--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the great thing about filmmaking…" description: "\"That's the great thing about filmmaking: Things happen you don't know are going to happen at the end.\" — Thelma Schoonmaker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/thelma-schoonmaker-8192_end_that-s-the-great-thing-about-filmmaking_373171.png" --- # That's the great thing about filmmaking: Things happen you… ![“That's the great thing about filmmaking: Things happen you don't know are going to happen at the end.” quote by Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/thelma-schoonmaker-8192_end_that-s-the-great-thing-about-filmmaking_373171.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/thelma-schoonmaker-8192_end_that-s-the-great-thing-about-filmmaking_373171.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/thelma-schoonmaker-8192_end_that-s-the-great-thing-about-filmmaking_373171.png) > “That's the great thing about filmmaking: Things happen you don't know are going to happen at the end.” [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Notes that filmmaking is unpredictable; unexpected events shape the final outcome. **In simple terms:** Film making is full of surprises. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty in creative work. Themes creativity uncertainty storytelling Mood curious enthusiastic Type cinematic inspirational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - directing - post‑production - marketing campaigns Key Concepts narrative structure editing decisions audience expectation Questions to Reflect On - How do you adapt when plans change? - What strategies keep projects flexible? A Different Perspective Unexpected twists can disrupt planning and budgets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Filmmaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaking/) [Filmmaking Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaking-things-3400339/) [Going Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-happen/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Happen End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happen-end-1155713/) [Thing Filmmaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-filmmaking-1881750/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) ## Related quotes > [The only safe thing in filmmaking is to take a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-nichols/the-only-safe-thing-in-filmmaking-is-to-take-a-chance/) [Mike Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-nichols/) > [I always thought that's the wonderful thing about filmmaking: people see things differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/i-always-thought-that-s-the-wonderful-thing-about-filmmaking-people/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [You don’t know what’s going to happen in the end, and that’s what the best plays are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katori-hall/you-don-t-know-what-s-going-to-happen-in-the-end-and-that-s-what-the/) [Katori Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katori-hall/) > [I've learned one general thing in filmmaking: to work with one strong idea. One strong concept that pushes you to work in a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-khondji/i-ve-learned-one-general-thing-in-filmmaking-to-work-with-one-strong/) [Darius Khondji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-khondji/) > [“These things happen. It is not the end of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-mccaughrean/these-things-happen-it-is-not-the-end-of-the-world/) [Geraldine McCaughrean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-mccaughrean/) > [“After this, anything might happen. Anything at all. - The End”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/after-this-anything-might-happen-anything-at-all-the-end/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [The best way to live is by not knowing what will happen to you at the end of the day...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/the-best-way-to-live-is-by-not-knowing-what-will-happen-to-you-at-the/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [I don't really control the story. I just let it go where it wants to go. I have no idea what's going to happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-don-t-really-control-the-story-i-just-let-it-go-where-it-wants-to/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Endings are scary and foreign. They split you up emotionally and put you in a place where you don't know what's going to happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/endings-are-scary-and-foreign-they-split-you-up-emotionally-and-put/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [“This was what could happen to you: you could end up this far from where you were going”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/this-was-what-could-happen-to-you-you-could-end-up-this-far-from-2/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“This was what could happen to you: you could end up this far from where you thought you were going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/this-was-what-could-happen-to-you-you-could-end-up-this-far-from/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [It's our own ability to have an idea and go after the idea and make it happen. That's what at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satya-nadella/it-s-our-own-ability-to-have-an-idea-and-go-after-the-idea-and-make/) [Satya Nadella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satya-nadella/) > [I would love to see what's going to happen with science fiction with peoples' heads, because we still have people running around in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-nielsen/i-would-love-to-see-what-s-going-to-happen-with-science-fiction-with/) [Leslie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-nielsen/) > [I don't know why terrible things happen to us sometimes, but I have to believe that something good is going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-why-terrible-things-happen-to-us-sometimes-but-i-have-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We can sit and worry about what's going to happen to us two weeks from now. I'd rather focus on the amazing things happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/we-can-sit-and-worry-about-what-s-going-to-happen-to-us-two-weeks/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) ## More by Thelma Schoonmaker > [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/) > ['Raging Bull' was just a dream to work on, but it took a lot of work to get all those fights to work right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/raging-bull-was-just-a-dream-to-work-on-but-it-took-a-lot-of-work-to/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Film, if properly cared for, will last almost 100 years, but digital will not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/film-if-properly-cared-for-will-last-almost-100-years-but-digital/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [My family goes way back in New York. So I am a New Yorker; I feel like a New Yorker. It's in my bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/my-family-goes-way-back-in-new-york-so-i-am-a-new-yorker-i-feel-like/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [People expect artists to be too normal, I think. I've been around enough of them now to see that they're very extraordinary human beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/people-expect-artists-to-be-too-normal-i-think-i-ve-been-around/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Throwing things out is one of the most difficult and important things you ever have to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/throwing-things-out-is-one-of-the-most-difficult-and-important-things/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [One day, I read an extremely vague ad looking for someone interested in working in film. Seeing as I loved watching films, I replied,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/one-day-i-read-an-extremely-vague-ad-looking-for-someone-interested/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Even though my parents are American, I spent my whole childhood and adolescence abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/even-though-my-parents-are-american-i-spent-my-whole-childhood-and/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [When you're in a movie with an audience, you can feel where a film is dragging. People start to move. They fidget. You need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/when-you-re-in-a-movie-with-an-audience-you-can-feel-where-a-film-is/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [In the very beginning, women were editors because they were the people in the lab rolling the film before there was editing. Then when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/in-the-very-beginning-women-were-editors-because-they-were-the-people/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Michael's Powell art director was a painter and they had a wonderful friendship and artistic understanding. Michael himself, in the way he designed his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/michael-s-powell-art-director-was-a-painter-and-they-had-a-wonderful/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Boxing is insane and, in my opinion, should be banned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/boxing-is-insane-and-in-my-opinion-should-be-banned/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I love improvisation. I mean, it's hard to edit, because things don't necessarily fall together - you have to find ways to give it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/i-love-improvisation-i-mean-it-s-hard-to-edit-because-things-don-t/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Even in 'The Red Shoes,' a film that nobody ever has complaints about, there are enormous continuity bumps, and it doesn't matter. You know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/even-in-the-red-shoes-a-film-that-nobody-ever-has-complaints-about/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > ['Raging Bull' was badly received at first. It took 10 years for it to be recognised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/raging-bull-was-badly-received-at-first-it-took-10-years-for-it-to-be/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) [Explore all 83 Thelma Schoonmaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) ## More End quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/i-feel-i-handle-the-pressure-situations-well-and-that-s-why-i-want-to/) [AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Obviously, I want to win, but at the same time, at the end of the day, it's a game and that's what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/obviously-i-want-to-win-but-at-the-same-time-at-the-end-of-the-day-it/) [Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/) > [I loved Twitter. But I was going to end up saying something that would get me into trouble. I have kept a clean nose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-richards/i-loved-twitter-but-i-was-going-to-end-up-saying-something-that-would/) [Micah Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-richards/) > [I'm a humanist at heart: at the end of the day, we are all human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-faker/i-m-a-humanist-at-heart-at-the-end-of-the-day-we-are-all-human-beings/) [Chet Faker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-faker/) > [At the end of the day, winning games is the only thing that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/at-the-end-of-the-day-winning-games-is-the-only-thing-that-matters/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. 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