Costs Quote by Sydney Pollack
“When you're shooting a feature that costs $200,000 a day with a crew of 250, you don't want accidents; you want to know exactly what's going to happen. But with a documentary, you don't, so you have to be sensitive to accidents because that is where the gold is.”
About This Quote
In high‑budget narrative filmmaking, predictability and control are prized, whereas documentary work thrives on unexpected moments that create value.
In simple terms: Big productions need control; documentaries benefit from accidents.
Embrace uncertainty in documentary storytelling.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- film production planning
- documentary shooting
- budget allocation
- creative decision‑making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance safety with openness to surprise?
- What strategies turn accidents into storytelling assets?
Unplanned events can cause safety or legal issues.