--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a period just before you start a…" description: "\"There's a period just before you start a movie when you start thinking, I don't know what in the world I'm going to do. It's free-floating anxiety. In ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/jack-nicholson-1283_anxiety_there-s-a-period-just-before-you-start-a_457339.jpg" --- # There's a period just before you start a movie when you… ![“There's a period just before you start a movie when you start thinking, I don't know what in the world I'm going to do. It's free-floating anxiety. In my case, though, this is over by lunch the first day of shooting.” quote by Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/jack-nicholson-1283_anxiety_there-s-a-period-just-before-you-start-a_457339.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/jack-nicholson-1283_anxiety_there-s-a-period-just-before-you-start-a_457339.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/jack-nicholson-1283_anxiety_there-s-a-period-just-before-you-start-a_457339.jpg) > “There's a period just before you start a movie when you start thinking, I don't know what in the world I'm going to do. It's free-floating anxiety. In my case, though, this is over by lunch the first day of shooting.” [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anticipation before a project can cause anxiety, but routine can calm it quickly. **In simple terms:** Pre‑project nerves fade with familiar habits. Key Takeaway Establish a calming routine early. Themes anxiety anticipation routine Mood nervous relieved Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - starting a film - first day of work - public speaking - performance prep Key Concepts psychology stress management Questions to Reflect On - What routine can you create to ease new beginnings? - How does familiarity reduce fear? A Different Perspective Anxiety may persist if routine is disrupted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [First Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-day/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Panic---a deep abiding, free-floating anxiety, often without any reason or logical basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/panic-a-deep-abiding-free-floating-anxiety-often-without-any-reason/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [“He is full of adrenaline, his nerves are shot, and his mind is cluttered up with free-floating anxiety-floating around on an ocean of generalized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/he-is-full-of-adrenaline-his-nerves-are-shot-and-his-mind-is/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [The emergence of the Atomic Age brought the previously inchoate and 'free-floating' anxiety of many people into sharp focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-emergence-of-the-atomic-age-brought-the-previously-inchoate-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Psychologists call it "free-floating" anxiety. What contradictory words. Anxiety doesn't free-float. It stalks. It attacks. It lands on you with a thud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxiety-what-contradictory-words/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [There is no difficult moment working together because when we start a new project, Dante starts to make all the sketches and I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lo-schiavo/there-is-no-difficult-moment-working-together-because-when-we-start-a/) Francesca Lo Schiavo > [The experience of making a movie, you start to see it everywhere. It's just this amazing mechanism that your brain does because it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-larson/the-experience-of-making-a-movie-you-start-to-see-it-everywhere-it-s/) [Brie Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-larson/) > [Please, if you're making a movie, start out with a good script, at least! Please!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chazz-palminteri/please-if-you-re-making-a-movie-start-out-with-a-good-script-at-least/) [Chazz Palminteri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chazz-palminteri/) > [The heartbreak that it might not happen wasn't something that I wanted to face with any more weight. Then, when I got the call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/the-heartbreak-that-it-might-not-happen-wasn-t-something-that-i/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) > [One of the things that's fascinating about making movies is a movie when it's done and you start showing it to people, it reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/one-of-the-things-that-s-fascinating-about-making-movies-is-a-movie/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [In the general sense, there's a journey to be had. You either start at the top or the bottom for a journey to happen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/in-the-general-sense-there-s-a-journey-to-be-had-you-either-start-at/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) > [I do like the whole idea of going to a location to shoot a movie, and there is a start date and a finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-levy/i-do-like-the-whole-idea-of-going-to-a-location-to-shoot-a-movie-and/) [Jane Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-levy/) > [You're in the middle of making a movie and this part of the process is always very interesting. Because you think what you're making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/you-re-in-the-middle-of-making-a-movie-and-this-part-of-the-process/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [I'm always very scared when I start a movie because I never know if I'm going to be able to do a good job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/i-m-always-very-scared-when-i-start-a-movie-because-i-never-know-if-i/) [Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/) > [Every time I start the next movie, it's as exciting as the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/every-time-i-start-the-next-movie-it-s-as-exciting-as-the-first-time/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Every time you start a movie is to explore with a director and if you can with the actors and with the other collaborators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-lubezki/every-time-you-start-a-movie-is-to-explore-with-a-director-and-if-you/) [Emmanuel Lubezki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-lubezki/) ## More by Jack Nicholson > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Women are sort of like motorcycle gangs with me. They get really shy and polite. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/women-are-sort-of-like-motorcycle-gangs-with-me-they-get-really-shy/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I love writing, but I stopped because I felt I was more effective approaching filmmaking from a different vantage point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-love-writing-but-i-stopped-because-i-felt-i-was-more-effective/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I've been too many places. I'm like the bad penny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-ve-been-too-many-places-i-m-like-the-bad-penny/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I don't play golf competitively. I tell everybody that I cheat so they won't gamble with me. That's why you can't watch football. Everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-don-t-play-golf-competitively-i-tell-everybody-that-i-cheat-so-they/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I'm such a perfectionist. I always feel overpraised or whatever. In the abstract, I know I'm a good person, a good professional. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-m-such-a-perfectionist-i-always-feel-overpraised-or-whatever-in-the/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Men dominate because of physicality, and thus they have mercy where women do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/men-dominate-because-of-physicality-and-thus-they-have-mercy-where/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I think it's good if a man gives a woman some time to herself because I think we all need that and we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-think-it-s-good-if-a-man-gives-a-woman-some-time-to-herself-because/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [The most difficult thing about being well known? Getting out of a hotel room at 4am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-most-difficult-thing-about-being-well-known-getting-out-of-a/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [ He \[Castro\] is a genius. We spoke about everything. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/he-castro-is-a-genius-we-spoke-about-everything/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I've always had an urge to feed my need to have fun and feel free. I don't see any interesting alternatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-ve-always-had-an-urge-to-feed-my-need-to-have-fun-and-feel-free-i/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Take caution in your tone, commander. I'm a fair man, but this -- heat is making me absolutely crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/take-caution-in-your-tone-commander-i-m-a-fair-man-but-this-heat-is/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [The stage has a certain discipline. But the ultimate standard is more exacting in film, because you have to see yourself and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-stage-has-a-certain-discipline-but-the-ultimate-standard-is-more/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Comedy is much harder, it's a lot more exacting. You can't just be real and you can't just use the same kind of techniques…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/comedy-is-much-harder-it-s-a-lot-more-exacting-you-can-t-just-be-real/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) [Explore all 261 Jack Nicholson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a period just before you start a movie when you start thinking, I don't know what in the world I'm going to do. 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