--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never taken a script to the stage or…" description: "\"I've never taken a script to the stage or to principal photography and said, \"This is perfect. This is as good as it can possibly be.\" It's not Shakesp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/harold-ramis-4057_knows_i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-o_276927.png" --- # I've never taken a script to the stage or to principal… ![“I've never taken a script to the stage or to principal photography and said, "This is perfect. This is as good as it can possibly be." It's not Shakespeare, you know; you know it can probably be better.” quote by Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/harold-ramis-4057_knows_i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-o_276927.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/harold-ramis-4057_knows_i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-o_276927.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/harold-ramis-4057_knows_i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-o_276927.png) > “I've never taken a script to the stage or to principal photography and said, "This is perfect. This is as good as it can possibly be." It's not Shakespeare, you know; you know it can probably be better.” [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work is never flawless; continual improvement is essential. **In simple terms:** No script is perfect; keep improving. Key Takeaway Seek ongoing refinement. Themes creativity perfection growth Mood critical motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - writing - film production - stage performance Key Concepts artistic process self‑critique Questions to Reflect On - What aspects can you still improve? - How do you balance satisfaction and critique? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [You don't have to shoot the film in the first couple days of principal photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seamus-mcgarvey/you-don-t-have-to-shoot-the-film-in-the-first-couple-days-of/) [Seamus McGarvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seamus-mcgarvey/) > [ I just directed another picture called 'American Dream' with Nick Stahl. Just finished shooting principal photography right before I started \['Lincoln'\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/i-just-directed-another-picture-called-american-dream-with-nick-stahl/) [Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/) > [All of my films have been very hard to understand at the script stage because they're very different. At the time I did them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/all-of-my-films-have-been-very-hard-to-understand-at-the-script-stage/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [It's an unfair comparison because when things are developed in the UK, they're developed at script stage only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/it-s-an-unfair-comparison-because-when-things-are-developed-in-the-uk/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [I've always felt that in a comedy script the stage directions should also have a comedic value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-robinson/i-ve-always-felt-that-in-a-comedy-script-the-stage-directions-should/) [Bruce Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-robinson/) > [Sometimes I have an idea best suited for a script, sometimes it's for the stage, and sometimes it's a tweet. Point is to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robby-hoffman/sometimes-i-have-an-idea-best-suited-for-a-script-sometimes-it-s-for/) [Robby Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robby-hoffman/) > [The struggle of making a film for any studio is the fact that the producers and the studio have an idea of what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-struggle-of-making-a-film-for-any-studio-is-the-fact-that-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I got the deal to do 'J. Edgar,' which was really the brainchild of Brian Grazer, 'Milk' hadn't come out yet. We had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/when-i-got-the-deal-to-do-j-edgar-which-was-really-the-brainchild-of/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > ['Power' usually starts principal photography around mid September, and the first table read is always like one big family reunion. The most common comment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/power-usually-starts-principal-photography-around-mid-september-and/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [You just hope each job is going to be as good as it possibly can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-rundle/you-just-hope-each-job-is-going-to-be-as-good-as-it-possibly-can-be/) [Sophie Rundle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-rundle/) > [Anything that I do, I try to make it as good as I possibly can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-neuwirth/anything-that-i-do-i-try-to-make-it-as-good-as-i-possibly-can/) [Bebe Neuwirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-neuwirth/) > [I want to get as good as I can possibly be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-peppers/i-want-to-get-as-good-as-i-can-possibly-be/) [Julius Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-peppers/) > [“To become the Mockingjay . . . could any good I do possibly outweigh the damage?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/to-become-the-mockingjay-could-any-good-i-do-possibly-outweigh-the/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [One of my concerns is that the health care not be as good as it can possibly be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-my-concerns-is-that-the-health-care-not-be-as-good-as-it-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I just want to do everything as good as I possibly can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juergen-teller/i-just-want-to-do-everything-as-good-as-i-possibly-can/) [Juergen Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juergen-teller/) ## More by Harold Ramis > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I've always thought that comedy was just another dramatic expression. I try to measure the amount of truth in a work rather than just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-ve-always-thought-that-comedy-was-just-another-dramatic-expression/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [You can perceive life as tragic, or you can laugh at the tragedy of it and that turns it into comedy. It doesn't change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/you-can-perceive-life-as-tragic-or-you-can-laugh-at-the-tragedy-of-it/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-m-terrified-beyond-the-capacity-for-rational-thought/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [You can't not have feelings about country clubs, whichever side you're on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/you-can-t-not-have-feelings-about-country-clubs-whichever-side-you-re/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [That's one of the great things about DVD: In addition to reaching people who didn't catch the movie in theaters, you get to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/that-s-one-of-the-great-things-about-dvd-in-addition-to-reaching/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [It doesn't take any longer to improvise 10 takes than it takes to shoot 10 takes of the same thing. It turns out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/it-doesn-t-take-any-longer-to-improvise-10-takes-than-it-takes-to/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [As much as I liked acting for its playfulness and the reward of hearing big laughs wash over you on a stage, I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/as-much-as-i-liked-acting-for-its-playfulness-and-the-reward-of/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I realized that my righteous indignation was a form of entertainment for me. I loved getting pissed off at injustice. I didn't do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-realized-that-my-righteous-indignation-was-a-form-of-entertainment/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [My characters aren't losers. They're rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone else's rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/my-characters-aren-t-losers-they-re-rebels-they-win-by-their-refusal/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I made a handshake agreement with my best friend in college, Michael Shamberg, who is now a movie producer. We used to write shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-best-friend-in-college-michael/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [The trick with sequels is, you have to give people what they liked before, yet be innovative enough so they don't feel like they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/the-trick-with-sequels-is-you-have-to-give-people-what-they-liked/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Life doesn't care about your vision. You just gotta roll with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/life-doesn-t-care-about-your-vision-you-just-gotta-roll-with-it/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I look for the meaning in what's funny, and I look for what's funny about things that are meaningful to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-look-for-the-meaning-in-what-s-funny-and-i-look-for-what-s-funny/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [You can't love somebody into a state of mental health. A lot of people get into serious relationships thinking they're going to heal someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/you-can-t-love-somebody-into-a-state-of-mental-health-a-lot-of-people/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) [Explore all 117 Harold Ramis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) ## More Knows quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [You've touched people and known it. You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [the appetite for thinking must be regulated, as all sensible people know, for it may stifle one's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-appetite-for-thinking-must-be-regulated-as-all-sensible-people/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) > [He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-knows-does-not-speak-he-who-speaks-does-not-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) Browse all 53,133 Knows quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never taken a script to the stage or to principal photography and said, \"This is perfect. This is as good as it can possibly be.\" It's not Shakespeare, you know; you know it can probably be better.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harold Ramis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-or-to-principal-photography/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Knows" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-or-to-principal-photography/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/harold-ramis-4057_knows_i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-o_276927.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/harold-ramis-4057_knows_i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-o_276927.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/harold-ramis-4057_knows_i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-o_276927.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've never taken a script to the stage or to principal photography and said, \"This is perfect. This is as…” — Harold Ramis", "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": "Harold Ramis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've never taken a script to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-or-to-principal-photography/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-or-to-principal-photography/#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 } } ] } ```