“I remember calling and asking, because I had a few lines that were like, "How could the character have done this?" and I hadn't read the part of the script that said what she [ Cate Blanchett] did, so they put me on the phone with Woody... Allen. I don't know if I could really say "Woody."” IfsKnowsSaidDoneCharacterRememberLinesCallingAskingScriptsPhonesIf I CouldWoody Author:Alden Ehrenreich
“We really wanted someone from the culture to sort of do that. And we heard about Taika [Waititi]. We saw his movie Boy, which that he had directed and written and which was great. We read another one of his scripts that was great. And we brought him in, showed him what we were doing. He really liked the idea.” IdeasWantedCultureBoysSawsWrittenHeardScriptsWanted Someone Author:Ron Clements
“I was very keen to work on the script with Scott Derrickson and [C. Robert] Cargill, and working out the important story beats, changing lines, upping the comedy, changing the pace, all of that was great fun.” ImportantStoriesFunLinesComedyBeatsScriptsWork OutPace Author:Benedict Cumberbatch
“I read the script [of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency] and went, "I haven't read anything this good, in a long time." I thought it was absolutely brilliant. The dialogue is so sparkling, smart and witty. You also have these insane, crazy characters, like energy sucking vampires and holistic assassins. It's all completely weird.” LongCharacterEnergyCrazyHavensLong TimeSmartScriptsWittyBrilliantDialogueInsaneVampireAgencyDetectivesHolisticAssassinsSparklingDirk Gently Author:Samuel Barnett
“It's probably unprecedented for a filmmaker simply to take the writers' script and treat it as the instructions on the package. What really happens is you pretty much suppress your own instincts - and your own views on the matter - and write things the way filmmakers would like to have them, though the filmmakers often don't know what they want. They can only find out by reading what you do.” KnowsWayWantWritingMatterHappensReadingViewsTreatsInstinctScriptsFilmmakerInstructionPackagesUnprecedented Author:Tom Stoppard
“Sometimes directors feel a script needs something, but they're not sure what it is, so they show it to a friend; if the friend is a writer, he ends up kicking around with that script for a while.” IfsNeedsFeelsEndsSometimesShowsDirectorsScriptsNot SureKicking Author:Tom Stoppard
“When you go on a movie set, there used to be one woman: script supervisor. Now they were in all capacities in addition to heading studios. So that's the biggest change of all from the early '50s, when I first started.” FirstsUsedGoes OnCapacityScriptsStudiosUsed To BeHeadingsOne WomanMovie SetsSupervisors Author:Robert Vaughn
“I had to audition for Fandango. When I read the script, the role that was interesting - so everyone thought - was the role that Costner played. He was the cool guy. And I read the script, and my representation at the time said, "That's the role you should read for." And I was like, "Really? How about I read for this other role." And they went, "Well, you're not going to get that role."” ShouldWellsSaidGuyInterestingRolesScriptsRepresentationAuditionsCool Guy Author:Judd Nelson
“If you read a script enough, especially a good script - I try to read it 40 to 50 times before you begin so you get a sense of the arc: what happens before, what happens after, what happens during.” IfsTryingEnoughHappensScriptsArcs Author:Judd Nelson
“In a good script, it's really like a treasure map. You just focus on that, all the answers are pretty much in it.” AnswersFocusScriptsTreasureMaps Author:Judd Nelson
“I would go to trials a lot in Boston, as best I could. And it's incredible that, like, lawyers that had a good case weren't dramatic at all. Lawyers that had a horrible case would sing and dance and do whatever it took to convince the jury or the judge that this guy was innocent. So that was a cool thing to see because that made me believe that what the script [of From The Hip] was doing was totally believable. Now, maybe not ordinary. But it could happen.” BelieveMadeHappensGuyCasesJudgingOrdinaryIncrediblesScriptsLawyerTrialsHorribleInnocentHipsDramaticConvinceThis GuyBostonJuryBelievableCool Things Author:Judd Nelson
