--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I'll be making…" description: "\"I don't think I'll be making documentaries my whole life.\" — Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-15157_documentaries_i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentari_3130991.jpg" --- # I don't think I'll be making documentaries my whole life. ![“I don't think I'll be making documentaries my whole life.” quote by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-15157_documentaries_i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentari_3130991.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-15157_documentaries_i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentari_3130991.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-15157_documentaries_i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentari_3130991.jpg) > “I don't think I'll be making documentaries my whole life.” [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges that documentary filmmaking may not be a lifelong pursuit, suggesting openness to new directions. **In simple terms:** Documentary work may not be a permanent path. Key Takeaway Stay open to evolving professional interests. Themes career growth flexibility Mood thoughtful ambitious Type reflective strategic When to use this quote - documentary filmmaking - career planning - personal development - future projects Key Concepts lifelong learning career transition Questions to Reflect On - What new fields excite you? - How will you leverage documentary skills elsewhere? A Different Perspective Risk of abandoning expertise or momentum in current field. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I wanna be an icon like Bob Marley and have documentaries about my life one day. Music is my life...I won't give up til…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanel-dudley/i-wanna-be-an-icon-like-bob-marley-and-have-documentaries-about-my/) [Chanel Dudley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanel-dudley/) > [Keep wishing you were me, and I'll keep making you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-day-to-remember/keep-wishing-you-were-me-and-i-ll-keep-making-you-have-to/) [A Day To Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-day-to-remember/) > [Being an artist is a very long game. It is not a 10-year game. I hope I'll be around making art when I'm 80](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anish-kapoor/being-an-artist-is-a-very-long-game-it-is-not-a-10-year-game-i-hope-i/) [Anish Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anish-kapoor/) > [In some ways, making documentaries is like being a journalist. You interview people and then use the bits you want to use as opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/in-some-ways-making-documentaries-is-like-being-a-journalist-you/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [I don't think there's so much difference between making documentaries and feature films. I think it's even harder to make documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danis-tanovic/i-don-t-think-there-s-so-much-difference-between-making-documentaries/) [Danis Tanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danis-tanovic/) > [I suppose making documentaries is like doing journalism on film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/i-suppose-making-documentaries-is-like-doing-journalism-on-film/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [My background is sociology. Combined with my graphic approach, if I could do some film projects, I think I'd be very good at making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-carson/my-background-is-sociology-combined-with-my-graphic-approach-if-i/) [David Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-carson/) > [I had worked in fiction a lot before I started making documentaries, but when I was around 32 or 33-years-old I suddenly got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/i-had-worked-in-fiction-a-lot-before-i-started-making-documentaries/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) > [If you're not doing it for the right reasons, then you'd be dumb to be making documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-neville/if-you-re-not-doing-it-for-the-right-reasons-then-you-d-be-dumb-to-be/) [Morgan Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-neville/) > [The thing about making a documentary in Las Vegas is there isn't much to film apart from other people making documentaries about Las Vegas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-thing-about-making-a-documentary-in-las-vegas-is-there-isn-t-much/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [I love the idea of documentaries. I love seeing documentaries, and I love making them. Documentaries are incredibly easy to shoot. The ease with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-demme/i-love-the-idea-of-documentaries-i-love-seeing-documentaries-and-i/) [Jonathan Demme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-demme/) > [A publisher friend of mine suggested that I write a book about my grandfather, who had just died. I had nothing else to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/a-publisher-friend-of-mine-suggested-that-i-write-a-book-about-my/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [From making documentaries all these years, it doesn't feel right to lead someone. In narratives, I'm always trying to shoot as though it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-cianfrance/from-making-documentaries-all-these-years-it-doesn-t-feel-right-to/) [Derek Cianfrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-cianfrance/) > [People have said to me, 'Oh, you are much nicer making documentaries than you were in politics.' So I should be. If you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/people-have-said-to-me-oh-you-are-much-nicer-making-documentaries/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [Well, going way back, when we were making short films, it was just the two of us. Literally, Anna had her little camcorder and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-fleck/well-going-way-back-when-we-were-making-short-films-it-was-just-the/) [Ryan Fleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-fleck/) ## More by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy > [All the women in Pakistan working for change, don't give up on your dreams, this is for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/all-the-women-in-pakistan-working-for-change-don-t-give-up-on-your/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [Pakistan destroyed its own reputation. If anything, I have improved Pakistan's image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/pakistan-destroyed-its-own-reputation-if-anything-i-have-improved/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from - if you put quality work out there, it will be appreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/it-doesn-t-matter-who-you-are-or-where-you-come-from-if-you-put/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [There were a lot of unique challenges in producing the film, such as the logistical issues inherent in producing a long-term verite film in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/there-were-a-lot-of-unique-challenges-in-producing-the-film-such-as/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [In terms of 'Saving Face,' I was inspired by the stories of survivors who didn't let their attacks stop them from pursuing justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/in-terms-of-saving-face-i-was-inspired-by-the-stories-of-survivors/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [My films are motivated by a keen interest in highlighting issues that affect marginalized populations who are caught in difficult circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/my-films-are-motivated-by-a-keen-interest-in-highlighting-issues-that/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [When you play music, you don't need a language. Music is a language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/when-you-play-music-you-don-t-need-a-language-music-is-a-language/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [Education