential versus decorative? - How does CGI impact audience immersion? A Different Perspective Overreliance on CGI may make films feel less authentic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animation/) [Cgi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cgi/) [Cgi Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cgi-think-2677128/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Overused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overused/) [Overusing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overusing-1058645/) [Overusing Cgi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overusing-cgi-2677127/) [Sci fi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sci-fi/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Wary Overusing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wary-overusing-2677129/) ## Related quotes > [What's happened with computer technology is perfectly timed for someone with my set of skills. I tell stories with pictures. What I love about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-miller/what-s-happened-with-computer-technology-is-perfectly-timed-for/) [Frank Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-miller/) > [With some CGI, I think the brain slightly perceives that things aren't real. There's no gravity, the light's not quite real, the shadows aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/with-some-cgi-i-think-the-brain-slightly-perceives-that-things-aren-t/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [You can't just do cheap CGI and think that's going to work. It doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-bloodgood/you-can-t-just-do-cheap-cgi-and-think-that-s-going-to-work-it-doesn-t/) [Moon Bloodgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-bloodgood/) > [“You don’t want to get in the habit of overusing the word “fuck” as an adjective. You’ll miss the vast variety of its uses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-don-t-want-to-get-in-the-habit-of-overusing-the-word-fuck-as-an/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“It seemed he’d recently learned the value of playing up the difficulty of accomplishing whatever he was tasked with, the better to play the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/it-seemed-he-d-recently-learned-the-value-of-playing-up-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [I'm not knocking CGI. I think it is fantastic and what it does with stunt work - that is absolutely brilliant - but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cribbins/i-m-not-knocking-cgi-i-think-it-is-fantastic-and-what-it-does-with/) [Bernard Cribbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cribbins/) > [I just don't think CGI is up to manipulating the human face yet. I feel like you can get away with it with aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/i-just-don-t-think-cgi-is-up-to-manipulating-the-human-face-yet-i/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [I think 'genius' is an overused word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/i-think-genius-is-an-overused-word/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [A few years back, even the most commercial pop could have some artistic value. Someone who liked underground music could appreciate Justin Timberlake, too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-elbrecht/a-few-years-back-even-the-most-commercial-pop-could-have-some/) [Jorge Elbrecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-elbrecht/) > [Cyber-bullying is an overused word that is defined differently by anyone you ask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-zarin/cyber-bullying-is-an-overused-word-that-is-defined-differently-by/) [Jill Zarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-zarin/) > [ This word gets overused in describing actors but I think it applies to Mike \[Tyson\] in this case - he was totally fearless. He… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/this-word-gets-overused-in-describing-actors-but-i-think-it-applies/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [A trite word is an overused word which has lost its identity like an old coat in a second-hand shop. The familiar grows dull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/a-trite-word-is-an-overused-word-which-has-lost-its-identity-like-an/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [In England "The Day After," though unpopular with viewers, seems to have confirmed the average Englishman's mindless prejudice against Kansas. Shortly after the film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-tyrrell/in-england-the-day-after-though-unpopular-with-viewers-seems-to-have/) [Emmett Tyrrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-tyrrell/) > [I just feel like sometimes I'm a force to be dealt with. My talents are sometimes overused and also sometimes underused. It's not easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-just-feel-like-sometimes-i-m-a-force-to-be-dealt-with-my-talents/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I feel a particular sense of responsibility when you're taking something from the magazine directly and putting it in video. You can't be too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-ostroff/i-feel-a-particular-sense-of-responsibility-when-you-re-taking/) [Dawn Ostroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-ostroff/) ## More by Rian Johnson > [If you make something interesting, inevitably not everybody is going to like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/if-you-make-something-interesting-inevitably-not-everybody-is-going/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [It was so emotional to step onto the Millennium Falcon set because that was the play set we all had when we were kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/it-was-so-emotional-to-step-onto-the-millennium-falcon-set-because/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [The momentum of production keeps you from giving up, so it's really the editing and writing phases where things can look bleakest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/the-momentum-of-production-keeps-you-from-giving-up-so-it-s-really/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [All my favorite movies are somebody else's least favorite movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/all-my-favorite-movies-are-somebody-else-s-least-favorite-movie/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [Unlike some of the time-travel movies I love, like 'Primer' or '12 Monkeys,' 'Looper' is not about time travel. It's about this situation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/unlike-some-of-the-time-travel-movies-i-love-like-primer-or-12/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [Then I saw it. I saw a mom who would die for her son. A