--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I make a movie, I don't break it…" description: "\"When I make a movie, I don't break it down and analyze it. I could but it would get in the way of doing a job - on instinct based on all the research w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/viggo-mortensen-1554_acting_when-i-make-a-movie-i-don-t-break-it-dow_163841.jpg" --- # When I make a movie, I don't break it down and analyze it… ![“When I make a movie, I don't break it down and analyze it. I could but it would get in the way of doing a job - on instinct based on all the research we did going in. you want to trust yourself and your director and your acting partners in the circumstances you're shooting. I don't like to have…” quote by Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/viggo-mortensen-1554_acting_when-i-make-a-movie-i-don-t-break-it-dow_163841.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/viggo-mortensen-1554_acting_when-i-make-a-movie-i-don-t-break-it-dow_163841.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/viggo-mortensen-1554_acting_when-i-make-a-movie-i-don-t-break-it-dow_163841.jpg) > “When I make a movie, I don't break it down and analyze it. I could but it would get in the way of doing a job - on instinct based on all the research we did going in. you want to trust yourself and your director and your acting partners in the circumstances you're shooting. I don't like to have any kind of overview.” [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He values instinctive, collaborative creation over analytical dissection, trusting intuition and team dynamics during filming. **In simple terms:** Trust instinct and teamwork rather than over‑analysis. Key Takeaway Rely on intuition and collaboration. Themes creativity collaboration intuition trust process Mood focused confident reflective Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - film production - improvisational performance - spontaneous decision‑making Key Concepts artistic flow team dynamics creative risk mindful presence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance intuition with preparation? - When might analysis improve a creative outcome? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on instinct may ignore useful data or lead to missed improvements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Analyze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analyze/) [Analyze Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analyze-way-1791711/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) [Director Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-acting-542909/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Make Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-movie-300211/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Partners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partners/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting/) [Trust yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-yourself/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I think it makes such a huge difference when the director has acting experience as well because it just means that he not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-boynton/i-think-it-makes-such-a-huge-difference-when-the-director-has-acting/) [Lucy Boynton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-boynton/) > [I'm not a huge kind of visual director. For me, it's all about the acting. There's no greater buzz than working with actors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mullan/i-m-not-a-huge-kind-of-visual-director-for-me-it-s-all-about-the/) [Peter Mullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mullan/) > [I think what makes a good actor's director is the same thing that makes a good director. Acting is just one of the trades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-what-makes-a-good-actor-s-director-is-the-same-thing-that/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I learn a lot as a director from acting in other people's films and just in general. I want to try and be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-learn-a-lot-as-a-director-from-acting-in-other-people-s-films-and-2/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I learn a lot as a director from acting in other people's films and just in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-learn-a-lot-as-a-director-from-acting-in-other-people-s-films-and/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [I have always been a director first and the whole acting thing just happened because none of my friends wanted to be in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/i-have-always-been-a-director-first-and-the-whole-acting-thing-just/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [Every director should take an acting class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/every-director-should-take-an-acting-class/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [Every director should take an acting class. At least one. You know, you panic with actors. It's like, "Okay, this is back in college,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/every-director-should-take-an-acting-class-at-least-one-you-know-you/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [Each time I make a movie, it's like a paid scholarship to a different university course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/each-time-i-make-a-movie-it-s-like-a-paid-scholarship-to-a-different/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [You have to be able to analyze yourself and critique yourself from every which way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scherzer/you-have-to-be-able-to-analyze-yourself-and-critique-yourself-from/) [Max Scherzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scherzer/) > [I have made sense of my life by developing an ability to analyze Mainstream American Cultural Artifacts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-s-trow/i-have-made-sense-of-my-life-by-developing-an-ability-to-analyze/) [George W. S. Trow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-s-trow/) > [Love does not analyze its object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/love-does-not-analyze-its-object/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [My job is to analyze our data set to understand it and build products on it. I look at raw data, do the math…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/my-job-is-to-analyze-our-data-set-to-understand-it-and-build-products/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > ['Life's That Way' was an extraordinarily difficult book to write, because it wasn't written as a book. It was written as a journal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/life-s-that-way-was-an-extraordinarily-difficult-book-to-write/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [We look at the world and analyze the world, and see what we can do that is in line of our mutual interest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/we-look-at-the-world-and-analyze-the-world-and-see-what-we-can-do/) [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/) ## More by Viggo Mortensen > [Speaking more than one language and living in a multicultural family and environment did not seem like anything but what it was: the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/speaking-more-than-one-language-and-living-in-a-multicultural-family/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [We all experience many freakish and unexpected events - you have to be open to suffering a little. The philosopher Schopenhauer talked about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/we-all-experience-many-freakish-and-unexpected-events-you-have-to-be/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Most actors can't make any kind of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/most-actors-can-t-make-any-kind-of-living/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [As far as money goes, there's a saying in Denmark: 'Your last suit doesn't have any pockets.' You can't take it with you. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/as-far-as-money-goes-there-s-a-saying-in-denmark-your-last-suit-doesn/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Most movies are lucky to have one moment, one shot that you look at and you always remember that moment and that scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/most-movies-are-lucky-to-have-one-moment-one-shot-that-you-look-at/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I like stories that leave you wanting more, leave you wondering, but don't tell you everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-like-stories-that-leave-you-wanting-more-leave-you-wondering-but/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Usually the characters I play are men of few words, who communicate in non-verbal ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/usually-the-characters-i-play-are-men-of-few-words-who-communicate-in/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [You do need to get lucky, no matter how talented you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/you-do-need-to-get-lucky-no-matter-how-talented-you-are/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [When I was a little boy, I rode, but I didn't own horses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-rode-but-i-didn-t-own-horses/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I realise how important it is to use the time I have. I respect people who want to do that by watching television. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-realise-how-important-it-is-to-use-the-time-i-have-i-respect-people/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [When I land in a country and they ask for 'occupation,' I always just put 'artist.' I think that covers all of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/when-i-land-in-a-country-and-they-ask-for-occupation-i-always-just/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I was born in New York but as a baby moved to Venezuela and Argentina. I've also lived in Denmark, where my father's from.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-was-born-in-new-york-but-as-a-baby-moved-to-venezuela-and-argentina/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [People are becoming more intimately acquainted with people who are different than them - it's not so unusual anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/people-are-becoming-more-intimately-acquainted-with-people-who-are/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [There might be people out there who wouldn't hire me because they thought I should keep my mouth shut, but I'm not aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/there-might-be-people-out-there-who-wouldn-t-hire-me-because-they/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Bernie Sanders has inspired millions of people in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/bernie-sanders-has-inspired-millions-of-people-in-this-country/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) [Explore all 228 Viggo Mortensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I make a movie, I don't break it down and analyze it. I could but it would get in the way of doing a job - on instinct based on all the research we did going in. you want to trust yourself and your director and your acting partners in the circumstances you're shooting. 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