Any Quote by Charles Dance
“If you get a bad script, then you start expending energy trying to make a silk purse of a sow's ear. When the script's as good as those on 'Game of Thrones,' say, I don't think there was a single occasion where any of us thought there was a bad scene.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussing script quality in television production
Highlights that a good script eliminates the need to force quality onto poor material; a strong script stands on its own.
In simple terms: Good scripts need no rescue.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize strong writing over post‑production fixes.
Themes
writing
quality
production
Mood
reflective
pragmatic
Type
industry
advisory
When to use this quote
- screenwriting
- film editing
- directing
- budget constraints
Key Concepts
storytelling
craftsmanship
creative process
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps ensure a script stays strong through production?
- How can teams identify script issues early?
A Different Perspective
Even great scripts can suffer from poor execution.
![“["Where the Buffalo Roam" is] horrible pile of crap. [Bill] Murray did a good job. But it was a bad script. You can't beat a bad script. It was just a horrible movie. A cartoon. But Bill Murray did a good job. We actually wrote and shot several different endings and beginnings and they all got cut…” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c3/hunter-s-thompson-278_beats_where-the-buffalo-roam-is-horrible-pile_1685238.jpg)
![“In Canada, I've had success raising money. I think I was fortunate enough. But today, I would have to write a very, very bad script not to be financed for the next one. I'm assured at least of the next one, but you're always [only] as good as your last film. I think it's true for anyone.” quote by Philippe Falardeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/574/philippe-falardeau-11523_assured_in-canada-i-ve-had-success-raising-money_68419.jpg)
![“Because [writers] Dan Weiss and David Benioff have done such a great job in adapting them, that's what we work with. It serves no purpose to anybody for actors to come onto a set with a well-thumbed copy of the source material and start querying why this or that line has been left out of the…” quote by Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cbd/charles-dance-10952_actors_because-writers-dan-weiss-and-david-beni_750019.jpg)
