Yep, a bit of talent went a long way in the 90s

In this video, Quentin Tarantino talks on the struggle to become a writer and film director.
Many people believe that Hollywood maverick Quentin Tarantino broke into the film business overnight, but he worked independently on the periphery of Hollywood for years before breaking through.
By intercutting a series of interviews Tarantino has partaken in over the years, this video tells the brief story of Quentin Tarantino's early days, showing how he broke into Hollywood to become a writer and director and remaining at the top of the pyramid for 30 years.
He talks about the production failures of My Best Friend's Boyfriend, the rejection he faced in trying to finance True Romance and Natural Born Killers, and how those screenplays contributed to his breakthrough in the end.
This is Quentin Tarantino's success story, and it may provide useful insights about the struggle to become a writer and director of films if you're an aspiring filmmaker yourself. Persistence and a refusal to ask for permission is really at the heart of the message..

[@PS-Straya_M8]

As they say .. overnight success is 20 years in the making!

[@avengemybreath3084]

8

[@kruks]

I remember an interview with Dicky Barret of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones (who started in the early 80's), responding to being called an "overnight" success for their 1997 song "The Impression That I Get": “If it was an overnight success, it was one long, hard, sleepless night.”

[@s_anandsurya]

"Things work out when you stop asking permission and take destiny into your own hands" - Quentin Tarantino

[@fredrik8500]

I went dating with this philosophy and now I’m facing serious jail time. Thanks for nothing Tarantino!

[@luckasta6269]

@@fredrik8500 skill issue

[@g.a.r3058]

@@fredrik8500 same situation with me but instead of dating I went to the bank and now also facing jail time

[@Tonicwine999]

Yeah I just heard him say that in the video

[@KanedaSyndrome]

Very true.

[@TheAyanamiRei]

Part of this shows the importance of Networking and HONING your craft. Even if not writing, he made connections. He started polishing scripts to see what was good vs bad.

[@sneakykamon]

Can you imagine being so disillusioned on trying to get your scripts bought and filmed that one day, just as you’re about to give up, you manage to get someone like Harvey Keitel to sign on to what you were planning to make as a home movie? I bet Quentin was probably scared shitless that day but that was the push he finally needed I guess. Good for him.

[@kentuckyfriedchildren5385]

It's great to know true talent shines through and gets recognized eventually, this video was a reminder to be patient and not quit just because things aren't working out for a few years

[@fredrik8500]

This is just a bonkers take, and that is obvious if you just examine it for half a second. Many people throughout history (writers and artists in particular), where not recognised until long after they died, and neither their hard work or talent earned them anything while they were alive. People far more talented and important than Tarantino. George Orwell for example was reviled in his time, and died owning nothing but a typewriter and the clothes on his back.

[@daanisch]

@@fredrik8500 intellectual (not Equal to) artist

[@fredrik8500]

@@daanisch what?

[@daanisch]

@@fredrik8500 being an intellectual is not a career path, although the craft of writing is a trade, george orwell is known for his intellectual contribution to the field of political science and sociology he is not known for being "just" a novelist, its like calling dostoesky just a novelist, I thought I should inform you before you sound stupid at a public gathering

[@joshualane1716]

@@daanisch kind of a goofy and needlessly snarky response given that @Fredrik didn’t specifically refer to Orwell as a novelist. With that said, Animal Farm and 1984 are far and away his most recognizable contributions. Regardless, the point still stands that those achievements didn’t earn him shit during his lifetime.

[@kaylubproductions4517]

Thank you, this is incredibly inspiring. In the history told of Tarantino, it always makes it sound like he broke out with "Reservoir Dogs" as his first movie and he didn't have much struggle before that. But to know TARANTINO had a hard time making it in the industry, that is actually very comforting. Although I or anyone else as filmmakers will likely never reach what he has been able to do, to know that he too had to walk that hard road to get recognized is incredible.

[@wattsnottaken1]

When I first watched Reservoir dogs in 2015 when I was 18 years old I didn’t know that it was Quentin and I didn’t know that he was going to become one of my favorite directors. I love the way he crafts stories.

[@HelenWalkerful]

If you saw the evidence I have seen of sexually abusing a tiny girl you would want him locked up for life in a very distant place... he is a MONSter...

[@jnnx]

It’s not really all that “incredible”. It’s called LIFE, SON!

[@Lukasaske]

What I learned: Stop asking permission; take things into your own hands. Love it.

