--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The script is a starting point, not a…" description: "\"The script is a starting point, not a fixed highway. I must look through the camera to see if what I've written on the page is right or not. In the scr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_actors_the-script-is-a-starting-point-not-a-fix_2745105.jpg" --- # The script is a starting point, not a fixed highway. I… ![“The script is a starting point, not a fixed highway. I must look through the camera to see if what I've written on the page is right or not. In the script, you describe imagined scenes, but it's all suspended in mid-air. Often, an actor viewed against a wall or a landscape, or seen through a…” quote by Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_actors_the-script-is-a-starting-point-not-a-fix_2745105.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_actors_the-script-is-a-starting-point-not-a-fix_2745105.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/michelangelo-antonioni-4776_actors_the-script-is-a-starting-point-not-a-fix_2745105.jpg) > “The script is a starting point, not a fixed highway. I must look through the camera to see if what I've written on the page is right or not. In the script, you describe imagined scenes, but it's all suspended in mid-air. Often, an actor viewed against a wall or a landscape, or seen through a window, is much more eloquent than the lines you've given him. So then you take out the lines. This happens often to me and I end up saying what I want with a movement or a gesture.” [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A script is a flexible guide; visual storytelling often conveys more than written dialogue. **In simple terms:** Scripts guide, but visuals tell the story. Key Takeaway Prioritize visual expression over rigid dialogue. Themes creativity film visual storytelling improvisation direction Mood inspired analytical artistic Type instructional philosophical creative When to use this quote - directing - screenwriting - acting - storyboarding - production design Key Concepts narrative structure visual language actor collaboration Questions to Reflect On - When does a visual cue replace a line of dialogue? - How can you balance script fidelity with improvisation? A Different Perspective Rigid scripts can stifle spontaneous performance and may not capture intended emotion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Eloquent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eloquent/) [Gestures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/) [Highways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highways/) [Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscape/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Starting point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-point/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [Consciously picking the right script after a long period of wait helped me grab a perfect film in the rom-com genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yami-gautam/consciously-picking-the-right-script-after-a-long-period-of-wait/) [Yami Gautam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yami-gautam/) > [I'd love to do Tamil movies whenever the right script comes by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karishma-tanna/i-d-love-to-do-tamil-movies-whenever-the-right-script-comes-by/) [Karishma Tanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karishma-tanna/) > [I like to make all kinds of movies. I'd do 'Ocean's Thirteen' with the right script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/i-like-to-make-all-kinds-of-movies-i-d-do-ocean-s-thirteen-with-the/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [No matter what strategies you make, if you don't get the right script, everything is going to go down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raashi-khanna/no-matter-what-strategies-you-make-if-you-don-t-get-the-right-script/) [Raashi Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raashi-khanna/) > [It's hard to find a play that's right for me to do. Rather than waiting around for the right script to come along, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-castellaneta/it-s-hard-to-find-a-play-that-s-right-for-me-to-do-rather-than/) [Dan Castellaneta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-castellaneta/) > [I would love to do a Malayalam film if the right script and character comes along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthi/i-would-love-to-do-a-malayalam-film-if-the-right-script-and-character/) [Karthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthi/) > [It's not a matter of being choosy as an actor but a matter of liking the right script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-roy-kapur/it-s-not-a-matter-of-being-choosy-as-an-actor-but-a-matter-of-liking/) [Aditya Roy Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-roy-kapur/) > [Getting the right script that will work at the BO and relate to the audience is what matters. You also need a great director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-pandit/getting-the-right-script-that-will-work-at-the-bo-and-relate-to-the/) [Radhika Pandit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-pandit/) > [I would love to sign on to do a movie if it was the right role and if it was the right script, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-would-love-to-sign-on-to-do-a-movie-if-it-was-the-right-role-and-if/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I have been waiting around to get the right script and the right director. For example, in the past, if a Hollywood director came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gong-li/i-have-been-waiting-around-to-get-the-right-script-and-the-right/) [Gong Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gong-li/) > [I