--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes you have to make a movie to…" description: "\"Sometimes you have to make a movie to make money.\" — Robin Williams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/robin-williams-682_cinema_sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-ma_2993683.jpg" --- # Sometimes you have to make a movie to make money. ![“Sometimes you have to make a movie to make money.” quote by Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/robin-williams-682_cinema_sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-ma_2993683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/robin-williams-682_cinema_sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-ma_2993683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/robin-williams-682_cinema_sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-ma_2993683.jpg) > “Sometimes you have to make a movie to make money.” [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sometimes creating a film is a means to generate profit, not art. **In simple terms:** Make movies for money sometimes. Key Takeaway Balance art and profit. Themes art commerce film industry Mood cynical pragmatic Type observational critical When to use this quote - Hollywood - indie filmmaking - budgeting - career strategy Key Concepts economics creativity media studies Questions to Reflect On - When is profit justified? - How to keep art alive? A Different Perspective Profit focus can dilute artistic vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [No one will ever make your movie. They will only make their movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-kaufman/no-one-will-ever-make-your-movie-they-will-only-make-their-movie/) [Millard Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-kaufman/) > [I don't want to be in somebody else's movie, and then they make all the money. I've gotten offers to do the movies, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eazy-e/i-don-t-want-to-be-in-somebody-else-s-movie-and-then-they-make-all/) [Eazy-E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eazy-e/) > [Once you know how to make a movie, you can't not make a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/once-you-know-how-to-make-a-movie-you-can-t-not-make-a-movie/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Sometimes I test myself saying, 'If I get a death sentence if I don't make this movie, would I still make this movie?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/sometimes-i-test-myself-saying-if-i-get-a-death-sentence-if-i-don-t/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [There's actually a big difference between story and character. A great story doesn't make a great movie. A great script, which defines its moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/there-s-actually-a-big-difference-between-story-and-character-a-great/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [When I make a movie, I make one fighting scene a month.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/when-i-make-a-movie-i-make-one-fighting-scene-a-month/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [The only reason you make a movie is not to make or set out to do a good or a bad movie, it's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-cuaron/the-only-reason-you-make-a-movie-is-not-to-make-or-set-out-to-do-a/) [Alfonso Cuaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-cuaron/) > [The traditions of Hollywood are grand and great and are going to survive forever, in a way. But they're not going to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/the-traditions-of-hollywood-are-grand-and-great-and-are-going-to/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [When art is really great, it's really powerful, can really do something to you, make you feel more alive and make you feel more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-schnabel/when-art-is-really-great-it-s-really-powerful-can-really-do-something/) [Julian Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-schnabel/) > [A debut movie is something that you envision for many, many years. If you really want to make a movie, you constantly think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoffer-boe/a-debut-movie-is-something-that-you-envision-for-many-many-years-if/) Christoffer Boe > [I don't really like those sorts of actresses who say, 'I don't want to make that movie,' but they make the movie. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-laurent/i-don-t-really-like-those-sorts-of-actresses-who-say-i-don-t-want-to/) [Melanie Laurent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-laurent/) > [It's not a matter of how well can you make a movie. It's how well can you make it under the circumstance, because there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/it-s-not-a-matter-of-how-well-can-you-make-a-movie-it-s-how-well-can/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [Don't try and make a movie for someone else. You have to make it for you and trust that you're not that unique. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/don-t-try-and-make-a-movie-for-someone-else-you-have-to-make-it-for/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [It's so hard to actually get the money to make your movie. When you actually have the chance to do it, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-babbit/it-s-so-hard-to-actually-get-the-money-to-make-your-movie-when-you/) [Jamie Babbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-babbit/) > [When you make a movie, you can only make the movie that you would want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/when-you-make-a-movie-you-can-only-make-the-movie-that-you-would-want/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) ## More by Robin Williams > [On stage you're free. You can say and do things that if you said and did any place else, you'd be arrested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/on-stage-you-re-free-you-can-say-and-do-things-that-if-you-said-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Humor is a great defense, and an offense too. Usually the recipient isn't too happy about it, but the people around are laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/humor-is-a-great-defense-and-an-offense-too-usually-the-recipient-isn/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [What's wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/what-s-wrong-with-death-sir-what-are-we-so-mortally-afraid-of-why-can/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/spring-is-nature-s-way-of-saying-let-s-party/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I had sex with a prostitute when I was 21, I was so bad, she gave me a refund.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-had-sex-with-a-prostitute-when-i-was-21-i-was-so-bad-she-gave-me-a/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [We were talking briefly about cocaine... yeah. Anything that makes you paranoid and impotent, give me more of that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/we-were-talking-briefly-about-cocaine-yeah-anything-that-makes-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [In America they really do mythologise people when they die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/in-america-they-really-do-mythologise-people-when-they-die/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-always-thought-the-idea-of-education-was-to-learn-to-think-for/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I was a serious method actor until I visited this site.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-was-a-serious-method-actor-until-i-visited-this-site/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I'm history! No, I'm mythology! Nah, I don't care what I am, I'm free!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-m-history-no-i-m-mythology-nah-i-don-t-care-what-i-am-i-m-free/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [But only in their dreams can men be truly free. It was always thus and always thus will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/but-only-in-their-dreams-can-men-be-truly-free-it-was-always-thus-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [People say satire is dead. It's not dead; it's alive and living in the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/people-say-satire-is-dead-it-s-not-dead-it-s-alive-and-living-in-the/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [For me, comedy starts as a spew, a kind of explosion, and then you sculpt it from there, if at all. It comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/for-me-comedy-starts-as-a-spew-a-kind-of-explosion-and-then-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Carpe per diem - seize the check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/carpe-per-diem-seize-the-check/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Cable is not bound because people pay for it. It's literally a choice, that's the operative word. If you don't like the language, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/cable-is-not-bound-because-people-pay-for-it-it-s-literally-a-choice/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) [Explore all 413 Robin Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) ## 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 > [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": "Sometimes you have to make a movie to make money.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robin Williams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-make-money/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-make-money/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/robin-williams-682_cinema_sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-ma_2993683.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/robin-williams-682_cinema_sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-ma_2993683.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/robin-williams-682_cinema_sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-ma_2993683.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes you have to make a movie to make money.” — Robin Williams", "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": "Robin Williams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes you have to make a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-make-money/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/sometimes-you-have-to-make-a-movie-to-make-money/#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 } } ] } ```