---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most creative phase of a film is in…"
description: "\"The most creative phase of a film is in shooting, because structure is the defining element of that phase.\" — Nicolas Winding Refn"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_because_the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in_3206762.jpg"
---

#  The most creative phase of a film is in shooting, because…

![“The most creative phase of a film is in shooting, because structure is the defining element of that phase.” quote by Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_because_the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in_3206762.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_because_the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in_3206762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_because_the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in_3206762.jpg)

> “The most creative phase of a film is in shooting, because structure is the defining element of that phase.”

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The shooting stage is most creative because visual structure emerges then.

**In simple terms:** Shooting is where film creativity peaks.

Key Takeaway

Focus on visual storytelling during filming.

Themes

creativity structure filmmaking

Mood

analytical inspired

Type

technical philosophical

When to use this quote

- film set
- advertising
- live events

Key Concepts

visual narrative directorial vision

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you plan visual structure before shooting?
- Can spontaneity improve the final product?

A Different Perspective

Post‑production can reshape structure later.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Creative Phase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-phase-689441/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-shooting-703515/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Phase Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phase-film-1645904/) [Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting/) [Shooting Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting-structure-5976221/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/)

## Related quotes

> [Every phase of a film has to go against what was done in the previous one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-serra/every-phase-of-a-film-has-to-go-against-what-was-done-in-the-previous/)

[Albert Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-serra/)

> [Sometimes during a show or a film, while you're shooting it, you'll think, "This is great, it's going to be fantastic, the script is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-turner/sometimes-during-a-show-or-a-film-while-you-re-shooting-it-you-ll/)

[Aidan Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-turner/)

> [The new film I'm shooting in Jerusalem - which is partly why I'm here in Israel - is something I co-wrote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meital-dohan/the-new-film-i-m-shooting-in-jerusalem-which-is-partly-why-i-m-here/)

[Meital Dohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meital-dohan/)

> [It's always challenging when you're shooting a film. Shooting things out of order and keeping continuity on all levels is always for me the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-adams/it-s-always-challenging-when-you-re-shooting-a-film-shooting-things/)

[Amy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-adams/)

> [The creative phase of an idea coincides with the period during which it insists, cantankerously, on its boundaries, on what makes it different; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-creative-phase-of-an-idea-coincides-with-the-period-during-which/)

[Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/)

> [A good edit process turns rocks into diamonds, and every author should love that part as much as the creative phase. I do love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-smith/a-good-edit-process-turns-rocks-into-diamonds-and-every-author-should/)

[Kim Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-smith/)

> [Pregnancy is a very creative phase for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/pregnancy-is-a-very-creative-phase-for-me/)

[Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/)

> [Most indie shoots, or any kind of film shooting, even TV, it's out of Los Angeles, unfortunately. I wish that would change, that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-tripplehorn/most-indie-shoots-or-any-kind-of-film-shooting-even-tv-it-s-out-of/)

[Jeanne Tripplehorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-tripplehorn/)

> [From being in a film and shooting to just being in a studio with my guitar and musicians was a welcome change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farhan-akhtar/from-being-in-a-film-and-shooting-to-just-being-in-a-studio-with-my/)

[Farhan Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farhan-akhtar/)

> [A good director is very well prepared, and knows exactly how he's going to cut the film, so the shooting is as efficient as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/a-good-director-is-very-well-prepared-and-knows-exactly-how-he-s/)

[William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/)

> [No matter how much I plan the overall arc of the character, you get there day one on the film and you shooting certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-shaye/no-matter-how-much-i-plan-the-overall-arc-of-the-character-you-get/)

[Lin Shaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-shaye/)

> [I do like working on independent films where it is a smaller budget and less pressure. The pace is also quicker than that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/i-do-like-working-on-independent-films-where-it-is-a-smaller-budget/)

[Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/)