“When I read the script it was extraordinary and to work with Yorgos [Lanthimos] again was amazing.” ExtraordinaryScripts Author:Colin Farrell
“I'll wait to see what the film [The Lobster] is, but it's set in a contemporary world, in America, there are hospitals and diners, parks, things that we will recognize and experienced ourselves but yet there's this similar kind of uneasiness through all the interactions and all the things that take place. It was unnerving reading the script. I kind of felt nauseous after reading it.” WorldKindAmericaFilmReadingFeltWaitingScriptsContemporaryParksHospitalsInteractionLobsterUneasinessDiners Author:Colin Farrell
“I think as actors we need to close read scripts and we need to fully understand the intricacies of dialogue as well as the symbolisms of what the actor wears and what they hold in their hand because that only adds more layers to the character.” ThinkingNeedsWellsCharacterHandsActorsAddScriptsDialogueLayersSymbolismIntricacy Author:Masiela Lusha
“What happens often is the script is written and once the director comes on board you have lots of conversations and it mutates again.” HappensWrittenDirectorsConversationScriptsBoardsOften Is Author:Charlie Brooker
“Trust me when you read the script for Bad Santa 2 I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I read the script first, and I was laughing out loud and blushing and couldn't believe what I was reading.” FirstsBelieveReadingLaughingScriptsLoudSantaTrust MeBlushingBad Santa Author:Christina Hendricks
“Me and a friend literally had the idea for Wedding Crashers and pitched it, and it was already a script. They go, "That's funny! You should call it The Wedding Crashers." It was almost exactly like that .” ShouldIdeasScriptsWedding Crasher Author:Rich Fulcher
“The script is the musical score, and everyone has to play off that score. Even I have to interpret it. The producers are there to eliminate obstacles to that interpretation.” PlayMusicalScriptsObstaclesProducersScoreInterpretation Author:Rebecca Miller
“I choose projects that resonate with me on some personal level and projects that I'm afraid to do. If I'm afraid to do them, then I usually say yes, because it means that I'm not ready to go there and deal with certain aspects of the script.” IfsMeanCertainLevelsDealsReadyProjectsAspectScriptsNot Ready Author:Octavia Spencer
“I can easily say "no" to a project if the script isn't great, but when the script is good, then I start asking the other questions. Who's going to direct it? Who's the creator? Who are the actors? When are we shooting? Where is it shooting? All that kind of stuff.” IfsKindI CanActorsStuffProjectsDirectAskingScriptsCreatorShooting Author:Dominic Monaghan
“I'm so respectful of good writing. It's the blueprint for the movie. You have to have that script there because, if you don't, you're going to have problems. It's very important. It's also a gut instinct.” IfsWritingImportantProblemInstinctScriptsGutsRespectfulGood WritingBlueprintsGut Instinct Author:Molly Shannon
“You really get a feeling, when you're reading scripts, pretty quickly. Within 20 or 25 pages, you can get a sense of the part. I always think about whether I'm right for it and whether I can do it. If I don't think I'm right for it, it should go to somebody else.” IfsThinkingShouldI CanFeelingsReadingCan DoPagesScriptsI Can Do It Author:Molly Shannon
“Because the filming process was so organic and there was no script, the film [Dream of Life] was literally telling us what it wanted to be in the editing room.” DreamWantedFilmProcessRoomsScriptsEditing Author:Steven Sebring
“The character of Brent Spiner. We certainly collaborate on the concept of that, but he basically writes the script, then it's sort of a combination of his voice and my voice.” WritingCharacterVoiceConceptsScriptsCombination Author:Brent Spiner
“Harry [ Hannigan] and Chris [Ellis] are sitting there while we're doing [ Fresh Hell], and Chris is directing, obviously, but if we start fooling around a little bit, Harry comes in, and he's got some addition that makes it even funnier. But we start with a complete script.” IfsLittlesBitsHellLittle BitSittingScriptsFooling Around Author:Brent Spiner
