--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I start from scratch with each movie; I…" description: "\"I start from scratch with each movie; I wipe the slate and I certainly don't rely on some bag of acting tricks I've amassed over the years.\" — Christia..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/christian-bale-2174_acting_i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-w_1041149.jpg" --- # I start from scratch with each movie; I wipe the slate and… ![“I start from scratch with each movie; I wipe the slate and I certainly don't rely on some bag of acting tricks I've amassed over the years.” quote by Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/christian-bale-2174_acting_i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-w_1041149.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/christian-bale-2174_acting_i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-w_1041149.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/christian-bale-2174_acting_i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-w_1041149.jpg) > “I start from scratch with each movie; I wipe the slate and I certainly don't rely on some bag of acting tricks I've amassed over the years.” [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He approaches each role fresh, discarding past techniques to fully embody a new character without relying on previous tricks. **In simple terms:** Start anew for each project, avoiding reliance on old habits. Key Takeaway Embrace a beginner’s mindset for creative work. Themes creativity acting personal growth professional discipline Mood motivational reflective Type inspirational professional When to use this quote - film auditions - creative workshops - career transitions - personal development Key Concepts Method acting continuous learning self-reinvention Questions to Reflect On - What habits limit your growth? - How can you balance experience with novelty? A Different Perspective Risk of losing accumulated expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [With everything you do as an actor, you obviously know the full story. But the person watching it doesn't, necessarily. 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J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“You need to be willing to wipe the slate clean and admit that you may not know everything about running. This is the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sandler/you-need-to-be-willing-to-wipe-the-slate-clean-and-admit-that-you-may/) Michael Sandler > [“There's nothing wrong with trying to change things you don't like about yourself, but i don't think you need to wipe the slate clean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-h-kolee/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-trying-to-change-things-you-don-t-like/) [S.H. Kolee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-h-kolee/) > [I don't want to know about the lives of other actors and I don't want people to know too much about me. If we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-don-t-want-to-know-about-the-lives-of-other-actors-and-i-don-t-want/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Never too old, never too bad, never too late, never too sick to start from scratch once again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bikram-choudhury/never-too-old-never-too-bad-never-too-late-never-too-sick-to-start/) [Bikram Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bikram-choudhury/) > [The secret to success is to start from scratch and keep on scratching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-green/the-secret-to-success-is-to-start-from-scratch-and-keep-on-scratching/) [Dennis Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-green/) > [“Would it insult you if I used your alphabet? I don't think I could start from scratch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-susan-griffith/would-it-insult-you-if-i-used-your-alphabet-i-don-t-think-i-could/) Clay Susan Griffith > [No matter how long your've been at it, you always start from scratch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/no-matter-how-long-your-ve-been-at-it-you-always-start-from-scratch/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [He would like to start from scratch. Where is scratch?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/he-would-like-to-start-from-scratch-where-is-scratch/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [When you have to start over from scratch, you can do it very differently than if you have this big thing that's kinda been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-pierce/when-you-have-to-start-over-from-scratch-you-can-do-it-very/) [Brock Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-pierce/) > [When one thing ends, you put it away and start from scratch on the next thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-metcalf/when-one-thing-ends-you-put-it-away-and-start-from-scratch-on-the/) [Laurie Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-metcalf/) > [I could start a fire from scratch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-johnson/i-could-start-a-fire-from-scratch/) [Jimmy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-johnson/) ## More by Christian Bale > [I started my career without fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-started-my-career-without-fans/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [It's about pursuing it rather than waiting to see what comes along. That's partly because I found myself getting typecast, as everyone does unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/it-s-about-pursuing-it-rather-than-waiting-to-see-what-comes-along/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Nuclear apocalypse-who do you need? Actors are probably not top of the list. What can I do for you? I can pretend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/nuclear-apocalypse-who-do-you-need-actors-are-probably-not-top-of-the/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [I have a fear of being boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-have-a-fear-of-being-boring/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [An actor should never be larger than the film he's in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/an-actor-should-never-be-larger-than-the-film-he-s-in/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [There's a level of confidence in the actor you're working with that really helps a lot. It makes all the difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/there-s-a-level-of-confidence-in-the-actor-you-re-working-with-that/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [And I not only inherited an aversion to the nine-to-five routine, but the sense from my parents that being bored and boring is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/and-i-not-only-inherited-an-aversion-to-the-nine-to-five-routine-but/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [And being as I'm somebody who loves movies like The Machinist, I also love going along to big mass entertainment movies. I get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/and-being-as-i-m-somebody-who-loves-movies-like-the-machinist-i-also/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [You'll hunt me. You'll condemn me. Set the dogs on me. Because that's what needs to happen. Because sometimes truth isn't good enough. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/you-ll-hunt-me-you-ll-condemn-me-set-the-dogs-on-me-because-that-s/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [When it comes to films, people often don't differentiate between the message of a bad central character and the message of the film itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/when-it-comes-to-films-people-often-don-t-differentiate-between-the/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [It's tough to make a good movie. I think the bigger the movies are, the worse they are. A lot of big movies make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/it-s-tough-to-make-a-good-movie-i-think-the-bigger-the-movies-are-the/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Sometimes the truth isn't good enough. Sometimes people have got to have their faith rewarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/sometimes-the-truth-isn-t-good-enough-sometimes-people-have-got-to/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [There's such ups and downs. You may think that you've kind of found a spot and a groove and it seems to be working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/there-s-such-ups-and-downs-you-may-think-that-you-ve-kind-of-found-a/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [It's about pursuing it rather than waiting to see what comes along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/it-s-about-pursuing-it-rather-than-waiting-to-see-what-comes-along-2/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man I'm flesh and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/people-need-dramatic-examples-to-shake-them-out-of-apathy-and-i-can-t/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) [Explore all 181 Christian Bale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) ## 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. 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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 > [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": "I start from scratch with each movie; I wipe the slate and I certainly don't rely on some bag of acting tricks I've amassed over the years.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christian Bale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-wipe-the-slate-and-i-certainly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-wipe-the-slate-and-i-certainly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/christian-bale-2174_acting_i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-w_1041149.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/christian-bale-2174_acting_i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-w_1041149.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/christian-bale-2174_acting_i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-w_1041149.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I start from scratch with each movie; I wipe the slate and I certainly don't rely on some bag of acting…” — Christian Bale", "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": "Christian Bale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I start from scratch with each...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-wipe-the-slate-and-i-certainly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-start-from-scratch-with-each-movie-i-wipe-the-slate-and-i-certainly/#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 } } ] } ```