54 Kevin Smith Quotes — The Director Who Proved That Budget Doesn’t Matter

Kevin Smith is renowned for his status as a cult filmmaker and someone who made something of himself in the entertainment industry through his innovation alone and without big-budget backing. Read his 54 quotes below to find out more.

A pure "Renaissance man," Kevin Smith has his hand in every pot, from filmmaking and writing, authoring, podcasting, comedy, comic book writing, acting, and so much more.

However, he is known chiefly for his status as a Gen X cult hero after he rose to fame for his independent, low-budget, and self-financed movie, "Clerks."

He continued to make movies, picking up many awards and nominations for his films and other involvement in entertainment projects. More specifically, he has accumulated 27 nominations and 13 awards.

Find out more about this man who climbed the ladder from the bottom, using his resourcefulness and talent, by reading his 54 quotes below.

Kevin Smith’s quote: “'Controversial’ as we all know, is often a euphemism for ‘interesting and intelligent.” | Source: AmoDays

Kevin Smith Famous Quotes

“More often than not, a hero’s most epic battle is the one you never see; it’s the battle that goes on within him or herself.” ― Kevin Smith

"In the face of such hopelessness as our eventual, unavoidable death, there is little sense in not at least trying to accomplish all of your wildest dreams in life." ― Kevin Smith

“Sometimes the path you're on is not as important as the direction you're heading.” ― Kevin Smith

“Everybody’s got one killer story. It doesn’t take talent to tell that story, it just takes experience.” ― Kevin Smith

“If you’re lucky, you go from being a movie fan to a movie maker.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith's quote: “Sometimes the path you're on is not as important as the direction you're heading.” | Source: AmoDays

"I didn't have the skill, but what I had was the will, and 'will' will take you a lot farther than skill in some cases." ― Kevin Smith

“If you're alive, kick into drive. Chase whimsies. See if you can turn dreams into a way to make a living, if not an entire way of life.” ― Kevin Smith

"Failure is success training. Nobody gets it right on the first try. I know that sounds like a cat poster but it's true." ― Kevin Smith

“Controversial’ as we all know, is often a euphemism for ‘interesting and intelligent.'” ― Kevin Smith

"You expect a bunch of people out there to believe you are this thing unless you be this thing yourself. You don't have to wait to be invited into something." ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: “In this life, if you don't celebrate yourself, nobody will.” | Source: AmoDays

“One man's frankness is another man's vulgarity.” ― Kevin Smith

“There’s something to be said for failing. It’s not the failure you feel, it’s the failure that people project when something disappoints. You’re back to ground zero, where there’s no expectations, and that’s where I like to be.” ― Kevin Smith

”I’m going to hell. I know it. But I knew that back on Dogma. It’s not news to me. I’m just going to enjoy the ride on the way there.” ― Kevin Smith

“In this life, if you don't celebrate yourself, nobody will.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith Memorable Quotes

"Your voice is your only currency in life, the things you see and perceive, the prism through which you process all the information you take in: you're unique from everybody else. That perspective is insanely valuable because no one can give it but you." ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: “Telling your story is better than not." | Source: AmoDays

“If there was no Internet, my career would have ended in 1995.” ― Kevin Smith

“I've always kind of ripped from real life to some degree or at least how I'm feeling in the moment. In fact, maybe that's really it. In anything I've ever written, all the characters sound like me, which I don't think is a bad thing.” ― Kevin Smith

“People like to set the bar high. I like to put the bar on the ground and barely step over it. I like to keep the expectations really low.” ― Kevin Smith

"What was the alternative? Create. What choice do we have? Telling your story is better than not." ― Kevin Smith

“One of the reasons I always looked up to [George] Carlin is he looked like your grandfather but, acted like your best friend. Most of the adults in my world were adults and acted like adults and had job-type jobs and bills and pressures and stopped playing a long time ago. And George Carlin was a guy that the more he aged the younger he seemed. It was odd because he was still sagely and wise. But he was such a role model for me.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: "Your voice is your only currency in life” | Source: AmoDays

"From now on, any flick I’m ever involved with, I conduct critics screenings thusly: ‘You wanna see it early to review it? Fine: pay like you would if you saw it next week.” ― Kevin Smith

“It's taken me 15 years to step behind a camera and make something everyone agrees looks like a movie.” ― Kevin Smith

