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Creativity Quote by Todd McFarlane

"The attempt is that we want to get a couple of minutes under our belt, depending on how good the tests are and take that into Hollywood. The fallback is we're going to DVD anyways. We've got that covered"

About this Quote

It’s the sound of a creator talking like a producer because that’s what the market forces him to be. McFarlane isn’t pitching a dreamy artistic mission here; he’s outlining a strategy: get “a couple of minutes under our belt” (proof-of-concept footage) as a credibility token, then march it into Hollywood where gatekeepers demand evidence before they’ll risk money. The phrase “depending on how good the tests are” smuggles in a whole reality: animation and effects aren’t just aesthetics, they’re expensive auditions. You don’t argue; you demonstrate.

The subtext is a blend of ambition and defensiveness that feels very of its era. McFarlane came up in comics by building a brand (Spawn) that thrived on momentum, hype, and direct-to-fan commerce. Here, he’s applying that same logic to film: reduce uncertainty, control the narrative, keep ownership leverage. “Under our belt” is macho, workmanlike language; it frames art as reps, not revelation.

Then comes the pressure-release valve: “The fallback is we’re going to DVD anyways.” This isn’t settling, it’s insulating. DVD suggests mid-budget genre territory and a bypass of theatrical prestige, but it also signals autonomy: if Hollywood won’t play, the project still ships. “We’ve got that covered” is less reassurance than a power move, telegraphing that he won’t be trapped by industry approval. The quote captures a creator negotiating with Hollywood without surrendering to it: prove, pitch, or route around.

Quote Details

TopicMovie
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Citation Formats

APA Style (7th ed.)
McFarlane, Todd. (2026, January 17). The attempt is that we want to get a couple of minutes under our belt, depending on how good the tests are and take that into Hollywood. The fallback is we're going to DVD anyways. We've got that covered. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-attempt-is-that-we-want-to-get-a-couple-of-74140/

Chicago Style
McFarlane, Todd. "The attempt is that we want to get a couple of minutes under our belt, depending on how good the tests are and take that into Hollywood. The fallback is we're going to DVD anyways. We've got that covered." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-attempt-is-that-we-want-to-get-a-couple-of-74140/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The attempt is that we want to get a couple of minutes under our belt, depending on how good the tests are and take that into Hollywood. The fallback is we're going to DVD anyways. We've got that covered." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-attempt-is-that-we-want-to-get-a-couple-of-74140/. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.

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About the Author

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Todd McFarlane (born March 16, 1961) is a Artist from Canada.

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