[@CornholioPuppetMaster]

It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, what’s done is done and you can’t change it so you just have to move forward.

[@maramaar]

what i learned: putting effort and lots of work is the most important thing

[@rayancedrichaddad1197]

So Inspiring. Quentin Tarantino is one of the Best Filmmaker. Who makes the Cinema Reborn. Thanks for telling us his story.

[@AnwarRosly]

this is THE type of content im looking for, i can easily be inspired if I watch a film director's success, but what would get me stick to my chair and listen to it for hours would be the struggles behind their success, now THATS what I'm here for..

[@philp1072]

I don't always agree with things that Quentin says but you cannot deny the man has vision, and drive I think his story could be a great inspiration for many of us

[@joshuapatrick682]

True Romance is still one of my favorite films of all time.

[@MovieMongerHZ]

So inspirational and informative. Great finds. Thanks.

[@cinedome1]

Nice one dude, you're very welcome.

[@OLBK]

Joe Rogan has a great podcast indeed.

[@cuppajoe101]

This is a great video with a great vibe. So many crappy versions of this type of motivational video, but yours is well edited, clean and to the point! Never knew this about Tarantino before.

[@alexforce9]

If this is your own edit and not some stolen property - well done mate. Very on point and very professional. Plus - we all love Tarantino lol.

[@jimsimminins3020]

I stopped asking permission and started taking destiny into my own hands, and guess what? Now I'm homeless.

[@CheefChaos]

Destiny specifically asked you several times to stop touching her. Please remove your belongings from near the strip clubs dumpster.

[@mangokeylime1189]

Bro wrote this reply on a pigeon

[@colt-_-jonson1743]

Doing meth isn't apart of hardship

[@mattcorcoran7082]

This is the flip side they don’t tell you about.

[@MisanthropicTimeSlipperz]

I'm still trying to get my first script perfected. I have always looked at Quentin Tarantino as a huge inspiration. Even if I never succeed at turning my work into a movie, it will always be a passion of mine.

[@villagees9547]

same shit here. But I am two days before shooting my own first short film

[@MisanthropicTimeSlipperz]

@@villagees9547 Congrats!!! I'm at my nights job. Lol. Gotta pay the bills.

[@laponiec]

@@MisanthropicTimeSlipperz Wish you both guys success with your scripts!

[@RestitutorEuropa]

@jonathanbirch2022 Perhaps there will be another film renaissance down the line as people progressively become more sick and tired of the big corporate movies.

[@nolaanderson8770]

Quentin's bit about "everything went bad" changing to "everything went good" is the important part - Quentin was ahead of his time, and this is how it manifests! (subscribed! bravo)

[@casasose]

That’s why reservoir dogs is the the best. You can feel the dedication that went into making that movie.

[@jankytv4166]

I thought this was a big professional channel! Great stuff

[@cinedome1]

Thanks man. It's early days.

[@cinedome1]

@Fatih Thanks mate

[@Jackle02]

Speaking of overnight success, good luck, Cinedome. 3 vids, 7k subs, and your video just hit the algorithm with .5M views. Good luck man, don't stop making things now. Hope the best for you, and your mental health on making these.

[@cinedome1]

Thanks Jackle, much appreciated!

[@GunzMalone]

True Romance is such, and I mean SUCH an underrated film.

[@warwickscram1656]

You're an eggplant!

[@cattysplat]

QT bringing a new level of brutality to cinema that wasn't disrespected cheap horror films was a great thing for us action and crime thriller lovers.

[@iAPX432]

Honesty, Integrity and Coherence. That describe well Quentin Tarantino's work. Compromission is not possible on his watch. And that's why he created true chefs d'œuvres.

[@segadan3709]

This is amazing work, super inspiring and made me emotional really thinking About how Quentin got started and now how far he’s come

[@literallyunderrated]

The weird music in the background adds nothing. I think QT would agree

[@robsaxepga]

This is a GREAT video. Every kid should watch this. Awesome!

[@JohnMoseley]

I guess he's talking at the start about 'My Best Friend's Birthday,' his first film, which you can see on KZbin. I'd have liked to hear more about that. It's got a lot of strong stuff, some of it very recognisably Tarantinoesque, but the story is barely there. It'd be really interesting to hear specifically about how he got better at story, or why it was weak there if he'd already written a strong story for 'True Romance.'

[@danpblogger]

The best director and screenwriter ever couldn't get into the business. Now look at him. Bravo

[@robbiepeterh]

A bit of money went a long way as well in the 90s

[@droopyxbee]

Don’t give up on your dreams. What you desire, desires you.