> [I almost always do things that I like, in some form or fashion. Every once in awhile that means that I don't think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-campbell/i-almost-always-do-things-that-i-like-in-some-form-or-fashion-every/)

[Billy Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-campbell/)

> [The thing about digital is that you can pretty much shoot any kind of condition - you can shoot as many things as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/the-thing-about-digital-is-that-you-can-pretty-much-shoot-any-kind-of/)

[Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/)

> [If you make a film, that magic is not there, because you were there while shooting it. After writing a film and shooting it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/if-you-make-a-film-that-magic-is-not-there-because-you-were-there/)

[Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/)

## More by Nicolas Winding Refn

> [L.A. is, on one hand, very mysterious; it's very modern. It's a mysterious place - it's a haunting place - and everything in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/l-a-is-on-one-hand-very-mysterious-it-s-very-modern-it-s-a-mysterious/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [The digital revolution is forever. They put importance on that option as well. With Amazon, you're getting the best of both worlds, with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-digital-revolution-is-forever-they-put-importance-on-that-option/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [I think the Internet is the greatest invention since women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-think-the-internet-is-the-greatest-invention-since-women/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [I've always felt that I was from the future because the future is really not about what you make but what you stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-was-from-the-future-because-the-future-is/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [Art thrives on obstacles. The bigger the obstacle, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/art-thrives-on-obstacles-the-bigger-the-obstacle-the-better-the-drama/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [ Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started \[The Neon Demon\]. She turned seventeen during the shoot. Four weeks before Cannes, she turned eighteen. She… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/elle-fanning-was-fifteen-when-we-started-the-neon-demon-she-turned/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [The casting of any film is around 60% of the film, but it's also about the right casting insight. It's a bit like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-casting-of-any-film-is-around-60-of-the-film-but-it-s-also-about/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [How can creativity be bad? You can have, "I liked it" or "I didn't like it," but, in the end, it's an individual experience.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/how-can-creativity-be-bad-you-can-have-i-liked-it-or-i-didn-t-like-it/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [I always approach every film I make as if it was going to be the last. So if I'm going to go out, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-always-approach-every-film-i-make-as-if-it-was-going-to-be-the-last/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [I can't make a film that I don't feel comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-can-t-make-a-film-that-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [I'm a huge admirer of Keanu. I think he's absolutely extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-m-a-huge-admirer-of-keanu-i-think-he-s-absolutely-extraordinary/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [Sometimes I just play the theme from Arthur. It reminds me of my childhood in New York and I just love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/sometimes-i-just-play-the-theme-from-arthur-it-reminds-me-of-my/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [The greatest artists were in a situation where they had to pay their bills. That's a very convenient way to get very creative very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greatest-artists-were-in-a-situation-where-they-had-to-pay-their/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [I sometimes play different kinds of music to see where the performers end up. I play one genre. Then something else when I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-sometimes-play-different-kinds-of-music-to-see-where-the-performers/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [The greater the darkness, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greater-the-darkness-the-better-the-drama/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

[Explore all 237 Nicolas Winding Refn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

## More Because quotes

> [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/)

[David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/)

> [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/)

[Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/)

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/)

[Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/)

> [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/)

[Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/)

[Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I was contacted by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, MP, through the Pune Film Institute and offered the post in the NFDC. I accepted it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-contacted-by-rajyavardhan-singh-rathore-mp-through-the-pune/)

[Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

[Browse all 15,485 Because quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The most creative phase of a film is in shooting, because structure is the defining element of that phase.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nicolas Winding Refn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in-shooting-because-structure-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Because"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in-shooting-because-structure-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_because_the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in_3206762.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_because_the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in_3206762.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_because_the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in_3206762.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The most creative phase of a film is in shooting, because structure is the defining element of that phase.” — Nicolas Winding Refn",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Nicolas Winding Refn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The most creative phase of a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in-shooting-because-structure-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-most-creative-phase-of-a-film-is-in-shooting-because-structure-is/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
