--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wouldn't be making films if I just…" description: "\"I wouldn't be making films if I just wanted to express some specific ideas; then I would be writing essays or something.\" — Yorgos Lanthimos" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/yorgos-lanthimos-4870_cinema_i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wan_2876903.jpg" --- # I wouldn't be making films if I just wanted to express… ![“I wouldn't be making films if I just wanted to express some specific ideas; then I would be writing essays or something.” quote by Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/yorgos-lanthimos-4870_cinema_i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wan_2876903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/yorgos-lanthimos-4870_cinema_i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wan_2876903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/yorgos-lanthimos-4870_cinema_i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wan_2876903.jpg) > “I wouldn't be making films if I just wanted to express some specific ideas; then I would be writing essays or something.” [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prefers filmmaking over essay writing, seeking visual storytelling over direct exposition. **In simple terms:** He chooses film to show ideas, not just explain them. Key Takeaway Use visual media to convey complex ideas. Themes creativity film expression Mood artistic reflective Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - filmmaking - education - marketing Key Concepts visual storytelling medium choice artistic intent Questions to Reflect On - How does visual narrative differ from written argument? - What stories need visual rather than textual form? A Different Perspective Films may be misinterpreted without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-writing-929242/) [Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making/) [Making Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-films-342962/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Specific Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specific-ideas-579928/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Wouldn Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wouldn-making-3965168/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing essays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-essays/) ## Related quotes > [I learned about making films by going into advertising, making commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-learned-about-making-films-by-going-into-advertising-making/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I have very, very specific ideas about how I want to do my work and how I want to be perceived and to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-have-very-very-specific-ideas-about-how-i-want-to-do-my-work-and/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [I had really specific ideas of what kind of mom I was going to be and what kind of things I was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/i-had-really-specific-ideas-of-what-kind-of-mom-i-was-going-to-be-and/) [Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/) > [I have no specific ideas in mind of what I will or won't do; it's all about the roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-ryan/i-have-no-specific-ideas-in-mind-of-what-i-will-or-won-t-do-it-s-all/) [Jeri Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-ryan/) > [As my kid gets a little bit older, if I feel like I have a little bit more time on my hands, I'd like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/as-my-kid-gets-a-little-bit-older-if-i-feel-like-i-have-a-little-bit/) [Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/) > [Just get all of your ideas down. To me, writing is therapy and a way to clear your mind and step into a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cannon/just-get-all-of-your-ideas-down-to-me-writing-is-therapy-and-a-way-to/) [Nick Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cannon/) > [I have great ideas, but the follow through is always really difficult for me. As my kid gets a little bit older, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/i-have-great-ideas-but-the-follow-through-is-always-really-difficult/) [Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/) > [I think I know what my bandmates like or are interested in or would be interested in doing. I take ideas and I develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dieterich/i-think-i-know-what-my-bandmates-like-or-are-interested-in-or-would/) [John Dieterich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dieterich/) > [No, I don't harbor any mystical ideas about writing, Your Honor, it's work like any other kind of craft; the power of literature, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/no-i-don-t-harbor-any-mystical-ideas-about-writing-your-honor-it-s/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [We may have our own ideas in the writing and editing stages, but we work out those disagreements in a constructive way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-fleck/we-may-have-our-own-ideas-in-the-writing-and-editing-stages-but-we/) [Ryan Fleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-fleck/) > [If you take a few days to write an outline, you're just making up scenes that you think will work, that you think will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/if-you-take-a-few-days-to-write-an-outline-you-re-just-making-up/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I was making commercials. That's how I learned the craft. That was the marketing part of it: directing commercial for TV. It wasn't the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-was-making-commercials-that-s-how-i-learned-the-craft-that-was-the/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I'm very open to making films anywhere in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-m-very-open-to-making-films-anywhere-in-the-world/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [It's true that there are younger people making films, and there are different kinds of films. This has created some attention in what's coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/it-s-true-that-there-are-younger-people-making-films-and-there-are/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [Even before the economic crisis in Greece there was no structure for making films - no proper industry, and the structure didn't help filmmakers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/even-before-the-economic-crisis-in-greece-there-was-no-structure-for/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) ## More by Yorgos Lanthimos > [As long as I can make the films I want to make in decent conditions, I am happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/as-long-as-i-can-make-the-films-i-want-to-make-in-decent-conditions-i/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I'm just trying to progress with every film I make and become better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-m-just-trying-to-progress-with-every-film-i-make-and-become-better/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [For me, filmmaking is not about making statements but about exposing human behavior so people are eager enough to start thinking on their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/for-me-filmmaking-is-not-about-making-statements-but-about-exposing/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [When people don't understand what they're watching, a lot of what they perceive has to do with who they themselves are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/when-people-don-t-understand-what-they-re-watching-a-lot-of-what-they/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [No studio picks up the phone after seeing 'Dogtooth' and goes, like, 'We have the next superhero movie.' Though if one did, that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/no-studio-picks-up-the-phone-after-seeing-dogtooth-and-goes-like-we/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [Everybody has a love/hate relationship with their own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/everybody-has-a-love-hate-relationship-with-their-own-country/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I learned about making films by going into advertising, making commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-learned-about-making-films-by-going-into-advertising-making/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I don't have time to read much. I'm trying to read 'The Brothers Karamazov' again, for a year now - I keep getting halfway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-don-t-have-time-to-read-much-i-m-trying-to-read-the-brothers/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [Yeah, it shouldn't be an issue. Stories about women, about men, about homosexuals, about heterosexuals. We shouldn't point at what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/yeah-it-shouldn-t-be-an-issue-stories-about-women-about-men-about/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I think children are really violent with each other often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-think-children-are-really-violent-with-each-other-often/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I think it's been obvious from the beginning that my projects are not going to be something that people already have in mind. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-think-it-s-been-obvious-from-the-beginning-that-my-projects-are-not/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [Anytime people see an emotion that is not extremely emotional, they call it 'deadpan.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/anytime-people-see-an-emotion-that-is-not-extremely-emotional-they/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I never think in metaphors or fully make those kind of associations myself. I just lay down a complex situation and hope things arise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-never-think-in-metaphors-or-fully-make-those-kind-of-associations/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I'm very open to making films anywhere in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-m-very-open-to-making-films-anywhere-in-the-world/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I work very closely with my co-writer, Efthimis Filippou. Ideas either start from him or me, and then the other one develops it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-work-very-closely-with-my-co-writer-efthimis-filippou-ideas-either/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) [Explore all 105 Yorgos Lanthimos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [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/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wouldn't be making films if I just wanted to express some specific ideas; then I would be writing essays or something.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yorgos Lanthimos" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wanted-to-express-some-specific/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wanted-to-express-some-specific/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/yorgos-lanthimos-4870_cinema_i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wan_2876903.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/yorgos-lanthimos-4870_cinema_i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wan_2876903.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/yorgos-lanthimos-4870_cinema_i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wan_2876903.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wouldn't be making films if I just wanted to express some specific ideas; then I would be writing essays…” — Yorgos Lanthimos", "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": "Yorgos Lanthimos", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wouldn't be making films if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wanted-to-express-some-specific/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-wouldn-t-be-making-films-if-i-just-wanted-to-express-some-specific/#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 } } ] } ```