--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certainly as an actor, half of your work…" description: "\"Certainly as an actor, half of your work is not going to end up on the screen anyway, because in the editorial process, they need to cut to the other a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/hart-bochner-60743_actor_certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work_806617.jpg" --- # Certainly as an actor, half of your work is not going to… ![“Certainly as an actor, half of your work is not going to end up on the screen anyway, because in the editorial process, they need to cut to the other actor in the scene. Very often, your best work ends up on the cutting room floor, because it just doesn't work with the overall narrative drive of…” quote by Hart Bochner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/hart-bochner-60743_actor_certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work_806617.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/hart-bochner-60743_actor_certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work_806617.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/hart-bochner-60743_actor_certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work_806617.jpg) > “Certainly as an actor, half of your work is not going to end up on the screen anyway, because in the editorial process, they need to cut to the other actor in the scene. Very often, your best work ends up on the cutting room floor, because it just doesn't work with the overall narrative drive of the story.” [Hart Bochner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hart-bochner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Notes that much of an actor's work is cut from the final film due to editorial decisions and narrative focus. **In simple terms:** Much acting work never appears on screen. Key Takeaway Accept editing as part of storytelling. Themes film editing creative process Mood realistic reflective Type industry insight inspirational When to use this quote - screenwriting - directorial choices - post‑production Key Concepts narrative production collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle creative compromises? - What defines a scene’s essential elements? A Different Perspective Best work may be sacrificed for story coherence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-half-5075924/) [Actor Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-scene-1285635/) [Anyway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anyway/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-work/) [Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly/) [Cut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut/) [Cut Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut-actor-6159331/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Drive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drive/) [Editorial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editorial/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Floor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/floor/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/often/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Overall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overall/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/room/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Screen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screen/) [Screen Editorial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screen-editorial-6159332/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [I'm always trying to do weird things - when you have that part of your mission statement as an actor, half of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/i-m-always-trying-to-do-weird-things-when-you-have-that-part-of-your/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [I was nervous. I was thinking, 'Gee, he's Ralph Fiennes. What an amazing actor, and I can have this scene with him.' But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lewis/i-was-nervous-i-was-thinking-gee-he-s-ralph-fiennes-what-an-amazing/) [Matthew Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lewis/) > [It's hard on an actor when you have to do a scene 45 times and you know damn well that three of the angles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/it-s-hard-on-an-actor-when-you-have-to-do-a-scene-45-times-and-you/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [The actor always must be in the scene, not above the scene. To communicate any larger ideas is my problem; it's how the narrative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gray/the-actor-always-must-be-in-the-scene-not-above-the-scene-to/) [James Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gray/) > [An expression of feeling isn't worth anything unless it interferes with what the other actor in the scene wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shurtleff/an-expression-of-feeling-isn-t-worth-anything-unless-it-interferes/) [Michael Shurtleff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shurtleff/) > [You don't have to like an actor to do a scene with him. You don't have to like a director. But it's just better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-crowe/you-don-t-have-to-like-an-actor-to-do-a-scene-with-him-you-don-t-have/) [Russell Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-crowe/) > [Doing three movies with Mike Myers certainly loosened me up. He told me that there's a switch in your brain that censors you, makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-green/doing-three-movies-with-mike-myers-certainly-loosened-me-up-he-told/) [Seth Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-green/) > [Sometimes, during a shoot, an actor might fail to turn up or there might be a need for an actor for a scene... and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dileesh-pothan/sometimes-during-a-shoot-an-actor-might-fail-to-turn-up-or-there/) [Dileesh Pothan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dileesh-pothan/) > [A fantastic actor in a scene that's just closed off will be good. But when working with a director who knows little tricks -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-gray-gubler/a-fantastic-actor-in-a-scene-that-s-just-closed-off-will-be-good-but/) [Matthew Gray Gubler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-gray-gubler/) > [“With one finger, Yang Wen-li was capable of mobilizing a giant fleet of tens of thousands of ships in battlespaces all across the universe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshiki-tanaka/with-one-finger-yang-wen-li-was-capable-of-mobilizing-a-giant-fleet/) [Yoshiki Tanaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshiki-tanaka/) > [I think we need editorial oversight now more than ever. Anything we can do to help newspapers find new ways of expression that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-think-we-need-editorial-oversight-now-more-than-ever-anything-we/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The first time I ever wrote anything, it was an editorial column for my high school newspaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/the-first-time-i-ever-wrote-anything-it-was-an-editorial-column-for/) [Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/) > [We have for too long put vast oil and natural gas reserves off limits to exploration and production, as The Washington Post editorial stated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-costa/we-have-for-too-long-put-vast-oil-and-natural-gas-reserves-off-limits/) [Jim Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-costa/) > [Vanity Fair has but two major articles in its editorial creed: first, to believe in the progress and promise of American life, and, second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-crowninshield/vanity-fair-has-but-two-major-articles-in-its-editorial-creed-first/) [Frank Crowninshield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-crowninshield/) > [Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/only-kings-presidents-editors-and-people-with-tapeworms-have-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Hart Bochner > [I admire President Obama's class and measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hart-bochner/i-admire-president-obama-s-class-and-measure/) [Hart Bochner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hart-bochner/) > [I love directing more than anything in the world, and I love being in the editing room. I love cutting. When I'm shooting, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hart-bochner/i-love-directing-more-than-anything-in-the-world-and-i-love-being-in/) [Hart Bochner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hart-bochner/) > [I think every actor should direct at least once and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hart-bochner/i-think-every-actor-should-direct-at-least-once-and-vice-versa/) [Hart Bochner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hart-bochner/) > [As an actor, I never go back and look at my work, anyway. The satisfaction comes in the doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hart-bochner/as-an-actor-i-never-go-back-and-look-at-my-work-anyway-the/) [Hart Bochner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hart-bochner/) [Explore all 5 Hart Bochner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hart-bochner/) ## 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. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Certainly as an actor, half of your work is not going to end up on the screen anyway, because in the editorial process, they need to cut to the other actor in the scene. Very often, your best work ends up on the cutting room floor, because it just doesn't work with the overall narrative drive of the story.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hart Bochner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hart-bochner/certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work-is-not-going-to-end-up-on-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hart-bochner/certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work-is-not-going-to-end-up-on-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/hart-bochner-60743_actor_certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work_806617.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/hart-bochner-60743_actor_certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work_806617.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/hart-bochner-60743_actor_certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work_806617.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Certainly as an actor, half of your work is not going to end up on the screen anyway, because in the…” — Hart Bochner", "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": "Hart Bochner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hart-bochner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Certainly as an actor, half of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hart-bochner/certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work-is-not-going-to-end-up-on-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hart-bochner/certainly-as-an-actor-half-of-your-work-is-not-going-to-end-up-on-the/#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 } } ] } ```