--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything in comedy's got to be exactly…" description: "\"Everything in comedy's got to be exactly right, which is why making a comedic film is kind of a difficult process, because, for most of the two years o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/john-cleese-1768_comedic_everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly_1787706.jpg" --- # Everything in comedy's got to be exactly right, which is… ![“Everything in comedy's got to be exactly right, which is why making a comedic film is kind of a difficult process, because, for most of the two years of shooting it and editing it and reshooting and all of that, it's not quite right. And it's only when you just at the end, you put the final polish…” quote by John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/john-cleese-1768_comedic_everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly_1787706.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/john-cleese-1768_comedic_everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly_1787706.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/john-cleese-1768_comedic_everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly_1787706.jpg) > “Everything in comedy's got to be exactly right, which is why making a comedic film is kind of a difficult process, because, for most of the two years of shooting it and editing it and reshooting and all of that, it's not quite right. And it's only when you just at the end, you put the final polish on it, it becomes really funny again.” [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a comedic film requires precise timing and multiple revisions; humor emerges after extensive polishing. **In simple terms:** Comedy needs exactness and many edits to be funny. Key Takeaway Embrace iterative refinement in creative work. Themes creativity film comedy process Mood reflective inspirational Type creative process When to use this quote - film production - writing - directing - editing - post-production Key Concepts Timing editing polish iteration Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to balance perfection and momentum? - How do you know when a project is ready? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedic/) [Comedic Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedic-film-1918683/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Editing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editing/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-kind-701370/) [Finals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finals/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Making Comedic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-comedic-1918682/) [Polish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polish/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Really Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-funny/) [Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-years/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I'd love to do a comedic film. I'd love to do a very epic Shakespearian film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morena-baccarin/i-d-love-to-do-a-comedic-film-i-d-love-to-do-a-very-epic/) [Morena Baccarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morena-baccarin/) > [I'm not a comedian - you've got to know your boundaries - but I think I could definitely do a comedic film if I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-taylor/i-m-not-a-comedian-you-ve-got-to-know-your-boundaries-but-i-think-i/) [Jason Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-taylor/) > [ I thought the idea Jim \[Carrey\] had, which was to do a comedic version of movies like The Hand That Rocks The Cradle and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-thought-the-idea-jim-carrey-had-which-was-to-do-a-comedic-version/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [If you play comedic scenes like they're really serious, then it's so much more funny than if you're going for a laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/if-you-play-comedic-scenes-like-they-re-really-serious-then-it-s-so/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [That's a lovely experience when you make an audience laugh. Then the nerves go away for a bit. And sometimes you do things then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/that-s-a-lovely-experience-when-you-make-an-audience-laugh-then-the/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I don't think anything can prepare you for a crew to come in and actually film you as yourself. It's kind of frightening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisha-cuthbert/i-don-t-think-anything-can-prepare-you-for-a-crew-to-come-in-and/) [Elisha Cuthbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisha-cuthbert/) > [I love film, any kind of genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rinko-kikuchi/i-love-film-any-kind-of-genre/) [Rinko Kikuchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rinko-kikuchi/) > [When I did my first film I kind of fell into it. I got cast in this movie called 2:37... the director, Murali K…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-palmer/when-i-did-my-first-film-i-kind-of-fell-into-it-i-got-cast-in-this/) [Teresa Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-palmer/) > [It wasn't the first film to show a kind of alternate vision of suburbia, but it left an indelible impression, I think, on everybody,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-unkrich/it-wasn-t-the-first-film-to-show-a-kind-of-alternate-vision-of/) [Lee Unkrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-unkrich/) > [I think the original Matrix was really incredible. It was so original and it did so many innovative things with film. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-gershon/i-think-the-original-matrix-was-really-incredible-it-was-so-original/) [Gina Gershon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-gershon/) > ['Boss' is a big scale entertainer... It is my first film of this kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditi-rao-hydari/boss-is-a-big-scale-entertainer-it-is-my-first-film-of-this-kind/) [Aditi Rao Hydari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditi-rao-hydari/) > [I play the guitar. This year at the Sundance film festival, I joined the band from 'The Guitar' on stage. We warmed up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saffron-burrows/i-play-the-guitar-this-year-at-the-sundance-film-festival-i-joined/) [Saffron Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saffron-burrows/) > [The kinds of films I like are the ones that take their time. If you reach an emotional pinnacle too early on in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-haigh/the-kinds-of-films-i-like-are-the-ones-that-take-their-time-if-you/) [Andrew Haigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-haigh/) > [In film, there's this kind of constant fear that you're going to be doing too much. That may be an unfounded fear because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-garfield/in-film-there-s-this-kind-of-constant-fear-that-you-re-going-to-be/) [Andrew Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-garfield/) > [With TV, you have so much to get done during the day that you don't really have a lot of time to feel your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-pace/with-tv-you-have-so-much-to-get-done-during-the-day-that-you-don-t/) [Lee Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-pace/) ## More by John Cleese > [Too many people confuse being serious with being solemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/too-many-people-confuse-being-serious-with-being-solemn/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [years ago we would have been burned for this. Now what I am suggesting is that we've advanced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/years-ago-we-would-have-been-burned-for-this-now-what-i-am-suggesting/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [The very essence of playfulness is an openness to anything that may happen, the feeling that whatever happens, it's okay... you're either free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/the-very-essence-of-playfulness-is-an-openness-to-anything-that-may/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Loving your neighbour as much as yourself is practically bloody impossible? You might as well have a commandment that states,'Thou shalt fly'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/loving-your-neighbour-as-much-as-yourself-is-practically-bloody/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Creativity is not the possession of some special talent. It’s about the willingness