[@paradiddledoo6854]

Not a big fan of QT's movies but the guy truly loves making movies and has grest knowledge of the history of cinema.

[@pandabouncebounce]

Bet you love your sharknado movies 😂😂😂😂😂

[@paradiddledoo6854]

@@pandabouncebounce sure

[@narrow3601]

​@@pandabouncebounceoh for sure, don't matter if you love a movie like Citizen Kane or not, everyone loves Sharknado.

[@elikyiael8740]

​@@narrow3601 - 'how can sharks surive in space?!??!!???' pause 'how can sharks survive in tornadoes?' *starts up chainsaw in space*

[@streaky6724]

This video made me rewatch Reservoir Dogs thank you !

[@DialloMoore503]

Nice story. However, I wouldn’t seek investors on a project unless I really had to. It’s a huge gamble. The Coen’s raised one million from random strangers (so they say). But only a small percentage of people can pull that off.

[@sz8526]

Great channel! Subbed. Keep up the good work:)

[@cinedome1]

Thank you! Much appreciated.

[@Nikopteros]

I just feel like "things work out when you stop asking permission and take it into your own hands" when you're someone like quentin tarantino that actually has bursting ammounts of talent

[@eswift8318]

This is the story for a lot of great successes. People think it's a sudden explosion of genius out of nowhere, because you don't hear about the years of struggle beforehand.

[@sw9979]

I needed to watch this. Thanks

[@cholst1]

What most people call talent, is just lots of hard work.

[@Taykorjg]

Hard disagree. He had the talent and work ethic but without those connections working it wouldn’t matter

[@Benji-w6f]

So you don't need to work hard to achieve results, just talent? You're a proven idiot I'm afraid.

[@gregorywright9971]

It’s nice hearing his come up can’t do this now and days. The cost of living is so crazy you can’t make time to fund anything but what you need. Unless you have parents that are willing to still give you money.

[@spiritualseeker9593]

I need to revisit this everytime i get demotivated in this field

[@jacobprice4311]

Cinema has undoubtedly hit a transition faze. It will be interesting to see when and how the best stories continue (no it's not video games)

[@ksrmk]

I appreciated the reminder that his seeming success after success only came after years of struggling and believing in his vision.

[@shukis17]

When you turn down the big guys who offer you lots of money so they can take full control of your craft, that's when true talent shines and they begin to notice you.

[@roadcrewfilms]

Great channel! Mate!

[@cinedome1]

Thank man, glad you're enjoying it!

[@Filmmaker809]

What people don't realiise is Quentin's mother is a strong person in film industry. She is a massive reason why he made it. Connie Tarantino, forged his way into filmmaking. He does not talk about this. Yes, he is talented. i love his early works.

[@bigboss9150]

She's a nurse from Tenessee who discouraged him from writing. What are you talking about??

[@Filmmaker809]

@@bigboss9150 Nope.

[@ChernorizecHrabyr]

Well done mate! I like how you look pretty much the same all those yeara back, as you do now. Good energy keeps you healthy it would seem.

[@reallymakesyouthink]

It seems he wrote Reservoir Dogs knowing he might not get funding for it. If the robbery was included it would be a far more elaborate movie. In the end though, that gave it a uniqueness and charm. It was like a heist movie version of 12 angry men.

[@AlienDogStar]

It's amazing that a youtube channel releases a video of Tarantino talking about luck for 5 minutes titled "Yep, a bit of talent went a long way in the 90s."

[@SillyWillyFan47]

the pendulum swings!

[@MajandraFan]

It's depressing that a genius like Tarantino had to fight for a decade just to start using his talent. So much nepotism holding back real artists.

[@nonono9194]

I've been working for 9 years now to break in as a writer just like him looool yep definitely alot of wasted years

[@user-yp2yh2gj8w]

@@nonono9194 Remember those years aren't wasted, it's all part of the process, any process

[@nonono9194]

@@user-yp2yh2gj8w it's made me have to get so good at my job that I force my way in but yeah basically all of my 20s will be spent grinding whilst broke which is a shame but at least it's nearly over, having connections I would've been worse at my craft but had a more fun life

[@user-yp2yh2gj8w]

@@nonono9194 Exactly! I'm experiencing the same with music-production. But the slow way is the stable way I think. It also makes you appreciate the growth in your craft, if you have the right mindset.

