--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You just can never count on a formula, on…" description: "\"You just can never count on a formula, on a movie that you think is going to be a big hit, and that's why you do it. You have to choose each one for wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/susan-sarandon-2799_able_you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on_1242680.jpg" --- # You just can never count on a formula, on a movie that you… ![“You just can never count on a formula, on a movie that you think is going to be a big hit, and that's why you do it. You have to choose each one for what you think you'll learn and the fun you'll have. And maybe the cool people that you work with or a character that you're going to be able to…” quote by Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/susan-sarandon-2799_able_you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on_1242680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/susan-sarandon-2799_able_you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on_1242680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/susan-sarandon-2799_able_you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on_1242680.jpg) > “You just can never count on a formula, on a movie that you think is going to be a big hit, and that's why you do it. You have to choose each one for what you think you'll learn and the fun you'll have. And maybe the cool people that you work with or a character that you're going to be able to explore ... You just keep your fingers crossed.” [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She advises choosing projects for learning and enjoyment, not just commercial success. **In simple terms:** Pick work for growth and fun, not fame. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal and over profit. Themes career creativity learning Mood inspired thoughtful Type career creative When to use this quote - film selection - career planning - team dynamics Key Concepts artistic fulfillment risk taking Questions to Reflect On - What project excites you beyond money? - How do you measure creative success? A Different Perspective Financial pressure can skew choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-going/) [Cool people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool-people/) [Fingers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fingers/) [Fingers crossed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fingers-crossed/) [Formula Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formula-movie-1423215/) [Formulas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formulas/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-think/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Work Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-character-285525/) ## Related quotes > [I think the ultimate thing in some ways for any writer is to work on a character who's going to have a life for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gould/i-think-the-ultimate-thing-in-some-ways-for-any-writer-is-to-work-on/) [Peter Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gould/) > [Look, if somebody said tomorrow, "We're making a Lethal Weapon formula movie, but it's incredibly well-written and for two women," I'm not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/look-if-somebody-said-tomorrow-we-re-making-a-lethal-weapon-formula/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [What you don't want is to repeat a formula over and over or impose a formula to a movie that...when you impose yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-lubezki/what-you-don-t-want-is-to-repeat-a-formula-over-and-over-or-impose-a/) [Emmanuel Lubezki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-lubezki/) > [If you want to be witty, work on your character and say what you think on every occasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/if-you-want-to-be-witty-work-on-your-character-and-say-what-you-think/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Of course, when you work on a character, you try to understand her. You feel that everything she does has a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-bejo/of-course-when-you-work-on-a-character-you-try-to-understand-her-you/) [Berenice Bejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-bejo/) > [Human character is just endlessly fascinating, and there is no character who is one thing any more than any one person is just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sada-thompson/human-character-is-just-endlessly-fascinating-and-there-is-no/) [Sada Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sada-thompson/) > [You really try to work the character out and spend time in the headspace of the character. That's what I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-norton/you-really-try-to-work-the-character-out-and-spend-time-in-the/) [James Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-norton/) > [Because of the pace of daytime, you don't necessarily have time to work every detail of your character, so you have to bring a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brown/because-of-the-pace-of-daytime-you-don-t-necessarily-have-time-to/) [Sarah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brown/) > [“Work on your character, let life fall into place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rumzi/work-on-your-character-let-life-fall-into-place/) [Sonia Rumzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rumzi/) > [Dealing with difficult people makes me realize how much I need to work on my character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dealing-with-difficult-people-makes-me-realize-how-much-i-need-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more deeply connected you are with the people that you're working with, the better the work and the character, and then, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-mathison/the-more-deeply-connected-you-are-with-the-people-that-you-re-working/) [Cameron Mathison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-mathison/) > [In 'The Travelers,' everyone is defined by his or her relationship to work. I put each character on a different rung of the ladder:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/in-the-travelers-everyone-is-defined-by-his-or-her-relationship-to/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [Of course, even if the directors like my ideas or the designs I do, they may end up changing the story so much, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walton/of-course-even-if-the-directors-like-my-ideas-or-the-designs-i-do/) [Mark Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walton/) > [When you work on a character, you form in your mind an image of what he ought to look like. Then you go and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/when-you-work-on-a-character-you-form-in-your-mind-an-image-of-what/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) ## More by Susan Sarandon > [I'm happy to be considered desirable. I love it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-m-happy-to-be-considered-desirable-i-love-it/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [Being a Catholic, I was drawn to the mystery of the Latin and the smoke and the mirrors and all of that. That part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/being-a-catholic-i-was-drawn-to-the-mystery-of-the-latin-and-the/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [It's still not easy to find roles that offer more complex images of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/it-s-still-not-easy-to-find-roles-that-offer-more-complex-images-of/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [I'm always trying to have a good time on set because that's when things happen. That's when you're playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-m-always-trying-to-have-a-good-time-on-set-because-that-s-when/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [To each person, their own way of death - with dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/to-each-person-their-own-way-of-death-with-dignity/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [To become a lapsed Catholic, first go to a Catholic university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/to-become-a-lapsed-catholic-first-go-to-a-catholic-university/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [To know that once you decide to look at life outside of the narrow limits of just your world and start to understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/to-know-that-once-you-decide-to-look-at-life-outside-of-the-narrow/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [You have to take away the idea that something you do is right or wrong. I don't think there's a right or a wrong;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/you-have-to-take-away-the-idea-that-something-you-do-is-right-or/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [I hesitate to direct even though I feel I contribute a lot on a set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-hesitate-to-direct-even-though-i-feel-i-contribute-a-lot-on-a-set/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [I think looking at your own life, on- and offscreen, you can motivate anything, or you can delude yourself into anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-think-looking-at-your-own-life-on-and-offscreen-you-can-motivate/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [It is a different world than when I was growing up, and you started to just kind of maintain at thirty-five and just hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/it-is-a-different-world-than-when-i-was-growing-up-and-you-started-to/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [I'm a native New Yorker. Everything to do with New York feels like my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-m-a-native-new-yorker-everything-to-do-with-new-york-feels-like-my/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [I try to live my life every day in the present, and try not to turn a blind eye to injustice and need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-try-to-live-my-life-every-day-in-the-present-and-try-not-to-turn-a/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [I hope they're present in their lives and feel some kind of empathy. I think a lot of the mistakes that have been made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-hope-they-re-present-in-their-lives-and-feel-some-kind-of-empathy-i/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [If you walk down the street and see someone in a box, you have a choice. That person is either the other and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/if-you-walk-down-the-street-and-see-someone-in-a-box-you-have-a/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) [Explore all 149 Susan Sarandon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You just can never count on a formula, on a movie that you think is going to be a big hit, and that's why you do it. You have to choose each one for what you think you'll learn and the fun you'll have. And maybe the cool people that you work with or a character that you're going to be able to explore ... You just keep your fingers crossed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan Sarandon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on-a-movie-that-you-think-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on-a-movie-that-you-think-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/susan-sarandon-2799_able_you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on_1242680.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/susan-sarandon-2799_able_you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on_1242680.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/susan-sarandon-2799_able_you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on_1242680.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You just can never count on a formula, on a movie that you think is going to be a big hit, and that's why…” — Susan Sarandon", "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": "Susan Sarandon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You just can never count on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on-a-movie-that-you-think-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on-a-movie-that-you-think-is/#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 } } ] } ```