--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My experience on 'The West Wing' was, I…" description: "\"My experience on 'The West Wing' was, I think, now rare in that I was pretty young, and I walked into this environment where Aaron Sorkin was giving me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ac/alex-graves-21348_aaron_my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-thi_262043.jpg" --- # My experience on 'The West Wing' was, I think, now rare in… ![“My experience on 'The West Wing' was, I think, now rare in that I was pretty young, and I walked into this environment where Aaron Sorkin was giving me a script every week, and Thomas Schlamme and John Wells were keeping the studio off my back, at least as best as they could.” quote by Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ac/alex-graves-21348_aaron_my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-thi_262043.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ac/alex-graves-21348_aaron_my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-thi_262043.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ac/alex-graves-21348_aaron_my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-thi_262043.jpg) > “My experience on 'The West Wing' was, I think, now rare in that I was pretty young, and I walked into this environment where Aaron Sorkin was giving me a script every week, and Thomas Schlamme and John Wells were keeping the studio off my back, at least as best as they could.” [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker recounts early career immersion in a fast‑paced TV production, receiving weekly scripts from Aaron Sorkin and oversight from Thomas Schlamme and John Wells. **In simple terms:** Early work in TV was intense and collaborative. Key Takeaway Embrace fast learning environments. Themes career development creative process mentorship Mood reflective grateful Type personal anecdote career insight When to use this quote - early career - TV writing - high‑stakes deadlines Key Concepts scriptwriting production pressure industry apprenticeship Questions to Reflect On - How did you manage the pressure? - What did you learn from that environment? A Different Perspective Rapid pace can cause burnout without balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aaron/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aaron-sorkin/) [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john/) [Keeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keeping/) [Keeping Studio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keeping-studio-2580587/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/off/) [Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty/) [Rare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rare/) [Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script/) [Script Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script-week-543983/) [Sorkin Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorkin-giving-2580586/) [Studio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studio/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thomas/) [Walked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walked/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west/) [West wing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west-wing/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) [Wing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wing/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [Anything that Aaron Sorkin writes, I could watch a million times. One of the few shows that I've watched in repeats was 'The West…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-feldman/anything-that-aaron-sorkin-writes-i-could-watch-a-million-times-one/) [Ben Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-feldman/) > [All of Aaron Sorkin's characters are so smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harbour/all-of-aaron-sorkin-s-characters-are-so-smart/) [David Harbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harbour/) > [Aaron Sorkin was completely unable to understand the actual psychology of Mark or of Facebook. He can't conceive of a world where social status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andreessen/aaron-sorkin-was-completely-unable-to-understand-the-actual/) [Marc Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andreessen/) > [Aaron Sorkin has been incredibly good to me; I don't know that I would have an acting career without him. Thanks to him, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-malina/aaron-sorkin-has-been-incredibly-good-to-me-i-don-t-know-that-i-would/) [Joshua Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-malina/) > [I'd love to work with Aaron Sorkin on something. Just the way he writes, he has no fear in writing people that are fiercely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/i-d-love-to-work-with-aaron-sorkin-on-something-just-the-way-he/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [I don't claim to be some Aaron Sorkin expert, but it is like a Camelot. His shows are a place where people are trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dule-hill/i-don-t-claim-to-be-some-aaron-sorkin-expert-but-it-is-like-a-camelot/) [Dule Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dule-hill/) > [The strategy of keeping the studio close, like an outbuilding five paces from the house, or in the loft next door, or with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/the-strategy-of-keeping-the-studio-close-like-an-outbuilding-five/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [For better or worse, I have a lot of vaudeville circus skills that you just can't showcase in Aaron Sorkin's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-malina/for-better-or-worse-i-have-a-lot-of-vaudeville-circus-skills-that-you/) [Joshua Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-malina/) > [Simply, if you're working with good material, then it's right there, and you don't have to try so hard as an actor; you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dule-hill/simply-if-you-re-working-with-good-material-then-it-s-right-there-and/) [Dule Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dule-hill/) > [There were two auditions for 'The Social Network,' one with Aaron Sorkin and one with David Fincher. I was a nervous wreck. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armie-hammer/there-were-two-auditions-for-the-social-network-one-with-aaron-sorkin/) [Armie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armie-hammer/) > [You can't really compare any TV show to a show written by Aaron Sorkin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-zimmer/you-can-t-really-compare-any-tv-show-to-a-show-written-by-aaron-sorkin/) [Constance Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-zimmer/) > [I knew I wanted to be an actor, and my mother said, 'Call Aaron Sorkin.' It seemed dubious that I'd make it as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-malina/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-and-my-mother-said-call-aaron-sorkin/) [Joshua Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-malina/) > [I am lucky enough to have Aaron Sorkin write what I have to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-janney/i-am-lucky-enough-to-have-aaron-sorkin-write-what-i-have-to-say/) [Allison Janney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-janney/) > ['West Wing' was huge. Like 'Hamilton,' it pulls back the curtain on how decision-making happens at the highest level, or at least how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/west-wing-was-huge-like-hamilton-it-pulls-back-the-curtain-on-how/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [My joke about Aaron Sorkin is that The West Wing was a great show about democracy, run by Kim Jong-Il!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/my-joke-about-aaron-sorkin-is-that-the-west-wing-was-a-great-show/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) ## More by Alex Graves > [I was really, really stagnating and getting bored in the steady work of television and didn't really know what movies I would be making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/i-was-really-really-stagnating-and-getting-bored-in-the-steady-work/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > ['Terra Nova,' more than anything I've ever done in my life, is for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/terra-nova-more-than-anything-i-ve-ever-done-in-my-life-is-for/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [And one of the things that's interesting about how they're doing the show is that the audience almost knows more than the characters do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/and-one-of-the-things-that-s-interesting-about-how-they-re-doing-the/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [For 'Game of Thrones,' I realized immediately that it was about the characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/for-game-of-thrones-i-realized-immediately-that-it-was-about-the/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Especially as a director on 'West Wing,' I directed a lot of different things in a lot of different ways and really stretched my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/especially-as-a-director-on-west-wing-i-directed-a-lot-of-different/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [The hardest part of 'Game of Thrones' is there is so much incredible talent bouncing off the walls that you'll actually miss some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/the-hardest-part-of-game-of-thrones-is-there-is-so-much-incredible/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Obviously the highest pressure scene, I guess it might've been a tie - what was the bigger death, Tyrion with Shae, Tyrion wth Twyin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/obviously-the-highest-pressure-scene-i-guess-it-might-ve-been-a-tie/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Because if you remember - and people forget this - the first two years of Game of Thrones everybody was going, "I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/because-if-you-remember-and-people-forget-this-the-first-two-years-of/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Death is either an incredible ending to a story or, more often than not if you ask the right questions, it's the beginning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/death-is-either-an-incredible-ending-to-a-story-or-more-often-than/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [For someone making a pilot, assuming the talent is there and you can maneuver the system properly, it's just a matter of standing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/for-someone-making-a-pilot-assuming-the-talent-is-there-and-you-can/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [There weren't any deleted scenes, it was just a matter of tightening stuff. I didn't have any deleted scenes in what I did as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/there-weren-t-any-deleted-scenes-it-was-just-a-matter-of-tightening/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [You can certainly shorten things and tighten things, we tightened up Jon's walk to Mance Rayder's tent. That was something that got tightened up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/you-can-certainly-shorten-things-and-tighten-things-we-tightened-up/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [I was, and am, a frustrated filmmaker and film student, and my passion and love for movies was so broad that, in the earlier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/i-was-and-am-a-frustrated-filmmaker-and-film-student-and-my-passion/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > ['Game of Thrones' is the broadest of narratives. I don't know if anyone in the U.S. has done a story on such a large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/game-of-thrones-is-the-broadest-of-narratives-i-don-t-know-if-anyone/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Well