[@Johnconno]

😂

[@tyejohnson9400]

The fact this was release on my B-Day feels like proper alignment... Namaste!

[@film_magician]

I needed to hear this. this is great

[@dani_da_vision]

I NEEDED THIS . THANK YOU

[@KEVIN_GABOR]

Thank you for posting. I love it

[@titolovely8237]

awesome success story. really cool to see genuine talent get found and rewarded. gives me hope for the future even as so many talentless hacks get thrown hundreds of millions of dollars to churn out drivel. i too had a very very very hard time in my 20s trying to make it. now of course im not a millionaire and im not world famous like he is, but it is interesting to see the microcosm of his struggle blooming into success happen to me too. once i hit 30 everything changed. i worked my 20s to master my craft and it really really paid off, just like Quintin. there's some kinship there for me in this story.

[@jonn3041]

This is gonna be one of those channels that’s gonna end up with millions of subs

[@TheRubberStudiosASMR]

True that

[@cinedome1]

Cheers Jon, if it does end up with a mil subs I'll get in touch to remind you that you were the first to say it ;)

[@jonn3041]

@@cinedome1 ❤️

[@KantSleep]

I can relate. Thank you for sharing

[@oakleyorbit]

That’s why he’s the man!

[@ps5andstuffhere]

True Romance amazing film

[@jamespope7669]

It's not a QT movie, but yes, TR is awesome.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

? He wrote it

[@thetruthexperiment]

That’s a good thing to hear.

[@MrBencbon]

great work

[@swordking8624]

Modern Hollywood needs to follow suit. Stop asking permission from the wrong groups of people about how to make movies. Just make a good movie with your vision in mind

[@pandabouncebounce]

Not how it works today thats the problem the studio can just shut you fown and bye bye no movie for you

[@user-is4iw8qq6v]

When someone becomes famous in whatever field they mastered, the public only sees the final product. They do not see the years of pain, heartache, disappointment, and failure.

[@Leprutz]

The very important lessen to take away from this and I learned it way too late is: Stop asking for permission and if it feels right to you do the things the way you want to do it.

[@laganas2008]

I love that little bit from Reservoir dogs where Mr White and Mr Orange are casing the bank, and then they drive off and it cuts immediately to the car crash scene after the robbery.

[@HighStakesDanny]

It's just wild that no one wanted the film. Bonkers. True Romance is one of my top 10 movies of all time. Crazy. I wonder if all these early deals were on paper or just a handshake.

[@J4sse]

Nice

[@cyberla]

Amazing story! Really had no idea. The guy really made it.

[@intrinsiccinema7374]

Nothing happens overnight it's not the destination it's the journey the process

[@bveracka]

"I made ten thousand dollars a year working minimum wage." ...and somehow he wasn't sleeping on Skid Row. Amazing how the world used to work.

[@RPerez-cf9pl]

Those were great days ... the 1990s.

[@Ah_Yote]

Now in todays technology it’s easier than ever, find events and festivals, make connections, educate yourself which is again easier than ever before

[@nonono9194]

It being more accessible than ever means there's also a vast amount more competition than their used to be

[@danielandjenny9]

The cast for true romance was epic …. Like wise for every other film he’s done … Quinton is one of the best greatest directors in the last 25 years

[@kimberleymansfield1099]

"If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all" Albert King, Booker T, William Bell -Born under a bad sign Amazing! Oh ya and of course Quentin too xo

[@onetoolfan]

Great video! What's the name of the song??

[@davep7176]

Really cool to hear the story of the struggle. He truly knows what it's like to get minimum wage and try and live on that.

[@patrickbyrne5070]

10 grand went a lot further in the 90s I tell ya that!

[@starbright6579]

All I can say is it's hard. God has blessed me with a gift to be a screenwriter, film producer, and director and I thank God every day for that gift, but I stop to think saying to myself where will I get the money to make this film? I'm poor I only make $350/week I have bills to pay, but if Quintin can do it when he was making $150/week than I can do it too.

[@davidjacobs8558]

You have to write a good story first, before you can make a movie. writing a good story doesn't cost you much. you just need a notebook and a pen.

[@starbright6579]

@@davidjacobs8558 I will do that thanks you that's what Tyler Perry did when he was living in his car he wrote plays and scripts. It was harder for him because he was homeless I'm not thank God, I live with my parents and got a sister who gives me $4,000.00 every year to raise money to have my film made, to buy a laptop, and take screenwriting classes online. It's possible we got this.

