--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have a great script and great…" description: "\"If you have a great script and great dialogue, you don't need to improvise.\" — Catherine O'Hara" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/catherine-o-hara-12956_communication_if-you-have-a-great-script-and-great-dia_950130.jpg" --- # If you have a great script and great dialogue, you don't… ![“If you have a great script and great dialogue, you don't need to improvise.” quote by Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/catherine-o-hara-12956_communication_if-you-have-a-great-script-and-great-dia_950130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/catherine-o-hara-12956_communication_if-you-have-a-great-script-and-great-dia_950130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/catherine-o-hara-12956_communication_if-you-have-a-great-script-and-great-dia_950130.jpg) > “If you have a great script and great dialogue, you don't need to improvise.” [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Strong scripts and dialogue eliminate the need for improvisation. **In simple terms:** Good writing stands on its own. Key Takeaway Write solid material first. Themes scriptwriting dialogue creativity Mood thoughtful practical Type creative analytical When to use this quote - Film production - theatre - podcast creation Key Concepts Structure character voice Questions to Reflect On - Can improvisation ever improve a script? - When is spontaneity valuable? A Different Perspective Improvisation can add spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) ## Related quotes > [It could be a great script but the director is not the right person for me to work for at this time. So there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-underwood/it-could-be-a-great-script-but-the-director-is-not-the-right-person/) [Blair Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-underwood/) > [You can have a great script, and it can be a great show, but for whatever reason, it just doesn't take the public's interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-froggatt/you-can-have-a-great-script-and-it-can-be-a-great-show-but-for/) [Joanne Froggatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-froggatt/) > [If you have a script that's not great, if you have a great director, you can make a great movie, but if you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-bellucci/if-you-have-a-script-that-s-not-great-if-you-have-a-great-director/) [Monica Bellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-bellucci/) > [If it was a great script and a great character, I would love to do a romantic comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/if-it-was-a-great-script-and-a-great-character-i-would-love-to-do-a/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [You can have a great script, or a great director and a bad script, and get a great movie. Nothing really guarantees anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-booth/you-can-have-a-great-script-or-a-great-director-and-a-bad-script-and/) [Douglas Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-booth/) > [I'm not put off so much by first-time directors if the script is great. If the script isn't there, I'm not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-m-not-put-off-so-much-by-first-time-directors-if-the-script-is/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I was kind of excited about going to jail the first time and I learnt some great dialogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-was-kind-of-excited-about-going-to-jail-the-first-time-and-i-learnt/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [It's fun to improvise, but I still think it's better to have a great script, you know, like a Charlie Kaufman script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rockwell/it-s-fun-to-improvise-but-i-still-think-it-s-better-to-have-a-great/) [Sam Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rockwell/) > [As hard as you try to write a good script and you have great intentions, this alchemy has to occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlton-cuse/as-hard-as-you-try-to-write-a-good-script-and-you-have-great/) [Carlton Cuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlton-cuse/) > [ \[Before I Go To Sleep\] script was a great journey with all the twists and turns that were kind of unexpected. I had to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/before-i-go-to-sleep-script-was-a-great-journey-with-all-the-twists/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [Siva is one of the best writers in the industry, and 'Srimanthudu' is a great script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-babu/siva-is-one-of-the-best-writers-in-the-industry-and-srimanthudu-is-a/) [Mahesh Babu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-babu/) > [What I hope in my ideal world is that with each project, I'll either get to work with a really great script that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-linney/what-i-hope-in-my-ideal-world-is-that-with-each-project-i-ll-either/) [Laura Linney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-linney/) > [It's very rare you get a great script just handed to you, or sent to you, by someone you don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/it-s-very-rare-you-get-a-great-script-just-handed-to-you-or-sent-to/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I'm always looking for something very different from anything I've done. I'm attracted to a great script, and not necessarily a great character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-wood/i-m-always-looking-for-something-very-different-from-anything-i-ve/) [Elijah Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-wood/) > [I was hired to do this one great script called 'Cap'n Ricky' and that project is up in the air at the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wain/i-was-hired-to-do-this-one-great-script-called-cap-n-ricky-and-that/) [David Wain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wain/) ## More by Catherine O'Hara > [There's nothing like having a history with someone, when you're in a foreign land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/there-s-nothing-like-having-a-history-with-someone-when-you-re-in-a/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [From November through December, 'tis the season for 'Home Alone!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/from-november-through-december-tis-the-season-for-home-alone/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [My crutch was, in improvs, when in doubt, play insane, because you didn't have to excuse anything that came out of your mouth. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/my-crutch-was-in-improvs-when-in-doubt-play-insane-because-you-didn-t/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [As a teenager, I loved 'The Carol Burnett Show' and 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In,' and I lived to watch 'Monty Python.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/as-a-teenager-i-loved-the-carol-burnett-show-and-rowan-martin-s-laugh/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [Everybody in my family's funny. Being funny was highly encouraged in our family, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/everybody-in-my-family-s-funny-being-funny-was-highly-encouraged-in/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [I guess the more women are present and out there in life, the more their stories will be told. I don't know. Their stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/i-guess-the-more-women-are-present-and-out-there-in-life-the-more/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [I think everyone is born with humor, but your life can beat it out of you, sadly, or you can be lucky enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/i-think-everyone-is-born-with-humor-but-your-life-can-beat-it-out-of/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [“Nighttime is really the best time to work. All the ideas are there to be yours because everyone else is asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/nighttime-is-really-the-best-time-to-work-all-the-ideas-are-there-to/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [I only want to write. I don't care about directing, really. I've tried it, and it was fun, but it's not like I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/i-only-want-to-write-i-don-t-care-about-directing-really-i-ve-tried/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [Night time is really the best time to work. All the ideas are there to be yours because everyone else is asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/night-time-is-really-the-best-time-to-work-all-the-ideas-are-there-to/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [The year I married my American husband, I won the lottery - and I tried to give it to somebody else, because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/the-year-i-married-my-american-husband-i-won-the-lottery-and-i-tried/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [I mean, I knew I wanted to do this kind of thing in school, but to actually have somebody that would bring you into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/i-mean-i-knew-i-wanted-to-do-this-kind-of-thing-in-school-but-to/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [I met Gilda Radner, God bless her, when I was in grade 13, which doesn't exist anymore. 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Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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