--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every stage of filmmaking's important…" description: "\"Every stage of filmmaking's important while you're doing it, so I spend most of my time figuring out how to tell the story. I have all these stories an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/richard-linklater-2192_filmmaking_every-stage-of-filmmaking-s-important-wh_1749728.jpg" --- # Every stage of filmmaking's important while you're doing… ![“Every stage of filmmaking's important while you're doing it, so I spend most of my time figuring out how to tell the story. I have all these stories and ideas, but it's how to tell the story.” quote by Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/richard-linklater-2192_filmmaking_every-stage-of-filmmaking-s-important-wh_1749728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/richard-linklater-2192_filmmaking_every-stage-of-filmmaking-s-important-wh_1749728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/richard-linklater-2192_filmmaking_every-stage-of-filmmaking-s-important-wh_1749728.jpg) > “Every stage of filmmaking's important while you're doing it, so I spend most of my time figuring out how to tell the story. I have all these stories and ideas, but it's how to tell the story.” [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective storytelling requires focusing on narrative structure, not just accumulating ideas. **In simple terms:** Prioritize how you tell a story over how many ideas you have. Key Takeaway Craft clear narrative arcs. Themes storytelling creativity process focus Mood reflective instructive Type quote interview When to use this quote - film development - scriptwriting workshops - creative brainstorming - production meetings Key Concepts narrative theory visual storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance idea generation with narrative clarity? - What methods keep story focus sharp? A Different Perspective Too much focus on structure can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Filmmaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaking/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I love it when other people can come up with ideas and tell me what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-pink/i-love-it-when-other-people-can-come-up-with-ideas-and-tell-me-what/) [Ariel Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-pink/) > [You're an actress! It's not about your ideas! You're there to tell other people's stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/you-re-an-actress-it-s-not-about-your-ideas-you-re-there-to-tell/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [You ask me where I get my ideas. That I cannot tell you with certainty. They come unsummoned, directly, indirectly - I could seize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-van-beethoven/you-ask-me-where-i-get-my-ideas-that-i-cannot-tell-you-with-certainty/) [Ludwig van Beethoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-van-beethoven/) > [“Ideas tell a lot about a person who generated them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/ideas-tell-a-lot-about-a-person-who-generated-them/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [It's good filmmaking when you don't have to say anything and you can still tell the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/it-s-good-filmmaking-when-you-don-t-have-to-say-anything-and-you-can/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [Don't wait around for someone else to tell your story. Do it yourself by whatever means necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/don-t-wait-around-for-someone-else-to-tell-your-story-do-it-yourself/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [You need contrast and conflict in order to tell a story. Stories need to have dark and light, turmoil, all those things. But that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/you-need-contrast-and-conflict-in-order-to-tell-a-story-stories-need/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [My filmmaking background has really just been making movies with my friends since I was 12 years old. 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You are desperate to communicate, to edify or entertain, to preserve moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/you-begin-to-string-words-together-like-beads-to-tell-a-story-you-are/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I wanted to tell the story of Luong Ung, who's a dear friend of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-wanted-to-tell-the-story-of-luong-ung-who-s-a-dear-friend-of-mine/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I like to tell stories in my writing but I definitely use my own life experiences to tell that story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoh-aalegra/i-like-to-tell-stories-in-my-writing-but-i-definitely-use-my-own-life/) [Snoh Aalegra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoh-aalegra/) > [Alright, all right," I said. "What if I tell you a story, instead?" Highlanders loved stories, and Jamie was no exception. "Oh, aye, "…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/alright-all-right-i-said-what-if-i-tell-you-a-story-instead/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) ## More by Richard Linklater > [There are so many great artists, I think, who kind of suffer from being icons, legends, acknowledged masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/there-are-so-many-great-artists-i-think-who-kind-of-suffer-from-being/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I think people forget how radical the narrative of 'Slacker' is. There's no story, you know? We could go from one character to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/i-think-people-forget-how-radical-the-narrative-of-slacker-is-there-s/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I always sensed instinctively from the earliest age that I was being lied to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/i-always-sensed-instinctively-from-the-earliest-age-that-i-was-being/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [It's just too late to ban all guns. There are 300 million. We should've done that after the Civil War - that's when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/it-s-just-too-late-to-ban-all-guns-there-are-300-million-we-should-ve/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I remember when I made 'A Scanner Darkly,' going, 'I hope people see it in theater - but I think it's going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/i-remember-when-i-made-a-scanner-darkly-going-i-hope-people-see-it-in/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [Normally my process is to sit in a room and read a script and talk about it and ask questions and just create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/normally-my-process-is-to-sit-in-a-room-and-read-a-script-and-talk/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [No one is asking what happened to all the homeless. No one cares, because it's easier to get on the subway and not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/no-one-is-asking-what-happened-to-all-the-homeless-no-one-cares/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [If you establish rules and play by them, the audience will buy in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/if-you-establish-rules-and-play-by-them-the-audience-will-buy-in/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I like films that just put you in someone's world. It can be very subversive. Hitchcock would put you in the mind of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/i-like-films-that-just-put-you-in-someone-s-world-it-can-be-very/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [Being alone is better than sitting next to a lover and feeling lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/being-alone-is-better-than-sitting-next-to-a-lover-and-feeling-lonely/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I admire people who can just brazenly go through the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/i-admire-people-who-can-just-brazenly-go-through-the-world/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [The '70s kind of sucked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/the-70s-kind-of-sucked/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [Memory is a wonderful thing if you don't have to deal with the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/memory-is-a-wonderful-thing-if-you-don-t-have-to-deal-with-the-past/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I want cinema to be a part of my life. It's natural for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/i-want-cinema-to-be-a-part-of-my-life-it-s-natural-for-me/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [My dad's chill. He's the guy who, you wreck the car, he says, 'Well, nobody was hurt. It's just some metal.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/my-dad-s-chill-he-s-the-guy-who-you-wreck-the-car-he-says-well-nobody/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) [Explore all 180 Richard Linklater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) ## More Film quotes > [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/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [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/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [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 started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. 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