[@nonono9194]

It's a long haul, I started writing 9 years ago and still haven't made it.. close tho

[@lilchaos4792]

@@starbright6579 you have plenty of support

[@starbright6579]

@@nonono9194 Screenwriting is like an unrealistic job that's hard to become, sometimes I day to myself how can I pay my bills? Because we do all have bills to pay, but we have our day jobs or night jobs to help support that. With that said it is very hard to sell a script to a producer you're so right about that one that's why I want to become a police officer because I always wanted to be that since I was 5 years old now becoming a police is a realistic job and it's easy to become more than a screenwriter, film producer, and film director. I'm not giving up or saying give up on your dreams I'm speaking for myself not others. I just need to have another job in mind in case I don't become a screenwriter and producer because I'm black American but I tell Latino stories and want Latino actors which is very hard because Hollywood doesn't want Latino movies or shows on American channel network's. So it's possible my movies will be in tv but not my shows because Latino shows always get pulled off the air on American channels which means I might just have to be an author and police officer.

[@KanedaSyndrome]

I fucking love True Romance, one of my favorite films.

[@ricardorivera6092]

Love this dude

[@alienteknology5390]

When an artist stops asking for permission to do it their way, they can finally complete their true vision.

[@pjdarcy]

For a relative nobody to get the cast he got for Resevoir Dogs is a real testament to his writing ability

[@mackychloe]

I think having Harvey Keitel on board helped a little?

[@billypilgrim5329]

Goes to show, it takes a long while of a lot of bad luck and perseverance to get to ride the wave

[@FR4M3Sharma]

I'm the 799th Sub. And I'm hoping millions more would read this. Keep up the good work.

[@cinedome1]

Thanks Sharma!

[@bajorekjon]

Tarantino is up there with Scorsese for my favorite movie makers/ story tellers

[@Zac-ls6hn]

Morel of the story. Ideas are more valuable than hard work.

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

The thumbnail had me thinking Quentin started a twitch gaming channel or something lmao

[@jamespope7669]

Reservoir dogs, pulp fiction, inglorious bastards and hateful eight are simply the best.

[@psjasker]

QT is a very authentic guy

[@SnerdWilliams]

I know he's only going to make one more movie, but I hope that one day he'll reconsider and make his versions of True Romance and Natural Born Killers

[@gaz4840]

Well said True Romance was written in the same style as Pulp Fiction, non linear, which would have made for a better movie. Its still one of my favorite films ever, the cast is superb and full of huge names, never has James Gandolfini been so menacing as Virgil, Jack Black appears in one of the deleted scenes..!!. One of the deleted scenes has Vincent Cocotti coming down in an elevator to attend his daughters wedding, and talking real gangster talk Tony Scott changed the format to linear maybe cos he thought the audience werent very smart. He also filmed two endings, one where Clarence lives and one where he dies. QT wrote it where Clarence dies but also agreed to the ending created by Tony Scott. The screenplay is superb, non linear. Sadly, Tony killed himself by jumping from a bridge

[@aunderiskerensky2304]

True Romance was a PHENOMENAL MOVIE

[@davidjacobs8558]

I heard Tarantino drove Hyundai Excel when he was a poor aspiring movie maker. Is that true ?

[@Jm_Corda]

Bro was eating bad luck on daily base for years, until everything turned to gold = don't give up, keep grinding, work harder, work smarter.

[@johnmcdermott2551]

I don't know how he could say that no one gets to do what he got to do as an independent film maker and it will never again.

[@monkadelic13]

bro made a career off what we all feel without being too poussy enough to say it.

[@robpolaris7272]

I wonder what he would be doing if he hadn’t been able to succeed in making films. I could see him becoming a film critic.

[@escapism7996]

Reservoir Dogs is my favoriteTarantino movie,😍💙

[@Ammon6]

Great channel i love it 👍👍

[@cinedome1]

Thanks Saigon, glad to hear it!

[@Ammon6]

@@cinedome1 you are welcome. You are doing great content.

[@murrynathan]

If you want to make it in Hollywood, all you have to do is convince people you can make them money!

[@JDazell]

The people that gatekeep a promising artist from entering the industry are people who have never done what that promising artist wants to be doing and the had failed at what the promising artist is trying to achieve. Institutions are always the fundamental problem with the arts. Because art institutions are fundamentally banks. Their business is to loan money to be repaid and they're overly cautious about loaning it whilst often careless about spending it