Character Quote by Jonathan Nolan
“Television is very different than working on film. With films, you get to develop a set of characters, and then, at the end of the film, you have to throw them away.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussing TV vs Film Work, 2014
TV demands self‑contained stories, while film allows deep character arcs that end when the movie ends.
In simple terms: TV is episodic; film is a single arc.
Adapt storytelling to the medium.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- TV series writing
- film directing
- character design
- script planning
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you keep characters fresh in episodic formats?
- Can film techniques enrich TV storytelling?
TV constraints limit long‑term character growth.