man who would kill for his wife. A boy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/then-i-saw-it-i-saw-a-mom-who-would-die-for-her-son-a-man-who-would/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [Rather than thinking in terms of a specific genre or specific kind of thing, I hope I can just stay relatively small and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/rather-than-thinking-in-terms-of-a-specific-genre-or-specific-kind-of/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [Storytelling wise, you've gotta take it as far as you can possibly take it with each individual movie. If you're holding out something for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/storytelling-wise-you-ve-gotta-take-it-as-far-as-you-can-possibly/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [My filmmaking background has really just been making movies with my friends since I was 12 years old. That's how I feel I learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/my-filmmaking-background-has-really-just-been-making-movies-with-my/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [Back before 'Brick,' I wrote a short film that I never ended up shooting: hit men in the present who work for a mob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/back-before-brick-i-wrote-a-short-film-that-i-never-ended-up-shooting/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [It took a while before I could sit across the table with Mark and not, every three seconds, think, 'I'm talking to Luke Skywalker.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/it-took-a-while-before-i-could-sit-across-the-table-with-mark-and-not/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [I was a musical theater kid in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/i-was-a-musical-theater-kid-in-high-school/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [Well, you know, we all grew up as 'Star Wars' fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/well-you-know-we-all-grew-up-as-star-wars-fans/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [As to whether Luke is the 'Last Jedi,' they say in 'The Force Awakens' he's going to find the last Jedi temple and Luke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/as-to-whether-luke-is-the-last-jedi-they-say-in-the-force-awakens-he/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [Writing in a lot of ways feels more like excavation than construction. It feels like you're uncovering this thing bit by bit, discovering what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/writing-in-a-lot-of-ways-feels-more-like-excavation-than-construction/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) [Explore all 64 Rian Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) ## More Animation quotes > [If I'm doing a voice-over session, like animation or something, and I'm doing three different voices, you've gotta separate them. You've gotta find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-adlon/if-i-m-doing-a-voice-over-session-like-animation-or-something-and-i-m/) [Pamela Adlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-adlon/) > [I was always into cartoons and animation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nonito-donaire/i-was-always-into-cartoons-and-animation/) [Nonito Donaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nonito-donaire/) > [What's unique about Disney Animation, many of the films have this perennial quality about them. They don't seem like old films, they still seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-minkoff/what-s-unique-about-disney-animation-many-of-the-films-have-this/) [Rob Minkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-minkoff/) > [I was always tinkering around with stuff but nothing serious at the time. I was doing animations and drawing like crazy, but I wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-vangaalen/i-was-always-tinkering-around-with-stuff-but-nothing-serious-at-the/) [Chad VanGaalen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-vangaalen/) > [In feature animation, cartoony or exaggerated animation is almost taboo. There is this precedent that if you do that kind of stuff people won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genndy-tartakovsky/in-feature-animation-cartoony-or-exaggerated-animation-is-almost/) [Genndy Tartakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genndy-tartakovsky/) > [CGI has fully ruined car crashes. Because how can you be impressed with them now? When you watch them in the '70s, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/cgi-has-fully-ruined-car-crashes-because-how-can-you-be-impressed/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [To this day I over prepare. I draw storyboards for every scene - chicken scratches so crude that they amuse and horrify the crew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stoltz/to-this-day-i-over-prepare-i-draw-storyboards-for-every-scene-chicken/) [Eric Stoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stoltz/) > [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I took a lot of influences from Studio Ghibli, which is the Japanese animation studio that made 'Spirited Away' and 'Castle in the Sky.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hewlett/i-took-a-lot-of-influences-from-studio-ghibli-which-is-the-japanese/) [Jamie Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hewlett/) > [I've worked in animation for a long time. I started in Spain and I wanted to make feature films. That desire to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-garcia/i-ve-worked-in-animation-for-a-long-time-i-started-in-spain-and-i/) [Raul Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-garcia/) > [If you were to look at an old 'Betty Boop' cartoon or an 'Out of the Ink Well' animation, there are many things about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-seibert/if-you-were-to-look-at-an-old-betty-boop-cartoon-or-an-out-of-the-ink/) [Fred Seibert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-seibert/) > [Animation has always been about technology. You can't have animation without technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-wedge/animation-has-always-been-about-technology-you-can-t-have-animation/) [Chris Wedge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-wedge/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. 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With live-action, it would have turned into a story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/with-live-action-i-think-we-d-have-lost-the-universal-appeal-of-the/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) [Browse all 837 Animation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even if I had $200 million, I'm very wary of overusing CGI. 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