--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most difficult thing about shooting…" description: "\"The most difficult thing about shooting guns instantly on film is to not pull a silly face while the gun is going off, because it's always a bit of a s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef5/helen-mirren-1937_bits_the-most-difficult-thing-about-shooting_2840409.png" --- # The most difficult thing about shooting guns instantly on… ![“The most difficult thing about shooting guns instantly on film is to not pull a silly face while the gun is going off, because it's always a bit of a shock. So you find yourself sticking your tongue out or blinking or whatever. So the hardest thing is to keep a straight face while you're shooting…” quote by Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef5/helen-mirren-1937_bits_the-most-difficult-thing-about-shooting_2840409.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef5/helen-mirren-1937_bits_the-most-difficult-thing-about-shooting_2840409.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef5/helen-mirren-1937_bits_the-most-difficult-thing-about-shooting_2840409.png) > “The most difficult thing about shooting guns instantly on film is to not pull a silly face while the gun is going off, because it's always a bit of a shock. So you find yourself sticking your tongue out or blinking or whatever. So the hardest thing is to keep a straight face while you're shooting a gun.” [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Maintaining composure while filming intense scenes is challenging; actors must control involuntary reactions to convey realism. **In simple terms:** Actors must hide natural reactions during intense scenes. Key Takeaway Practice controlled facial expressions for authenticity. Themes acting performance self-control Mood practical insightful Type instructional advice When to use this quote - action scenes - live theater - camera work Key Concepts psychology of performance film production Questions to Reflect On - How do you train to keep a straight face? - What techniques help manage involuntary reactions? A Different Perspective Some actors may find it difficult to suppress genuine emotions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-things/) [Face Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-gun-3721564/) [Face Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-shooting-3721563/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-going-325447/) [Guns Instantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guns-instantly-3721562/) [Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest/) [Hardest thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest-thing/) [Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shock/) [Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting/) [Shooting A Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting-a-gun-222251/) [Shooting guns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting-guns/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Straight face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-face/) [Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue/) ## Related quotes > [The shooting of the guns, that was kind of funny, because rolling a cigarette and shooting a gun aren't like normal things for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailee-steinfeld/the-shooting-of-the-guns-that-was-kind-of-funny-because-rolling-a/) [Hailee Steinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailee-steinfeld/) > [If you can keep playing tennis when somebody is shooting a gun down the street, that's concentration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/if-you-can-keep-playing-tennis-when-somebody-is-shooting-a-gun-down/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [Some of the events in the Olympics don't make sense to me. 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Keuser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-keuser/) > [Theres a lot of muscles in your eyes even that you dont ever work, but little human traits like showing signs of exertion while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristanna-loken/theres-a-lot-of-muscles-in-your-eyes-even-that-you-dont-ever-work-but/) [Kristanna Loken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristanna-loken/) > [There's a lot of muscles in your eyes even that you dont ever work, but little human traits like showing signs of exertion while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristanna-loken/there-s-a-lot-of-muscles-in-your-eyes-even-that-you-dont-ever-work/) [Kristanna Loken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristanna-loken/) > [Does your mother know that you're carrying a gun? I'm going to tell her. I'm going to call and tell her right now." 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Sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-always-tell-my-husband-that-s-it-i-quit-i-ve-done-all-i-wanted-and/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [Patience can be a good thing - but not necessarily. Sometimes it's not so bad to be impatient. I'm a little bit too polite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-necessarily-sometimes-it-s-not/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [A war film can be propaganda and they're very valuable as propaganda, as we realized in Britain in the Second World War. Film as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/a-war-film-can-be-propaganda-and-they-re-very-valuable-as-propaganda/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [It was never my intention to marry anybody. Economics are basically the only reason to get married, but I'm very glad I did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/it-was-never-my-intention-to-marry-anybody-economics-are-basically/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [You can't control how other people see you or think of you. But you have to be comfortable with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/you-can-t-control-how-other-people-see-you-or-think-of-you-but-you/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [When you're young, you wonder what all these old people are droning on about, trying to impart their wisdom. It's not relevant to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-you-re-young-you-wonder-what-all-these-old-people-are-droning-on/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [The role of women has always been undervalued in the spy world, always undermined in terms of recognition. Unfairly so. 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And often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/my-fear-of-drama-school-is-that-the-natural-extraordinary-but/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) [Explore all 197 Helen Mirren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) ## More Bits quotes > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. 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