Movie Business Quotes

“What does she do?"
"She's a producer." Of course, in Los Angeles this doesn't mean much more than "she's a member of the human race.”
― Julian Fellowes, Past Imperfect

“There were a lot of terms you had to learn, as opposed to the shylock business where all you had to know how to say was 'Give me the fuckin money.”
― Elmore Leonard, Get Shorty

“Morris Weissman[on the phone, discussing casting for his movie]: "What about Claudette Colbert? She's British, isn't she? She sounds British. Is she, like, affected or is she British?”
― Julian Fellowes, Gosford Park: The Shooting Script

“Lady Sylvia McCordle:Mr Weissman -- Tell us about the film you're going to make.
Morris Weissman:Oh, sure. It's called "Charlie Chan In London". It's a detective story.
Mabel Nesbitt:Set in London?
Morris Weissman:Well, not really. Most of it takes place at a shooting party in a country house. Sort of like this one, actually. Murder in the middle of the night, a lot of guests for the weekend, everyone's a suspect. You know, that sort of thing.
Constance:How horrid. And who turns out to have done it?
Morris Weissman:Oh, I couldn't tell you that. It would spoil it for you.
Constance:Oh, but none of us will see it.”
― Julian Fellowes, Gosford Park: The Shooting Script

“You don't have to reinvent the wheel... just steal the hubcaps.”
― Michael P. Naughton

“It takes so long to put a movie into production and finish it that anyone with a bad idea has time to give it to you before the movie is completed.”
― Dave Foley

“Hollywood Rule:

RULE #1: You only need a license to do three things in the film business: blow up a building, wash someone’s hair, or drive a truck. You need no license, certification, documentation, or, for that matter, any filmmaking experience to be a writer, producer, director, actor, or even a studio executive. All you need is money.”
― David Marder

“Recognizing that the movie business was the entertainment business that wasn’t moving fast enough to fill my creative and financial coffers was an impetus to grow, and that has taken me and so many of my colleagues into a larger world.”
― Lynda Obst, Sleepless in Hollywood: Tales from the New Abnormal in the Movie Business

“Call me old-fashioned, but The Shape of Water is a tour de force. Maddening. Heartfelt. Sick. Nostalgic. An Ode to Todd McCarthy, Arnold Glassman, and Stuart Samuels’ documentary film, Visions of Light. By all means, take a bow.”
― A.K. Kuykendall