“The woman who wrote the movie [Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains], her name is Nancy Dowd. She's a wonderful writer. She wrote Coming Home. And when I read the script, at that time, I thought, "This movie is going to do for girls what Breaking Away did for boys." I thought it was going to be huge. It was a great script.” HomeGirlNamesBoysWonderfulHugeScriptsGentlemanComing HomeFabulousStainsNancyLadies And GentlemenBreaking Away Author:Brent Spiner
“I got to play a funny part [in the The Master Of Disguise]. There was one thing my character did that involved flatulence and laughing at the same time - that was in the script - and that was basically what sold me on it. I really thought, "This can't help but be funny." And when I saw the film, I was proud that I'd had those moments.” PlayMomentsCharacterHelpingFilmLaughingSawsOne ThingMastersProudInvolvedScriptsDisguiseFlatulence Author:Brent Spiner
“Gian Luigi Polidoro and his girlfriend had written this script, it was an American comedy, and they decided I was the guy to play the part. I was young, they offered me the lead in the film, and I said, "Sure, I'll do it." And I'm telling you, there is a movie waiting to be made about the making of a movie like that, particularly at that time in New York. I mean, we shot all over the streets of New York without permits. We would literally grab a shot and run. But Rent Control... I think the total cost was $100,000, and to this director's credit, I think it looks like $200,000.” ThinkingLooksMeanMadeSaidPlayRunningFilmYoungGuyWaitingComedyWrittenStreetsNew YorkCostDirectorsShotsDecidedScriptsCreditGirlfriendPermitLead InRent Control Author:Brent Spiner
“It wasn't exactly a cattle call. I had an agent, and they were seeing people for the parts, so my agent said, "Here's the script, see if there's anything that speaks to you." And I did, and I called my agent and said, "I think this character Data is kind of interesting," and she said, "Well, okay, I'll get you the appointment with Junie Lowry." I had to read with the casting agent first, 'cause nobody really knew me then. Then after that, I had, I think, six different auditions for the role. And finally it was me [on Star Trek].” PeopleIfsThinkingFirstsWellsKindSaidDifferentCharacterSpeakStarsCausesInterestingRolesSeeingSixOkayScriptsAgentsDataAuditionsCastingAppointmentsCattle Author:Brent Spiner
“I think everyone agrees First Contact was our best film, and even at that, they're kind of... I don't know, they're sort of movies. But they're kind of really Star Trek movies, if you take my meaning. It's hard for me to say. I was glad to be doing them. Whether they were good isn't really up to me to determine, and it doesn't matter what I think. I thought we had a really nice script on Nemesis, and the audience didn't seem to care for it, so what can you do?” IfsThinkingKnowsFirstsKindMatterHardSeemsCareFilmStarsAudienceNiceAgreeScriptsDetermineGladContactReally NiceNemesisBest FilmFirst ContactStar Trek Movie Author:Brent Spiner
“I actually didn't read the book [Fast Food Nation]. I wasn't aware of it. But when I read the script, I thought "Wow." It became a project that was just so exciting to be a part of. Maybe a few times in a career [you] get a chance for a role that really means something, and this was it.” MeanBookNationsChanceCareersRolesProjectsExcitingScriptsWowReally MeanFast FoodFast Food Nation Author:Wilmer Valderrama
“I've seen [Lalla Ward] episodes of "Doctor Who." They're good, at least partly because the scripts were written by Douglas Adams.” WrittenDoctorsScriptsEpisodesDoctor Who Author:Richard Dawkins
“I remember my very first encounter with Japan. At that time, I was Deputy Mayor of St Petersburg. Out of nowhere, Japan's Consul General in St Petersburg came to my office and said Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wanted to invite me to Japan. I was very surprised because I had nothing to do with Japan except being a judoka. This was an opportunity to visit Tokyo and a couple of other cities. And, you know, a capital is a capital everywhere: there is the official script and certain protocol. It is always easier to talk in the provinces, the conversation is more natural.” KnowsFirstsSaidWantedRememberCertainOpportunityNaturalCitiesCoupleEasierConversationOfficeAffairScriptsOfficialsEncountersJapanInvitesMinistryMayorsProvincesTokyoProtocolDeputiesForeign Affairs Author:Vladimir Putin