don't really have a specific formula I follow to find the right script or role. It's always just very instinctive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-boynton/i-don-t-really-have-a-specific-formula-i-follow-to-find-the-right/) [Lucy Boynton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-boynton/) > [After 'Hero,' I was waiting for the right script and when 'Mubarakan' came to me, I knew I would enjoy working on a film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athiya-shetty/after-hero-i-was-waiting-for-the-right-script-and-when-mubarakan-came/) [Athiya Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athiya-shetty/) > [It is so hard to be patient and wait for the right script to come your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amyra-dastur/it-is-so-hard-to-be-patient-and-wait-for-the-right-script-to-come/) [Amyra Dastur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amyra-dastur/) > [It might sound cliched, but choosing the right script is crucial. I think 'Badmaash Company' was a very big break for me because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vir-das/it-might-sound-cliched-but-choosing-the-right-script-is-crucial-i/) [Vir Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vir-das/) > [I know that I wouldn't mind going back to work if I could find the right script and the right crew to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-badham/i-know-that-i-wouldn-t-mind-going-back-to-work-if-i-could-find-the/) [Mary Badham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-badham/) ## More by Michelangelo Antonioni > [When you work on a character, you form in your mind an image of what he ought to look like. Then you go and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/when-you-work-on-a-character-you-form-in-your-mind-an-image-of-what/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I can't imagine love without a sexual charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-can-t-imagine-love-without-a-sexual-charge/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I am neither a sociologist nor a politician. All I can do is imagine for myself what the future will be like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-am-neither-a-sociologist-nor-a-politician-all-i-can-do-is-imagine/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [We know that behind every image revealed there is another image more faithful to reality, and in the back of that image there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/we-know-that-behind-every-image-revealed-there-is-another-image-more/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [My films always leave me unsatisfied, since I've always worked under fairly disastrous conditions economically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/my-films-always-leave-me-unsatisfied-since-i-ve-always-worked-under/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [All I know is that we are loaded down with old and stale stuff - habits, customs, old attitudes already dead and gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/all-i-know-is-that-we-are-loaded-down-with-old-and-stale-stuff-habits/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I'm not rich and maybe I'll never be rich. Money is useful - yes - but I don't worship it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-m-not-rich-and-maybe-i-ll-never-be-rich-money-is-useful-yes-but-i/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I believe in the autobiographical concept only to the degree that I am able to put onto film all that's passing through my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-believe-in-the-autobiographical-concept-only-to-the-degree-that-i/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [Life should be taken ironically; otherwise, it becomes a tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/life-should-be-taken-ironically-otherwise-it-becomes-a-tragedy/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [Normally, however, I try to avoid repetitions of any shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/normally-however-i-try-to-avoid-repetitions-of-any-shot/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [You can't go to an LSD or pot party unless you take it yourself. If I want to go, I must take drugs myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/you-can-t-go-to-an-lsd-or-pot-party-unless-you-take-it-yourself-if-i/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [I want an actor to try to give me what I ask in the best and most exact way possible. He mustn't try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/i-want-an-actor-to-try-to-give-me-what-i-ask-in-the-best-and-most/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [We live in a society that compels us to go on using these concepts, and we no longer know what they mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/we-live-in-a-society-that-compels-us-to-go-on-using-these-concepts/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [When I see a good film, it's like a whiplash. I run away, in order not to be influenced. Thus, the films I liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/when-i-see-a-good-film-it-s-like-a-whiplash-i-run-away-in-order-not/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [My work is like digging, it's archaeological research among the arid materials of our times. That's how I understand my first films, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/my-work-is-like-digging-it-s-archaeological-research-among-the-arid/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) [Explore all 106 Michelangelo Antonioni quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) ## 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": "The script is a starting point, not a fixed highway. 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