my motto was "Never Monologue a Clegane", because Beric Dondarrion and Thoros were messing around with The Hound and Beric essentially got killed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/well-my-motto-was-never-monologue-a-clegane-because-beric-dondarrion/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) [Explore all 29 Alex Graves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) ## More Aaron quotes > [“aaron would not come out aaron entered into agony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/aaron-would-not-come-out-aaron-entered-into-agony/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [Aaron Spelling always had his finger on the pulse of pop culture, he knew what the public wanted to see. He was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-milano/aaron-spelling-always-had-his-finger-on-the-pulse-of-pop-culture-he/) [Alyssa Milano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-milano/) > [“Aaron was so gay he walked with a lisp...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-d-padilla/aaron-was-so-gay-he-walked-with-a-lisp/) [Edward D Padilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-d-padilla/) > [Aaron is gay so why can't you be too.. . .!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/aaron-is-gay-so-why-can-t-you-be-too/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [“As they lifted off, Aaron watched the white, puffy clouds and thought, "I'm going to die here. This is it." But God had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-mankin-phelps/as-they-lifted-off-aaron-watched-the-white-puffy-clouds-and-thought-i/) [Diana Mankin Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-mankin-phelps/) > [Simply, if you're working with good material, then it's right there, and you don't have to try so hard as an actor; you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dule-hill/simply-if-you-re-working-with-good-material-then-it-s-right-there-and/) [Dule Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dule-hill/) > [“Most people assumed Aaron was gay just because he was on the cheerleading squad. I, on the other hand, assumed a guy who would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-jay/most-people-assumed-aaron-was-gay-just-because-he-was-on-the/) [Stacey Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-jay/) > [“I think you inhaled too much lead from those scantron sheets”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-holt/i-think-you-inhaled-too-much-lead-from-those-scantron-sheets/) [Simon Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-holt/) > [Aaron, in order to die you have to live a little first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/aaron-in-order-to-die-you-have-to-live-a-little-first/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [God place Aaron Bell in heaven on Feburay 20, 2013. Any question you may ask?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-bell/god-place-aaron-bell-in-heaven-on-feburay-20-2013-any-question-you/) [Aaron Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-bell/) > [I feel like Aaron brings out the best in me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-feel-like-aaron-brings-out-the-best-in-me/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [Aaron Spelling went further than anyone has ever gone for television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evans/aaron-spelling-went-further-than-anyone-has-ever-gone-for-television/) [Linda Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evans/) > [More than anyone else, Hank Aaron made me wish I wasn't a manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/more-than-anyone-else-hank-aaron-made-me-wish-i-wasn-t-a-manager/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Aaron would be the most invested in wanting to get me better. It's not that other people can't mentor me, but to have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-rodgers/aaron-would-be-the-most-invested-in-wanting-to-get-me-better-it-s-not/) [Jordan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-rodgers/) > [“Aaron, I love you so much, and I know how much this means to you. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/aaron-i-love-you-so-much-and-i-know-how-much-this-means-to-you-jesus/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) [Browse all 89 Aaron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aaron/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My experience on 'The West Wing' was, I think, now rare in that I was pretty young, and I walked into this environment where Aaron Sorkin was giving me a script every week, and Thomas Schlamme and John Wells were keeping the studio off my back, at least as best as they could.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Graves" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-think-now-rare-in-that-i-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aaron" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-think-now-rare-in-that-i-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ac/alex-graves-21348_aaron_my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-thi_262043.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ac/alex-graves-21348_aaron_my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-thi_262043.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ac/alex-graves-21348_aaron_my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-thi_262043.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My experience on 'The West Wing' was, I think, now rare in that I was pretty young, and I walked into this…” — Alex Graves", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alex Graves", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My experience on 'The West Wing'...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-think-now-rare-in-that-i-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-think-now-rare-in-that-i-was/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```