30 Filmmaking Quotes That Inspire You To Follow Your Passion

Have you ever wondered how the scenes from the movie Avatar were directed with jaw-dropping visuals, excellent use of 3D, and the immersive setting of Pandora?? Well, that is just the beauty of the process of filmmaking.

Filmmaking is the step by step on―the linear process of making a film and it uses a number of different complex stages that include an initial draft of the story, idea, screenwriting, casting, shooting, sound recording and pre-production, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a film release and an exhibition.

Filmmaking is a form of art that only a genius mind can conquer. Here’s a list of the best and famous filmmaking quotes that will give you an insight into the process.

1) “The most honest form of filmmaking is to make a film for yourself.”― Peter Jackson

This quote on filmmaking by Peter Jackson instils the motivation in us to kick-start our film career with our life as the subject!

2) “To be a filmmaker, you have to lead. You have to be psychotic in your desire to do something. People always like the easy route. You have to push very hard to get something unusual, something different.” ― Danny Boyle

This quote on filmmaking throws light on the success that a unique and authentic script can bring with it.

3) “If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” ― Orson Welles

Filmmaking quotes seldom emphasise the importance of a well-thought script. If the script is powerful, the screenplay and dialogues do the magic on the screen.

4) “If it’s a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a pretty clear idea of what was going on.” ― Alfred Hitchcock

This quote by Alfred Hitchcock talks about a film’s interactivity with its audience and its ability to transport them to a world of the reel.

5) “If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed.”

This quote motivates and inspires us to put our ideas to use and muster up the courage to turn it into a film.

6) “I think, at the end of the day, filmmaking is a team, but eventually there’s got to be a captain.” ― Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott’s quote on filmmaking explains that it is a process that involves teamwork and leadership.

7) “Cinema is a mirror by which we often see ourselves.”― Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

This filmmaking quote talks about an actor’s investment in terms of his/her effort put into the character he/she must portray.

8) “The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture.” ― Alfred Hitchcock

This quote by Alfred Hitchcock emphasises the importance of all the characters of the film. Each one of them should have a well-defined character sketch.

9) “Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.”― Walt Disney

This quote once again throws light on the impact a film has on its audience. He says that to make an impact on the audience, the actors and the crew must put in all their effort.

10) “A film is a petrified fountain of thought.” ― Jean Cocteau

Jean Cocteau’s quote explains that most of the ideas for filmmaking come from our own imagination and thoughts.

11) “Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theatre.” ― Roman Polanski

This quote on filmmaking focuses on a film’s ability to transport its audience into the world of cinema.

12) “Filmmaking is just a very luxurious and efficient way of expressing yourself.” ― Gaspar Noe

Filmmaking is indeed an interesting and intriguing process. You spend hours and it feels like second while working on a film.

13) “A director must be a policeman, a midwife, a psychoanalyst, a sycophant and a bastard.” ― Billy Wilder

This quote on filmmaking by Billy Wilder gives us a perspective on the director’s mind and thought process.

14) “Pick up a camera. Shoot something. No matter how small, no matter how cheesy, no matter whether your friends and your sister star in it. Put your name on it as director. Now you’re a director. Everything after that you’re just negotiating your budget and your fee.” ― James Cameron

Filmmaking quotes by leading filmmakers are worth it. This quote by the world-famous director James Cameron motivates us to take the initial step that will kick start our journey of becoming a director.

15) “But having a really good understanding of history, literature, psychology, sciences ― is very, very important to actually being able to make movies.” ― George Lucas

This filmmaking quote tells us that to make a good movie, a director must have knowledge and perspective about all the fields.

16) “I steal from every movie ever made.” ― Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino’s quote on filmmaking implies that we need to retrospect on our previous works and learn from our mistakes.

17) “When I’m making a film, I’m the audience.”― Martin Scorsese

This quote by Martin Scorsese implies that everyone from the filmmaking crew must be able to view their film from the audience’s perspective.

18) “Let me just pause a minute and drink in this moment. And if you film it, I’ll be able to get free refills for life.”― Jarod Kintz

This filmmaking quote metaphorically implies that a “film is forever.” If you have told a story in the form of a film, you have immortalised the story.

19) “A movie is a little like a question, and when you make it, that’s when you get the answer.” ― Francis Ford Coppola

This filmmaking quote implies that every movie has a theme and the script is viewed as a question, and when that script is moulded into a form of a movie, the question is answered.

20) “Casting is 65 per cent of directing.” – John Frankenheimer

This quote sheds light on the importance of the process of picking the right actors for the characters in the script.

21) “Film is a battleground.” – Sam Fuller

Through this filmmaking quote, Sam Fuller metaphorically states that a film includes a conflict of various emotions and hence can be compared to a battleground.

22) “The first monster you have to scare the audience with is yourself.” – Wes Craven

Wes Craven, a filmmaker who mostly contributed to the genre of horror
Says that you need to challenge yourself and be honest with the work done by you.

23) “I don’t dream at night, I dream at day, I dream all day; I’m dreaming for a living.” ― Steven Spielberg

Through this filmmaking quote, Steven Spielberg implies that one needs to make room for imagination for it to turn into creativity.

24) “In feature films the director is God; in documentary films, God is the director.” ― Alfred Hitchcock

English film director, producer, and screenwriter Alfred Hitchcock is known for his poetic quotes on filmmaking.

25) “Filmmaking is a chance to live many lifetimes.” ― Robert Altman

This filmmaking quote talks about the permanence and eternity of films and its characters.

26) “Read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read...if you don't read, you will never be a filmmaker.” ― Werner Herzog

This quote by Werner Herzog once again talks about taking inspiration from different sources to make a successful movie.

27) “When I looked at life through the camera, I felt like I could finally see it.” ― Katherine Howe

Through this filmmaking quote, Katherine Howe expresses her passion and interest in filmmaking.

28) “The greater the complication, the richer the tale”― Thor F. Jensen,

This filmmaking quote tells us that a film with various plot twists and drama is sure to impress its audience and succeed.

29) “All the promise of a movie is in the trailer.” ― Adrienne Posey

This filmmaking quote by Adrienne Posey throws light on a movie making a good first impression through its trailer.

30) “Making a movie is like building a watch because a watch is so small and you only can fit so many things inside it that all the pieces do need to work together.” ― William Eubank

Filmmaking quotes help us to understand the intricacy of the process of filmmaking. It is not everyone's cup of tea.

We have all grown up watching a diverse genre of films and we continue to do so. But it's not very often that we stop and think about the effort of the great minds behind these famous movies that we watch. These filmmaking quotes will help you understand the details of filmmaking better.

A film is basically the scriptwriter's story or idea coming to life and a movie gives us a piece of the director’s perspective on that story. It is making the thoughts and ideas of a filmmaker immortal.

The filmmaking quotes mentioned above take us on a little journey through these great minds and introduce us to their smart, witty opinions on their passion and livelihood― Filmmaking. Sit back and enjoy reading these words of wisdom!

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