--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never done an improvised movie as a…" description: "\"I've never done an improvised movie as a fictitious character. I think that's the challenge.\" — Martin Short" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/martin-short-9945_character_i-ve-never-done-an-improvised-movie-as-a_3133336.jpg" --- # I've never done an improvised movie as a fictitious… ![“I've never done an improvised movie as a fictitious character. I think that's the challenge.” quote by Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/martin-short-9945_character_i-ve-never-done-an-improvised-movie-as-a_3133336.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/martin-short-9945_character_i-ve-never-done-an-improvised-movie-as-a_3133336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/martin-short-9945_character_i-ve-never-done-an-improvised-movie-as-a_3133336.jpg) > “I've never done an improvised movie as a fictitious character. I think that's the challenge.” [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the difficulty of improvising a fictional role, emphasizing preparation. **In simple terms:** Improvising as a fictional character is tough. Key Takeaway Embrace preparation before improvisation. Themes creativity performance challenge improvisation acting Mood humorous insightful Type performance creative When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film sets - workshops - comedy shows Key Concepts method acting spontaneity character development Questions to Reflect On - What preparation helps improvisation? - When is improvisation most effective? A Different Perspective Improvisation may compromise character consistency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Improvised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvised/) ## Related quotes > [I've always improvised, and stand-up was this great release. All of a sudden, it was just me and the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-ve-always-improvised-and-stand-up-was-this-great-release-all-of-a/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I left school and couldn't find acting work, so I started going to clubs where you could do stand-up. I've always improvised, and stand-up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-left-school-and-couldn-t-find-acting-work-so-i-started-going-to/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [You have this certain about of responsibility to play a fictitious character and you have a script that's guiding you and the other information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leo/you-have-this-certain-about-of-responsibility-to-play-a-fictitious/) [Melissa Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leo/) > [As an actor, I'm limited to re-in acting someone else's vision or portraying a fictitious character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-whitaker/as-an-actor-i-m-limited-to-re-in-acting-someone-else-s-vision-or/) [Denzel Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-whitaker/) > [Many a real genius is lost in the fictitious character of the Gentleman. I am the most inconsistent, changeable being so full of fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gainsborough/many-a-real-genius-is-lost-in-the-fictitious-character-of-the/) [Thomas Gainsborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gainsborough/) > [Saroj Kumar is a fictitious character who is free to think anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sreenivasan/saroj-kumar-is-a-fictitious-character-who-is-free-to-think-anything/) [Sreenivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sreenivasan/) > [In the U.K., classical music is composed by individuals and written down. Indian music is based on certain sequences called ragas. When I perform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/in-the-u-k-classical-music-is-composed-by-individuals-and-written/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [I've always loved improvising. That's how I write songs. Creativity has an improvised element to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lidell/i-ve-always-loved-improvising-that-s-how-i-write-songs-creativity-has/) [Jamie Lidell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lidell/) > [I've always been a jazz fan, but I don't write much about jazz, because I don't have the chops. But it's really, really hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/i-ve-always-been-a-jazz-fan-but-i-don-t-write-much-about-jazz-because/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [Many times I'll improvise it, which isn't done a lot in movies or commercials. But a lot of my commercials are improvised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/many-times-i-ll-improvise-it-which-isn-t-done-a-lot-in-movies-or/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [Touring with King Crimson wasn't a lot of fun for me. I had a lot of equipment, and when I was in improvised music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-muir/touring-with-king-crimson-wasn-t-a-lot-of-fun-for-me-i-had-a-lot-of/) [Jamie Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-muir/) > [You work very hard on the lyrics. Getting them to fit the contours of improvised melodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/you-work-very-hard-on-the-lyrics-getting-them-to-fit-the-contours-of/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [I wasn't a jazz player, but a classical musician, and I improvised arrangements of popular songs using classical motifs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-wasn-t-a-jazz-player-but-a-classical-musician-and-i-improvised/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [“Marriage is something we make from available materials. In this sense it’s improvised, it’s almost offhand. Maybe this is why we know so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/marriage-is-something-we-make-from-available-materials-in-this-sense/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I just try to do as good job with the material as I can and play some jazz as well, some improvised music, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-just-try-to-do-as-good-job-with-the-material-as-i-can-and-play-some/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) ## More by Martin Short > [I was a huge fan of Steve Martin, as everyone I knew in comedy was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/i-was-a-huge-fan-of-steve-martin-as-everyone-i-knew-in-comedy-was/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [The mark of the man is how he responds to situations. You're not going to avoid tough times. We're all over the barrel some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/the-mark-of-the-man-is-how-he-responds-to-situations-you-re-not-going/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [I'm an actor who loves doing comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/i-m-an-actor-who-loves-doing-comedy/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [If you have wonderful moments, don't second-guess them, just enjoy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/if-you-have-wonderful-moments-don-t-second-guess-them-just-enjoy-them/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [Sometimes people get passionate about the obscure jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/sometimes-people-get-passionate-about-the-obscure-jokes/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [Comedy is a weird thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/comedy-is-a-weird-thing/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [My job is not to analyze my career. 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Because she's a specific character who has real reactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/why-does-i-love-lucy-still-make-people-laugh-because-she-s-a-specific/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [I have sometimes imagined my own death and brought myself to tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/i-have-sometimes-imagined-my-own-death-and-brought-myself-to-tears/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [There was an era when people would turn on their radio and hear a radio drama. Now, you could be as scared by that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/there-was-an-era-when-people-would-turn-on-their-radio-and-hear-a/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [Trump is Trump. Some people find him hilarious. I don't find it hilarious, but you can't say it's dull. There's nothing credible about Donald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/trump-is-trump-some-people-find-him-hilarious-i-don-t-find-it/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [I'm totally aware of how lucky I am. I have health, family, children. I do work that gives me total joy and allows me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/i-m-totally-aware-of-how-lucky-i-am-i-have-health-family-children-i/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) > [One of my great influences was Don Knotts as Barney Fife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/one-of-my-great-influences-was-don-knotts-as-barney-fife/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) [Explore all 69 Martin Short quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [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/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never done an improvised movie as a fictitious character. 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