"Remember: it costs nothing to encourage an artist, and the potential benefits are staggering. A pat on the back to an artist now could one day result in your favorite film, or the cartoon you love to get stoned watching, or the song that saves your life. Discourage an artist, you get absolutely nothing in return, ever." ― Kevin Smith

“For years, my job was to make the movie inexpensively. And I could bring it in. What I can't control are the costs of marketing.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: "The main goal in life careerwise should always be to try to get paid to simply be yourself.” | Source: AmoDays

“When you’re a filmmaker you’re part of a very expensive art form.” ― Kevin Smith

“You can have 10 bucks to 10 million bucks and if you got a crew, imagination, and a lot of people willing to turn in some work next to nothing, you going to have a feature. But you can’t get beyond how expensive marketing the movie is, it’s so crushing.” ― Kevin Smith

“Don’t let anybody tell you different, man: The main goal in life careerwise should always be to try to get paid to simply be yourself.” ― Kevin Smith

“The writer crafts their ideal world. In my world, everyone has really long conversations or just picks apart pop culture to death and everyone talks in monologue.” ― Kevin Smith

“And the podcasting―I swear to you―on its worst day, the podcasts are better than our best films. Because they’re more imaginative, and there’s no artifice, and it’s far more real.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith Thought-Provoking Quotes

“Storytelling is my currency. It’s my only worth. The only thing of value I have in this life is my ability to tell a story, whether in print, orating, writing it down, or having people acting it out." ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: “All these people who say success changes people; well, no, it just magnifies what's there.” | Source: AmoDays

“T-shirts and long pants make me easier to find in a crowd, but also easy to disappear in a crowd because if I am wearing this and suddenly I am not, it's like a Harry Potter invisibility cloak.” ― Kevin Smith

“I say what other people won't.” ― Kevin Smith

“If you grow up fat, you have to try harder.” ― Kevin Smith

“All these people who say success changes people; well, no, it just magnifies what's there.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: “I say what other people won't.” | Source: AmoDays

“The only thing of value I have in this life is my ability to tell a story, whether in print, orating, writing it down, or having people acting it out. That’s why I’m always hoping society never collapses because the first ones to go will be entertainers.” ― Kevin Smith

“Long time no see. I only pray the caliber of your questions has improved.” ― Kevin Smith

“I didn't get into film to win Academy Awards. I wanted to have a conversation with the audience.” ― Kevin Smith

“I feel like if you're in Jersey, you have to be a Jersey Devils fan. Anybody born within the confines of the border of the state of New Jersey, I feel, should be a Jersey Devils fan.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: “I’m always hoping society never collapses because the first ones to go will be entertainers.” | Source: AmoDays

“I'm gonna try to pay for 'Clerks III' myself. As much as I love the crowd-funding model, that's an advancement in indie film that belongs to the next generation of artists. I started on my own dime, and if I'm allowed, I should finish on my own dime.” ― Kevin Smith

“I'd see movies, comedies, and I loved 'Animal House', I loved all the John Hughes stuff, but I never saw me and my friends totally represented.” ― Kevin Smith

“People are bursting out of the closet, rejecting their parents' wishes to keep the faith. Atheism is becoming mainstream.” ― Kevin Smith

“It's like a dream come true. When somebody is paying you to talk about yourself, you've won.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: “Atheism is becoming mainstream.” | Source: AmoDays

“With all the investment that’s going to happen in the area, we thought it was a good time to consider making some changes.” ― Kevin Smith

“Any book is a self-help guide if you can take something from it.” ― Kevin Smith

“Generally, I wake up, honestly it's creepy, but I wake up around 4:20.” ― Kevin Smith

“I liked hockey, and I still like hockey.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: “Any book is a self-help guide if you can take something from it.” | Source: AmoDays

“I sympathize far more with heavier people than I ever will with thin. I'll never be thin. Let's be honest." ― Kevin Smith

“Dudes know I'm not a threat. Chicks know I'm not a threat.” ― Kevin Smith

“I’ve always kind of ripped from real life to some degree or at least how I’m feeling in the moment. In fact, maybe that’s really it. In anything I’ve ever written, all the characters sound like me, which I don’t think is a bad thing.” ― Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s quote: “I didn't get into film to win Academy Awards. I wanted to have a conversation with the audience.” | Source: AmoDays

Of course, through the years working in the entertainment industry, Smith has rubbed shoulders with many big names. This includes Justin Long, Seth Rogan, James Franco, and more.

Dig deeper into Gene X's cultural darlings by reading: 30 'Reality Bites' Quotes from the Cult Film about the Generation X.