--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course, you can never watch something…" description: "\"Of course, you can never watch something like somebody else watches something like you, but nonetheless, you have to try. So I think on camera you lear..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/annette-bening-3058_acting_of-course-you-can-never-watch-something_1045037.jpg" --- # Of course, you can never watch something like somebody… ![“Of course, you can never watch something like somebody else watches something like you, but nonetheless, you have to try. So I think on camera you learn a lot about how much the camera does for you, which is what is the great luxury of movie acting. Or acting whether it's TV or movies or whatever…” quote by Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/annette-bening-3058_acting_of-course-you-can-never-watch-something_1045037.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/annette-bening-3058_acting_of-course-you-can-never-watch-something_1045037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/annette-bening-3058_acting_of-course-you-can-never-watch-something_1045037.jpg) > “Of course, you can never watch something like somebody else watches something like you, but nonetheless, you have to try. So I think on camera you learn a lot about how much the camera does for you, which is what is the great luxury of movie acting. Or acting whether it's TV or movies or whatever it is, that the camera's really such a gift because there's so much that it sees and does if you're willing to just be open and expose yourself and all of that. So you also learn what doesn't matter. And sometimes when you think about things, you think things matter that don't matter.” [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The camera reveals both performance strengths and trivial details, teaching actors to focus on what truly matters and to be open on screen. **In simple terms:** Camera shows what matters and what doesn’t, guiding actors to be authentic. Key Takeaway Embrace openness, ignore irrelevant details. Themes acting self-awareness authenticity Mood reflective insightful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - film sets - TV auditions - self‑recorded practice - director feedback Key Concepts performance visual perception vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - How can you translate camera openness to stage work? - What details do you over‑value in performance? A Different Perspective Reliance on camera may limit development of stage presence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Movie Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-acting-716822/) [Movies Camera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies-camera-2025729/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Think Camera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-camera-457633/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Watch Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watch-like-491740/) ## Related quotes > [I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-remember-hearing-someone-say-that-good-acting-is-more-about-taking/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I guess in my house when I was growing up, I was comfortable trying to be funny. And my dad, of course, it bugged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-guess-in-my-house-when-i-was-growing-up-i-was-comfortable-trying-to/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [One thing I hate in movies is when the camera starts circling around the characters. I find that totally fake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeshi-kitano/one-thing-i-hate-in-movies-is-when-the-camera-starts-circling-around/) [Takeshi Kitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeshi-kitano/) > [I like to do movies when the camera is rolling, I have fun then. But everything else is a bunch of garbage, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/i-like-to-do-movies-when-the-camera-is-rolling-i-have-fun-then-but/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [A sitcom, you rehearse for four days of the week and then you shoot it all in one night in front of a studio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-costanzo/a-sitcom-you-rehearse-for-four-days-of-the-week-and-then-you-shoot-it/) [Paulo Costanzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-costanzo/) > [Theater acting is an operation with a scalpel, movie acting is an operation with a laser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/theater-acting-is-an-operation-with-a-scalpel-movie-acting-is-an/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I think, if you put a camera in anyone's life and document it daily from the age of 21 to 27, there are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sienna-miller/i-think-if-you-put-a-camera-in-anyone-s-life-and-document-it-daily/) [Sienna Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sienna-miller/) > [With film acting, and often when the camera comes very close, you just have to think about something and the camera will pick it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-wilson/with-film-acting-and-often-when-the-camera-comes-very-close-you-just/) [Ruth Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-wilson/) > [When you're doing a multicam sitcom, you have an audience right there. When you go into single cam, whether it's TV or film, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-vine-joy-randolph/when-you-re-doing-a-multicam-sitcom-you-have-an-audience-right-there/) [Da'Vine Joy Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-vine-joy-randolph/) > [My dad was always taking photos of us at home, and even on set - he'd bring us along and stick us in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-elgort/my-dad-was-always-taking-photos-of-us-at-home-and-even-on-set-he-d/) [Ansel Elgort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-elgort/) > [I think the camera is a wonderful machine, don't you? And not to take photographs in this century is crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-beard/i-think-the-camera-is-a-wonderful-machine-don-t-you-and-not-to-take/) [Peter Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-beard/) > [Stylistically, in improv, I don't think you can have as many camera tricks; I think you're kind of shooting more like a documentary: you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/stylistically-in-improv-i-don-t-think-you-can-have-as-many-camera/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Well, I think the camera freedom is something that we've resisted for a long time and feels like probably the biggest stretch. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-wright/well-i-think-the-camera-freedom-is-something-that-we-ve-resisted-for/) [Will Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-wright/) > [I almost never set out to photograph a landscape, nor do I think of my camera as a means of recording a mountain or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-rowell/i-almost-never-set-out-to-photograph-a-landscape-nor-do-i-think-of-my/) [Galen Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-rowell/) > [The best advice I received when I started out was to think about the camera or microphone as if it was a person to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-bowman/the-best-advice-i-received-when-i-started-out-was-to-think-about-the/) [Edith Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-bowman/) ## More by Annette Bening > [I never thought my private life would be newsworthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-never-thought-my-private-life-would-be-newsworthy/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I do have to take care of myself, not only because I'm in the movies, just for mental health reasons. I exercise for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-do-have-to-take-care-of-myself-not-only-because-i-m-in-the-movies/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [We all get lost along the way, but hopefully we figure out some sort of path. It helps if you can imagine the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/we-all-get-lost-along-the-way-but-hopefully-we-figure-out-some-sort/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [One of the things on a very practical level as an actor or actress is that when you do a play, you do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/one-of-the-things-on-a-very-practical-level-as-an-actor-or-actress-is/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [We want to be seen for who we really are, and each person has his own complex story and reasons for doing what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/we-want-to-be-seen-for-who-we-really-are-and-each-person-has-his-own/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I don't see myself as competing with other actresses. I mean, I went through a time when I was in New York, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-don-t-see-myself-as-competing-with-other-actresses-i-mean-i-went/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I'm lucky: almost all my family has lived to be very old. I have one grandfather who lived to be 100.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-m-lucky-almost-all-my-family-has-lived-to-be-very-old-i-have-one/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [It's always tricky to watch yourself, always. When I first had to watch myself, it was really hard because I'd done quite a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/it-s-always-tricky-to-watch-yourself-always-when-i-first-had-to-watch/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [To me, I didn't think of acting as being a young thing only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/to-me-i-didn-t-think-of-acting-as-being-a-young-thing-only/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I act, but I am a mother first and wife second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-act-but-i-am-a-mother-first-and-wife-second/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Why I love acting is that it's totally subjective and I like that. I like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/why-i-love-acting-is-that-it-s-totally-subjective-and-i-like-that-i/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Somebody said something really smart: It's like you end up being the defense attorney for your role. Your job is to defend their point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/somebody-said-something-really-smart-it-s-like-you-end-up-being-the/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Anybody who has children and children who are well feels a sense of responsibility towards parents and kids and families that are struggling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/anybody-who-has-children-and-children-who-are-well-feels-a-sense-of/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I just want to be educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-just-want-to-be-educated/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-remember-hearing-someone-say-that-good-acting-is-more-about-taking/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) [Explore all 141 Annette Bening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of course, you can never watch something like somebody else watches something like you, but nonetheless, you have to try. So I think on camera you learn a lot about how much the camera does for you, which is what is the great luxury of movie acting. Or acting whether it's TV or movies or whatever it is, that the camera's really such a gift because there's so much that it sees and does if you're willing to just be open and expose yourself and all of that. So you also learn what doesn't matter. 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