--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever I work on a film, I have three…" description: "\"Whenever I work on a film, I have three rules. Only three and I tell them to every screenwriter. I say let's retain the spirit and the intent of the ov..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/nicholas-sparks-93_best-film_whenever-i-work-on-a-film-i-have-three-r_2848625.jpg" --- # Whenever I work on a film, I have three rules. Only three… ![“Whenever I work on a film, I have three rules. Only three and I tell them to every screenwriter. I say let's retain the spirit and the intent of the overall story. Let's make it the best film that we possibly can.” quote by Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/nicholas-sparks-93_best-film_whenever-i-work-on-a-film-i-have-three-r_2848625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/nicholas-sparks-93_best-film_whenever-i-work-on-a-film-i-have-three-r_2848625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/nicholas-sparks-93_best-film_whenever-i-work-on-a-film-i-have-three-r_2848625.jpg) > “Whenever I work on a film, I have three rules. Only three and I tell them to every screenwriter. I say let's retain the spirit and the intent of the overall story. Let's make it the best film that we possibly can.” [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A filmmaker should adhere to three core rules: preserve story spirit, intent, and strive for the best possible film. **In simple terms:** Three rules guide filmmaking excellence. Key Takeaway Honor story and aim high. Themes filmmaking discipline creativity Mood inspirational practical Type instructional motivational When to use this quote - screenwriting - production - directing Key Concepts storytelling ethics artistic standards Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance rules with artistic freedom? - What is the most essential element of a film? A Different Perspective Rigid rules may stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Screenwriters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenwriters/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [Young screenwriters are always very frustrated when they talk to me. They say, 'How do we get to be a screenwriter?' 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I would highly recommend,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/for-me-come-and-see-is-by-a-million-miles-the-best-film-about-war/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) ## More by Nicholas Sparks > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I'm sure you think that I don't understand what you're going through, but I do. 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You were right there by the workshop with Will. it looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-were-spying-on-us-it-was-kind-of-hard-not-to-you-were-right-there/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There are lots of real men out there - men who could fall in love with you at the drop of a hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-are-lots-of-real-men-out-there-men-who-could-fall-in-love-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [...nothing wonderful lasted forever. Joy was as fleeting as a shooting star that crossed the evening sky, ready to blink out at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-wonderful-lasted-forever-joy-was-as-fleeting-as-a-shooting/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I don't know. I really don't. While I was in the living room, I kept asking myself what I really wanted in life." She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-don-t-know-i-really-don-t-while-i-was-in-the-living-room-i-kept/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) [Explore all 1,309 Nicholas Sparks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## More Best film quotes > [For me, 'Come and See' is, by a million miles, the best film about war that has ever been made. I would highly recommend,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/for-me-come-and-see-is-by-a-million-miles-the-best-film-about-war/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) > [The most important thing for Quentin and the most important thing for me is to make the best film possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-richardson/the-most-important-thing-for-quentin-and-the-most-important-thing-for/) [Robert Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-richardson/) > [I just try to make the best film possible, and once the movie's done, we deal with the DVD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-just-try-to-make-the-best-film-possible-and-once-the-movie-s-done/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [Orson Welles lists Citizen Kane as his best film, Alfred Hitchcock opts for Shadow of a Doubt, and Sir Carol Reed chose The Third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cotten/orson-welles-lists-citizen-kane-as-his-best-film-alfred-hitchcock/) Joseph Cotten > [We've seen so many films now, that you have to be on par with the best films that have preceded you. You just can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keenen-ivory-wayans/we-ve-seen-so-many-films-now-that-you-have-to-be-on-par-with-the-best/) [Keenen Ivory Wayans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keenen-ivory-wayans/) > [But even a kid, directing was something that I did. I made short films in school. I feel like I've been in the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/but-even-a-kid-directing-was-something-that-i-did-i-made-short-films/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [The most important part of filmmaking is the collaboration and the ensemble element of it. If you just all focus on the task and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-jacobson/the-most-important-part-of-filmmaking-is-the-collaboration-and-the/) [Nina Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-jacobson/) > [When I started acting, my mom said, "If you want to go to film school and eventually direct, being on set is probably the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-baruchel/when-i-started-acting-my-mom-said-if-you-want-to-go-to-film-school/) [Jay Baruchel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-baruchel/) > [Tom Hanks hits a new career peak. One of the best films of the year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-travers/tom-hanks-hits-a-new-career-peak-one-of-the-best-films-of-the-year/) [Peter Travers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-travers/) > [It's a privilege. It's a real honor. It's a challenge. Michael and I always feel we stand on tall shoulders when we make these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-broccoli/it-s-a-privilege-it-s-a-real-honor-it-s-a-challenge-michael-and-i/) [Barbara Broccoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-broccoli/) > [With a few exceptions, Fellini's films have failure and despair running through them: Life continues, but I can't imagine 'Felliniesque' as an exclusively uplifting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-pettigrew/with-a-few-exceptions-fellini-s-films-have-failure-and-despair/) Damian Pettigrew > ['Gunday' might not be the best film of my life, but it's been a life-altering film for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-kapoor/gunday-might-not-be-the-best-film-of-my-life-but-it-s-been-a-life/) [Arjun Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-kapoor/) > [A census taker once tried to test me. 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