--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an actor, I've always paid attention…" description: "\"As an actor, I've always paid attention on sets. I've always watched, learned and listened, and you start to see things differently. You always leave y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b62/eric-balfour-18535_actor_as-an-actor-i-ve-always-paid-attention-o_430951.jpg" --- # As an actor, I've always paid attention on sets. I've… ![“As an actor, I've always paid attention on sets. I've always watched, learned and listened, and you start to see things differently. You always leave yourself an out.” quote by Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b62/eric-balfour-18535_actor_as-an-actor-i-ve-always-paid-attention-o_430951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b62/eric-balfour-18535_actor_as-an-actor-i-ve-always-paid-attention-o_430951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b62/eric-balfour-18535_actor_as-an-actor-i-ve-always-paid-attention-o_430951.jpg) > “As an actor, I've always paid attention on sets. I've always watched, learned and listened, and you start to see things differently. You always leave yourself an out.” [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Observing and listening on set expands perspective and reveals hidden lessons, allowing personal growth. **In simple terms:** Watching and learning on set changes how you see things. Key Takeaway Pay attention to learn from every environment. Themes growth observation learning Mood reflective inspired Type insightful motivational When to use this quote - film set - theatre rehearsal - creative workshops - networking events Key Concepts mindfulness experiential learning Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply set observations to your own life? - What habits help you stay observant? A Different Perspective May miss deeper insights if you focus only on your role. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Differently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differently/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Paid Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid-attention-346823/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Ve Watched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-watched-368384/) [Watched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watched/) [Watched Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watched-learned-547743/) ## Related quotes > [ Will \[Smith\] is not like preachy. He's more like lead by example. There's two ways to approach Will. You can follow or you can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/will-smith-is-not-like-preachy-he-s-more-like-lead-by-example-there-s/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [I just learn from every legend that I've watched. I learned from the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-garcia/i-just-learn-from-every-legend-that-i-ve-watched-i-learned-from-the/) [Ryan Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-garcia/) > [Growing up, I was surrounded by many great men in my life. I watched them and learned, taking it in like a sponge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-vaughan/growing-up-i-was-surrounded-by-many-great-men-in-my-life-i-watched/) [Greg Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-vaughan/) > [ When I look at that now, all I think about is what a master \[David Fincher\] I was working with, and all of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/when-i-look-at-that-now-all-i-think-about-is-what-a-master-david/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [I think you can see in the way I play that I've watched the game from a young age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-bellingham/i-think-you-can-see-in-the-way-i-play-that-i-ve-watched-the-game-from/) [Jude Bellingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-bellingham/) > [I'm a massive Steven Seagal fan. I know his movies are horrible, but I've watched all of them over and over again. I'd want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-friedlander/i-m-a-massive-steven-seagal-fan-i-know-his-movies-are-horrible-but-i/) [Judah Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-friedlander/) > [Probably the TV show I've watched the most is 'How It's Made' on the History Channel. I could watch 24 hours of 'How It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-carruth/probably-the-tv-show-i-ve-watched-the-most-is-how-it-s-made-on-the-2/) [Shane Carruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-carruth/) > [I don't watch a great deal of television because I don't have a television, and I don't have a huge catalog of films that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-griffiths/i-don-t-watch-a-great-deal-of-television-because-i-don-t-have-a/) [Lucy Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-griffiths/) > [I've met people who've watched 'Derry Girls' in Australia and America and it's incredible. I think the constant access to it, meaning you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcelhinney/i-ve-met-people-who-ve-watched-derry-girls-in-australia-and-america/) [Ian McElhinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcelhinney/) > [If you've ever watched anything that I do, and you completely give it a chance and take the blinders off, and you'll understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/if-you-ve-ever-watched-anything-that-i-do-and-you-completely-give-it/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [I've watched pretty much every Ed Sheeran video on You Tube that is possible to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-ve-watched-pretty-much-every-ed-sheeran-video-on-you-tube-that-is/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [I just got Kill Bill: Vol. 2. I've watched it like eight times in the past two months. I just love the scene at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-ashmore/i-just-got-kill-bill-vol-2-i-ve-watched-it-like-eight-times-in-the/) [Shawn Ashmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-ashmore/) > [Probably the TV show I've watched the most is 'How It's Made' on the History Channel. I could watch 24 hours of 'How It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-carruth/probably-the-tv-show-i-ve-watched-the-most-is-how-it-s-made-on-the/) [Shane Carruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-carruth/) > [I've always watched the NBA growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephon-marbury/i-ve-always-watched-the-nba-growing-up/) [Stephon Marbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephon-marbury/) > [I've followed Gary Oldman his whole career... I've watched the movies he's directed, like 'Nil by Mouth' - I've seen that five times!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-ve-followed-gary-oldman-his-whole-career-i-ve-watched-the-movies-he/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) ## More by Eric Balfour > [A lot of why we become actors is to fill a void that we have and a part of that void is to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/a-lot-of-why-we-become-actors-is-to-fill-a-void-that-we-have-and-a/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [Having been an actor, I always want to leave room for the actors to find their comfort zone, so I don't like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/having-been-an-actor-i-always-want-to-leave-room-for-the-actors-to/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [As an artist, you're always trying to reach a new height, do something new, try something you haven't done before, and push your boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/as-an-artist-you-re-always-trying-to-reach-a-new-height-do-something/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [One of the greatest things I've learned, as an actor, was how to talk to actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/one-of-the-greatest-things-i-ve-learned-as-an-actor-was-how-to-talk/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [By nature, I'm very care-taking. There's something really beautiful about cooking for someone and feeding them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/by-nature-i-m-very-care-taking-there-s-something-really-beautiful/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [I already love acting and I love actors, so being able to communicate with actors and to bring performances out of them, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/i-already-love-acting-and-i-love-actors-so-being-able-to-communicate/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [Directing is something that I'd been wanting and hoping to do, as I've grown into myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/directing-is-something-that-i-d-been-wanting-and-hoping-to-do-as-i-ve/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [I think directors can be a little insensitive to how vulnerable an actor is, when he's giving a performance. Part of the job of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/i-think-directors-can-be-a-little-insensitive-to-how-vulnerable-an/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [The minute you try to do something that is not true to you, is not something that you really know about, and is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/the-minute-you-try-to-do-something-that-is-not-true-to-you-is-not/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [The stories that I like to tell and the movies I like are always grounded in the emotional arc of the characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/the-stories-that-i-like-to-tell-and-the-movies-i-like-are-always/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [To whatever degree you have as a celebrity or notoriety, there are people who see you as an opinion leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/to-whatever-degree-you-have-as-a-celebrity-or-notoriety-there-are/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [I'm such an L.A. boy, I love hanging out by the beach and throwing some steaks on the grill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/i-m-such-an-l-a-boy-i-love-hanging-out-by-the-beach-and-throwing-some/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [Stepping out of the director's chair completely and into a scene as an actor was weird. It was more excitement about directing than anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/stepping-out-of-the-director-s-chair-completely-and-into-a-scene-as/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [As you get older and you hopefully battle your own demons, you find other reasons why you want to be an actor. The people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/as-you-get-older-and-you-hopefully-battle-your-own-demons-you-find/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [If you felt like you've done the best thing you could possibly ever do, it's probably time to hang up your spurs because there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/if-you-felt-like-you-ve-done-the-best-thing-you-could-possibly-ever/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) [Explore all 34 Eric Balfour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. 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