“You know when a script is good but you don't have any knowledge how visually it is going to look. When this [Happy Valley] came out and I saw the first episode and thought it was terrific.” KnowsFirstsLooksSawsScriptsValleysEpisodesTerrific Author:Sarah Lancashire
“I can never say a line someone else has given me, which is why script meetings on TV shows always go terribly for me.” I CanShowsGivenLinesTvsMeetingsScriptsTv Shows Author:Alexa Chung
“I wrote [Collateral Beauty] on my own. I didn't get paid to write it. I didn't sell it as a pitch. It was an idea I had that I really, really felt needed to be in script form before showing it to anyone in the industry because of the uniqueness of the idea, and the weirdness of the idea, to be frank.” WritingIdeasFormFeltMy OwnIndustryNeededPaidSellsScriptsFrankUniquenessWeirdnessCollateral Author:Allan Loeb
“I decided to write [Collateral Beauty] on my own which made it the first spec script I wrote in 11 years.” WritingYearsFirstsMadeMy OwnDecidedScriptsMade ItCollateralSpecs Author:Allan Loeb
“When I read scripts and when I read books, it's more of an emotional response and I was really drawn to these characters.” BookCharacterEmotionalResponseScriptsEmotional Response Author:Katie Holmes
“I love all the voiceovers I do. I can't remember them all, but I seem to do them all of the time. And there's nothing easier because you just stand and read the script, and you don't have to act the way actors do. You don't have to be made up and put costumes on.” WayMadeI CanSeemsRememberActorsEasierScriptsCostumes Author:Stan Lee
“If you have things or are involved with things that turn on, it's going to have code. And there are so many people - let's pick on the historians - even as a historian, let's say I ended up going the road of being a historian, just knowing some basic scripts, any kind of automation would have made me a 10 times better historian because I wouldn't have to sit there changing every file name to "1234" and then "12345." It can have a transformative value.” PeopleIfsKindMadeValuesTurnsNamesKnowingInvolvedPicksScriptsCodeHistorianFilesTurn-onAutomation Author:Alexis Ohanian
“You don't have to kill somebody to play a murderer. You have to read the script and interpret the character.” PlayCharacterScriptsMurderer Author:Denzel Washington
“From Ennio [Morricone] I ask for themes that clothe my characters easily. He's never read a script of mine to compose the music, because many times he's composed the music before the script is ever written.” CharacterAsksWrittenMinesMusic IsScriptsTheme Author:Sergio Leone
“In France now, there's no problem with official censorship. Once your movie is finished, you always are R-rated. My movie is just R-rated in France. But when you meet French producers with a script like mine, they behave like the most fragile chickens in the world. They just tell you "Oh, no. You should cut this. You should cut that." And at the end you have been totally censored on the synopsis, and then on the script.” WorldShouldHas BeensEndsProblemCuttingMinesScriptsFinishedProducersFranceBehaveOfficialsChickensFragileCensorshipNo ProblemCensoredSynopsis Author:Gaspar Noe
“Miranda [Hentoff] is a complete musician. She's a composer, a singer. She writes scripts along - with her projects. And she's a superb teacher. Her teaching pupils have ranged from Itzhak Perlman to Sting.” WritingTeacherTeachingProjectsMusicianScriptsSingersComposerPupilsSuperbMiranda Author:Nat Hentoff
“The formula for a successful film is simple: good script, good direction, a dedicated cast and a fantastic crew. If you have all of these elements then the rest will fall into place.” IfsFilmFallSimpleSuccessfulElementsScriptsCastsFantasticFormulasDedicatedCrewFall Into Place Author:Hrithik Roshan
“It's not about Hollywood, it's always about a good script for me.” HollywoodScripts Author:Hrithik Roshan