--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now, before you make a movie, you have to…" description: "\"Now, before you make a movie, you have to have a script, and before you have a script, you have to have a story; though some avant-garde directors have..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f9/arthur-c-clarke-640_art_now-before-you-make-a-movie-you-have-to_459182.jpg" --- # Now, before you make a movie, you have to have a script… ![“Now, before you make a movie, you have to have a script, and before you have a script, you have to have a story; though some avant-garde directors have tried to dispense with the latter item, you'll find their work only at art theaters.” quote by Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f9/arthur-c-clarke-640_art_now-before-you-make-a-movie-you-have-to_459182.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f9/arthur-c-clarke-640_art_now-before-you-make-a-movie-you-have-to_459182.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f9/arthur-c-clarke-640_art_now-before-you-make-a-movie-you-have-to_459182.jpg) > “Now, before you make a movie, you have to have a script, and before you have a script, you have to have a story; though some avant-garde directors have tried to dispense with the latter item, you'll find their work only at art theaters.” [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A good film requires a story first, then a script; avant‑garde attempts to skip the story usually stay niche. **In simple terms:** Stories precede scripts; without a story, films stay experimental. Key Takeaway Ensure a solid story before scripting. Themes storytelling film production creative process Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice observational When to use this quote - independent filmmaking - studio projects - screenwriting workshops Key Concepts narrative structure artistic risk Questions to Reflect On - How does a story shape a film’s impact? - Can you balance art and commerce? A Different Perspective Avant‑garde may sacrifice audience appeal for novelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Avant garde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avant-garde/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [All my directors have tried to draw the best out of me at that point of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmapriya-janakiraman/all-my-directors-have-tried-to-draw-the-best-out-of-me-at-that-point/) [Padmapriya Janakiraman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmapriya-janakiraman/) > [It would help a lot of directors if they tried a little bit of acting, so they can understand what the process is about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-dunbar/it-would-help-a-lot-of-directors-if-they-tried-a-little-bit-of-acting/) [Adrian Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-dunbar/) > [Comics are expensive. Don’t make me resent the money I spend buying yours. Every single moment in your script must either move the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/comics-are-expensive-don-t-make-me-resent-the-money-i-spend-buying/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [My first love is a wonderful script. It's the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-okonedo/my-first-love-is-a-wonderful-script-it-s-the-story/) [Sophie Okonedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-okonedo/) > [Usually, you get a script and you have the whole story. All the acts are there, for a play. You know what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/usually-you-get-a-script-and-you-have-the-whole-story-all-the-acts/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [The most important thing is the story. 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I think that I like doing film more just because when you get a script, you have the story from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/addison-timlin/i-prefer-working-period-i-think-that-i-like-doing-film-more-just/) [Addison Timlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/addison-timlin/) > [You can't get a movie made without a script; it's the blueprint to your building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/you-can-t-get-a-movie-made-without-a-script-it-s-the-blueprint-to/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) ## More by Arthur C. Clarke > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. 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