--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In order to make a movie it isn't enough…" description: "\"In order to make a movie it isn't enough to have a script, it isn't enough to have a director, it isn't enough to have a male actor and a female actor,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/lester-persky-59008_actors_in-order-to-make-a-movie-it-isn-t-enough_401712.jpg" --- # In order to make a movie it isn't enough to have a script… ![“In order to make a movie it isn't enough to have a script, it isn't enough to have a director, it isn't enough to have a male actor and a female actor, it isn't enough to have financing. You have to have them all at the same instant.” quote by Lester Persky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/lester-persky-59008_actors_in-order-to-make-a-movie-it-isn-t-enough_401712.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/lester-persky-59008_actors_in-order-to-make-a-movie-it-isn-t-enough_401712.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/lester-persky-59008_actors_in-order-to-make-a-movie-it-isn-t-enough_401712.jpg) > “In order to make a movie it isn't enough to have a script, it isn't enough to have a director, it isn't enough to have a male actor and a female actor, it isn't enough to have financing. You have to have them all at the same instant.” [Lester Persky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-persky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful filmmaking requires all essential elements—script, director, cast, financing—to align simultaneously; missing any component stalls the project. **In simple terms:** All parts must be ready at once for a movie to happen. Key Takeaway Ensure every key element is secured before starting production. Themes film production collaboration timing resource management Mood determined pragmatic Type advice industry insight When to use this quote - pre‑production planning - budgeting - casting - director selection - script development Key Concepts project coordination creative synergy risk mitigation Questions to Reflect On - How can you synchronize critical resources effectively? - What contingency plans help when one element falls short? A Different Perspective Even with all pieces, unforeseen delays or creative conflicts can still derail a film. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-isn-1212734/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Financing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financing/) [Instant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instant/) [Make Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-movie/) [Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/males/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-isn-806835/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script/) [Script Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script-isn-2646403/) [Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts/) ## Related quotes > [An actor really suffers when the director isn't prepared because you start running out of time for the shoot and then have to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-kane/an-actor-really-suffers-when-the-director-isn-t-prepared-because-you/) [Carol Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-kane/) > [First, you have to be intelligent. I have never met a successful director who isn't intelligent. A director who is not intelligent might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/first-you-have-to-be-intelligent-i-have-never-met-a-successful/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [There are those who make music and movies in a linear way: They plan them, they have a script. Of course, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/there-are-those-who-make-music-and-movies-in-a-linear-way-they-plan/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I'm not put off so much by first-time directors if the script is great. If the script isn't there, I'm not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-m-not-put-off-so-much-by-first-time-directors-if-the-script-is/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I can easily say "no" to a project if the script isn't great, but when the script is good, then I start asking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/i-can-easily-say-no-to-a-project-if-the-script-isn-t-great-but-when/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) > [I'd rather say no and have said no and do say no often. I walk away from projects if it doesn't feel right; if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-underwood/i-d-rather-say-no-and-have-said-no-and-do-say-no-often-i-walk-away/) [Blair Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-underwood/) > [All movies are pure process. A commercial movie isn't less process than an art movie. You can't make your decisions about a film on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-nichols/all-movies-are-pure-process-a-commercial-movie-isn-t-less-process/) [Mike Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-nichols/) > [You see, my movie isn't about football, or about Notre Dame. It's about hope, about the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-ruettiger/you-see-my-movie-isn-t-about-football-or-about-notre-dame-it-s-about/) [Rudy Ruettiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-ruettiger/) > [You never know if it's any good until people respond to it. You know how it feels when you do it, but there's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jenkins/you-never-know-if-it-s-any-good-until-people-respond-to-it-you-know/) [Richard Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jenkins/) > [If a movie isn't a hit right out of the gate, they drop it. Which means that the whole mainstream Hollywood product has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/if-a-movie-isn-t-a-hit-right-out-of-the-gate-they-drop-it-which-means/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Rita Hayworth in Gilda... there's not a shot of her in that movie that isn't gorgeous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-mills/rita-hayworth-in-gilda-there-s-not-a-shot-of-her-in-that-movie-that/) [Donna Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-mills/) > [A movie isn't a political movement, a party or even an article. It's just a film. At best it can add its voice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/a-movie-isn-t-a-political-movement-a-party-or-even-an-article-it-s/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [Shooting a movie isn't good for a sleep disorder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/shooting-a-movie-isn-t-good-for-a-sleep-disorder/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Well, the movie isn't bad. For a while, I even told myself I liked it, even as it missed one mark after another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/well-the-movie-isn-t-bad-for-a-while-i-even-told-myself-i-liked-it/) [David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/) > [A movie isn't good or bad based on its politics. It's usually good or bad for other reasons, though you might agree or disagree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/a-movie-isn-t-good-or-bad-based-on-its-politics-it-s-usually-good-or/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) ## More by Lester Persky > [The script just can't commit the sin of being boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-persky/the-script-just-can-t-commit-the-sin-of-being-boring/) [Lester Persky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-persky/) > [I don't really sit in the sun I have a flagstone terrace surrounding the swimming pool and just carrying the script from the office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-persky/i-don-t-really-sit-in-the-sun-i-have-a-flagstone-terrace-surrounding/) [Lester Persky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-persky/) > [Paris may be expensive but I love it. It's the one place to spend money and enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-persky/paris-may-be-expensive-but-i-love-it-it-s-the-one-place-to-spend/) [Lester Persky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-persky/) > [The secret is to get a good cinematographer and a very good assistant director. If you get those and stay out of their way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-persky/the-secret-is-to-get-a-good-cinematographer-and-a-very-good-assistant/) [Lester Persky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-persky/) [Explore all 5 Lester Persky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-persky/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In order to make a movie it isn't enough to have a script, it isn't enough to have a director, it isn't enough to have a male actor and a female actor, it isn't enough to have financing. 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