liberates a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/education-liberates-a-woman/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [In December 2011, I will be opening up my production house, Sharmeen Obaid Films, and aspire to change the way Pakistanis approach nonfiction storytelling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/in-december-2011-i-will-be-opening-up-my-production-house-sharmeen/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [By giving our audience intimate access to the lives of musicians, we hope to raise awareness of the region's beautiful cultural heritage and present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/by-giving-our-audience-intimate-access-to-the-lives-of-musicians-we/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [The day I won an Emmy was also the day my father passed away. I received a call from my sister on the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/the-day-i-won-an-emmy-was-also-the-day-my-father-passed-away-i/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [Thousands of civilians have lost their lives to terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, and thousands more will - because, unlike the Pakistani government, which has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/thousands-of-civilians-have-lost-their-lives-to-terrorist-attacks/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [There are a number of parallels between the slums of Brazil and those found in my hometown, Karachi. The dichotomy that exists in Brazil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/there-are-a-number-of-parallels-between-the-slums-of-brazil-and-those/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [It's often said that I choose subjects that are sensational! I choose to film subjects that spark difficult conversations and make people uncomfortable. Change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/it-s-often-said-that-i-choose-subjects-that-are-sensational-i-choose/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [I believe in telling the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/i-believe-in-telling-the-truth/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) [Explore all 44 Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) ## More Documentaries quotes > [I like the cinema of people like Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton. I am not keen on trying to reproduce reality - for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-jeunet/i-like-the-cinema-of-people-like-terry-gilliam-and-tim-burton-i-am/) [Jean-Pierre Jeunet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-jeunet/) > [Many people, including myself, thought of Jobs as an inventor, an Edison-like figure, but he wasn't. I did a documentary on James Brown recently;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/many-people-including-myself-thought-of-jobs-as-an-inventor-an-edison/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [The documentary style is an incredibly flexible and useful one. It's a wonderful tool for establishing the credibility of the version of things that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gohlke/the-documentary-style-is-an-incredibly-flexible-and-useful-one-it-s-a/) [Frank Gohlke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gohlke/) > [Most of the photographs people take with their cameraphones are of little value in terms of documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/most-of-the-photographs-people-take-with-their-cameraphones-are-of/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [...it is a very risky thing for anyone to go about proclaiming the truth simply because he finds himself in possession of concrete documentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-amado/it-is-a-very-risky-thing-for-anyone-to-go-about-proclaiming-the-truth/) [Jorge Amado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-amado/) > [Most of my life, I thought that I would end up a novelist. But then, in New York City, after college, I started a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/most-of-my-life-i-thought-that-i-would-end-up-a-novelist-but-then-in/) [Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/) > [By calling it a memoir, I meant is as a collection of memories. I thought it was (a more) artful (title) than documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-merchant/by-calling-it-a-memoir-i-meant-is-as-a-collection-of-memories-i/) [Natalie Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-merchant/) > [I'm a documentary photographer. That's what I've always wanted to be; that's where my heart and soul is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-a-documentary-photographer-that-s-what-i-ve-always-wanted-to-be/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [The pictures that were coming from Vietnam were showing us what was really happening on the ground level. It was in contradiction to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nachtwey/the-pictures-that-were-coming-from-vietnam-were-showing-us-what-was/) [James Nachtwey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nachtwey/) > [I'm in school every day. It depends on what it is that you do with all that free time when I'm not on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-lyte/i-m-in-school-every-day-it-depends-on-what-it-is-that-you-do-with-all/) [MC Lyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-lyte/) > [If you merely focus on what we already know, then it's not revelatory. You may as well just go and watch a documentary or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/if-you-merely-focus-on-what-we-already-know-then-it-s-not-revelatory/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [So I do tend to do documentaries where I can move in and out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-apted/so-i-do-tend-to-do-documentaries-where-i-can-move-in-and-out-of-them/) [Michael Apted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-apted/) > [Helen Weaver’s book was a revelation to me! Although I was a young woman in the fifties, I was there, but I wasn’t there!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-cassady/helen-weaver-s-book-was-a-revelation-to-me-although-i-was-a-young/) Carolyn Cassady > [There's a tradition of reenactment in documentary which is about sort of illustrating what the past might have been like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-oppenheimer/there-s-a-tradition-of-reenactment-in-documentary-which-is-about-sort/) [Joshua Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-oppenheimer/) > [I've had frustrated storytelling juices that have been lying dormant for a long time, and I guess the documentary was a way of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-ve-had-frustrated-storytelling-juices-that-have-been-lying-dormant/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) [Browse all 718 Documentaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think I'll be making documentaries my whole life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentaries-my-whole-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Documentaries" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentaries-my-whole-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-15157_documentaries_i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentari_3130991.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-15157_documentaries_i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentari_3130991.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-15157_documentaries_i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentari_3130991.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think I'll be making documentaries my whole life.” — Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy", "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": "Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think I'll be making...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentaries-my-whole-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/i-don-t-think-i-ll-be-making-documentaries-my-whole-life/#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 } } ] } ```