118 Screenplay Quotes for You to Enjoy

Writing a screenplay, for me, is like juggling. It's like, how many balls can you get in the air at once? All those ideas have to float out there to a certain point, and then they'll crystallize into a pattern. James Cameron

When I write a screenplay - and I think it's one of the reasons why it was frustrating for me just to be a screenwriter - I'm not thinking of it in terms of words on a page; I'm thinking in terms of visual images - basically, a comic book. I'm thinking of it in a series of shots. James Gunn

For me, when working on a film or play or television show, everything for me starts with the screenplay and I am devoted to that and that is what I work from. Any research I do or any preparation I do on my own is all ultimately in service of that. James Spader

If you're writing a novel, you can afford to see where the spirit takes you, but in terms of structure and engineering with a screenplay, you have to be quite pragmatic; otherwise, it will run away from you. Jane Goldman

You Writing Will Engineering Otherwise Run See Spirit Structure Takes Terms Pragmatic Afford Quite Where Screenplay Novel Away

I couldn't read a screenplay without puking. Jim Harrison

Read Without Screenplay

Jerry picked up the technique of visualizing the story as a movie scenario; and whenever he gave me a script, I would see it as a screenplay. That was the technique that Jerry used, and I just picked it up. Joe Shuster

Me Gave Would Visualizing See Scenario He Picked Up Just Whenever Movie Screenplay Story Script Used Jerry Technique

I don't begin a novel or a screenplay until I know the ending. And I don't mean only that I have to know what happens. I mean that I have to hear the actual sentences. I have to know what atmosphere the words convey. John Irving

Words Ending Atmosphere Only Know Until Hear Begin Screenplay Happens Mean Convey Sentences Novel Actual

When I write a screenplay - and I think this is true for a lot of people - you direct the movie. That's what writing a screenplay is. John Patrick Shanley

You People Writing Think Direct Write True Lot Movie Screenplay

Writing a screenplay needs to be more than words on a page - and by the way, I think the words on the page are something you have to try to execute on the highest level you can; I'm not dismissing that by any regard. John Ridley

Needs You Writing Words Try Think Way Something More Highest Highest Level Execute Than Any Screenplay Regard Page Level

I know firsthand how much work has usually gone into a screenplay, so if there's something that rings false or a line that I would think would need a tweak or something, I will think long and hard before I even recommend changing it. In that sense, I'm very faithful to the scripts that I get - if they're good scripts. Justin Theroux

Work Good Will Long Faithful Before Sense Gone Think Changing Recommend Would Rings Something Good Scripts Know Firsthand How How Much Line False Very Get Screenplay Scripts Much Hard Tweak Even Need

When I write a novel, I want it to be completely different from a screenplay. I'm very conscious of the difference, and I want novels to work purely as novels. Otherwise I don't see how they'll survive - why don't we just all go to the movies or watch television. Kazuo Ishiguro

Revising a screenplay is much more frustrating than revising a song because you have to read through the entire work again while you are changing stuff. It is a lot easier to edit a song. Kelly Jones

The good thing about directing a screenplay that you've written is that you see the film in your head as you're writing it and then you see those decisions through to the end. Leigh Whannell

Good You Writing Those See About Directing Through Good Thing Written Head End Screenplay Decisions Then Your Film Thing

When I directed the third 'Insidious' film I loved it so much that I decided this is what I want to do from now on. I don't even think I would write something as a screenplay now with no intention of directing it. Leigh Whannell

Think Would Insidious No Intention Something Directed Directing Write Intention Want Screenplay Loved Decided Much Even Film Now Third

Writing a screenplay is an act of faith. First, that it's interesting enough that anyone would want to make it. Secondly, that anybody would want to watch it, let alone enjoy it. Leigh Whannell

Faith Alone Writing First Enjoy Enough Secondly Would Make Anybody Want Screenplay Anyone Interesting Act Watch

Passage of time can be mind-numbing to figure out in a screenplay. It's the easiest thing to do in prose, not just by writing 'four years later', but you can shift time in a sentence or two. Mark Boal

Time You Writing Later Easiest Easiest Thing Out Prose Passage Shift Years Just Screenplay Sentence Figure Thing Four Two

I've always had a foot in everything. As a kid, I was active in sports and theater. Now, I'm learning I have to focus a bit. I'm trying to get to next projects, like writing a screenplay. Once that comes together, I could put my mind to another book - maybe a fun kids' book. Maz Jobrani

Together Sports Learning Book Writing Mind Focus Active Everything Once Projects Bit Kid Kids Could Foot Had Put Like Another Always Get Trying Maybe Screenplay Theater Next Fun Now

Everybody in L.A. has a screenplay. The guy pumping your gas has a screenplay. Melanie Mayron

Everybody Pumping Guy Screenplay Your Gas

Writing a screenplay is so spare, it kind of reminded me that I really should celebrate what I can do in a book, which is description: for example, places, people, locations. Michael Connelly

Me Celebrate Book People Writing Example Locations Kind Reminded For Example Screenplay Which Places Spare Really Should Description

For 'So Cold the River,' I'm actually working on adapting the book with Scott Silver, who was just nominated for an Oscar for 'The Fighter,' and who also wrote '8 Mile,' which I think is a terrific screenplay. The chance to work with Scott is a tremendous pleasure and I'm learning a lot. Michael Koryta

Work Learning Book Fighter Think Adapting Cold Tremendous Pleasure Silver River Also Wrote Nominated Terrific Lot Scott Just Screenplay Which Working Mile Who Actually Oscar Chance

The brain needs to have a story; it needs to have a logical screenplay telling where we're coming from and what we're going to. Miguel Nicolelis

Needs Logical Telling Coming Brain Going Where Screenplay Story

I think the goal is parity: I try to be pro-woman without being anti-man, and I hope and wish that men could do the same in that when they look at the screenplay, they say, 'Wait, wait, wait - is my daughter represented here, is my wife represented here? Is my sister represented?' Nia Vardalos

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