to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/creativity-is-not-the-possession-of-some-special-talent-it-s-about/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [England is a fairly envious little country and it's embodied in the press. They don't like anyone being more distinguished than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/england-is-a-fairly-envious-little-country-and-it-s-embodied-in-the/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I used to desire many, many things, but now I have just one desire, and that's to get rid of all my other desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-used-to-desire-many-many-things-but-now-i-have-just-one-desire-and/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think the hard thing for young comedians is that the majority of the young people in the audience out there don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-the-hard-thing-for-young-comedians-is-that-the-majority-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I wish you wusses would stop whining about your unhappiness. I'm really fed up with it. Pour yourself a scotch and pull yourself together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-wish-you-wusses-would-stop-whining-about-your-unhappiness-i-m/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [On movies, I like to involve the cast in the writing of the script. I like to have a rehearsal period, after which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/on-movies-i-like-to-involve-the-cast-in-the-writing-of-the-script-i/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I had a very, very difficult relationship with my mother, who was supremely self-centred. She was hilariously self-centred. She did not really take interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-had-a-very-very-difficult-relationship-with-my-mother-who-was/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nothing will stop you being creative more effectively as the fear of making a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nothing-will-stop-you-being-creative-more-effectively-as-the-fear-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I was very sad to hear of the death of Ronnie Barker, who was such a warm, friendly and encouraging presence to have when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-was-very-sad-to-hear-of-the-death-of-ronnie-barker-who-was-such-a/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) [Explore all 209 John Cleese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## More Comedic quotes > [Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd are really amazing, lovely people and really great comedic actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malin-akerman/jennifer-aniston-and-paul-rudd-are-really-amazing-lovely-people-and/) [Malin Akerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malin-akerman/) > [Stoller is one of my favorite comedic directors - one of my favorite directors that I've worked with to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mintz-plasse/stoller-is-one-of-my-favorite-comedic-directors-one-of-my-favorite/) [Christopher Mintz-Plasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mintz-plasse/) > [I love dipping into worlds at a fast and furious pace. A little glimpse allows the audience to put together the rest of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/i-love-dipping-into-worlds-at-a-fast-and-furious-pace-a-little/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [I wasn't a class clown, I never developed this comedic flair as a kid. Even when I decided to become an actor, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-wasn-t-a-class-clown-i-never-developed-this-comedic-flair-as-a-kid/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Originally the premise of killing Hitler was fueled by deep traumatic feelings of wishing and fantasizing that if only things had been different, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavriel-david-rosenfeld/originally-the-premise-of-killing-hitler-was-fueled-by-deep-traumatic/) [Gavriel David Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavriel-david-rosenfeld/) > [I realized two things from an early age - I was insane and had some kind of comedic thing going on. My brain was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/i-realized-two-things-from-an-early-age-i-was-insane-and-had-some/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [I'm not really good at character or plot development. I'm just interested in big comedic moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-m-not-really-good-at-character-or-plot-development-i-m-just/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [The costume designer, her name is Anne Hardinge. She's done "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz." She's really comedic costume designer, which was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerusha-hess/the-costume-designer-her-name-is-anne-hardinge-she-s-done-shaun-of/) [Jerusha Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerusha-hess/) > [It's funny because being comedic and happy and lighthearted is who I am as a person, so they're easier emotions for me to connect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-lohan/it-s-funny-because-being-comedic-and-happy-and-lighthearted-is-who-i/) [Lindsay Lohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-lohan/) > [“Every time they shared their talent, they discovered that one of them had a unique gift. Clio had always possessed a keen mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-rochon/every-time-they-shared-their-talent-they-discovered-that-one-of-them/) [Farrah Rochon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-rochon/) > [Joan Cusack is one of my favorite comedic actresses, and every part she plays is so different. She does the wackiest stuff and somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/joan-cusack-is-one-of-my-favorite-comedic-actresses-and-every-part/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [ The physicality was important to me. Because the film has Shane Black's dialogue, and \[Robert\] Downey's delivery, and you look at \[Jon\] Favreau, Don… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-badge-dale/the-physicality-was-important-to-me-because-the-film-has-shane-black/) [James Badge Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-badge-dale/) > [I just try not to look at any role as a comedic role or a dramatic role. I just try to stay in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-just-try-not-to-look-at-any-role-as-a-comedic-role-or-a-dramatic/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) > [I didn't want to do comedic acting because I don't think I am very good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-didn-t-want-to-do-comedic-acting-because-i-don-t-think-i-am-very/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [The last person they expected to connect with a screenplay was the comedic, blonde actress with the funny voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/the-last-person-they-expected-to-connect-with-a-screenplay-was-the/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) [Browse all 268 Comedic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everything in comedy's got to be exactly right, which is why making a comedic film is kind of a difficult process, because, for most of the two years of shooting it and editing it and reshooting and all of that, it's not quite right. And it's only when you just at the end, you put the final polish on it, it becomes really funny again.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cleese" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly-right-which-is-why-making-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly-right-which-is-why-making-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/john-cleese-1768_comedic_everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly_1787706.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/john-cleese-1768_comedic_everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly_1787706.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/john-cleese-1768_comedic_everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly_1787706.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everything in comedy's got to be exactly right, which is why making a comedic film is kind of a difficult…” — John Cleese", "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": "John Cleese", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Everything in comedy's got to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly-right-which-is-why-making-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/everything-in-comedy-s-got-to-be-exactly-right-which-is-why-making-a/#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 } } ] } ```