Creativity Quote by Todd McFarlane

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.