--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to see something that I've never…" description: "\"I want to see something that I've never seen before, so how can I tell that actor what that is? I'm not trying to construct a document or situation tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/robert-altman-13161_actors_i-want-to-see-something-that-i-ve-never_3088388.jpg" --- # I want to see something that I've never seen before, so… ![“I want to see something that I've never seen before, so how can I tell that actor what that is? I'm not trying to construct a document or situation that is what I want, because what I want is something new to me.” quote by Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/robert-altman-13161_actors_i-want-to-see-something-that-i-ve-never_3088388.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/robert-altman-13161_actors_i-want-to-see-something-that-i-ve-never_3088388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/robert-altman-13161_actors_i-want-to-see-something-that-i-ve-never_3088388.jpg) > “I want to see something that I've never seen before, so how can I tell that actor what that is? I'm not trying to construct a document or situation that is what I want, because what I want is something new to me.” [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The desire for novel experiences drives creative inquiry, but articulating the unknown is inherently challenging. **In simple terms:** Seeking new ideas is hard to describe. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and experiment. Themes creativity novelty communication Mood inquisitive curious Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - film direction - creative brainstorming - concept development - artistic expression Key Concepts innovation artistic vision Questions to Reflect On - How do you translate an undefined vision into concrete work? - What methods help clarify unseen concepts? A Different Perspective New ideas may be vague and hard to convey. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ## Related quotes > [“You’d be surprised what people will accept once you insist two or three times running that they have seen what you tell them they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-levkoff/you-d-be-surprised-what-people-will-accept-once-you-insist-two-or/) [Andrew Levkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-levkoff/) > [“O could I tell, you surely would believe it! O could I only say what I have seen! 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You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [I've had it-the agencies, the winking, the networks, the ratings. Anyone who thinks TV is an art medium is crazy-it's an advertising medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/i-ve-had-it-the-agencies-the-winking-the-networks-the-ratings-anyone/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [Most of my films I call arena films. I deal with a confined area -- an arena -- and I try to cover every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/most-of-my-films-i-call-arena-films-i-deal-with-a-confined-area-an/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [I never knew what I wanted, except that it was something I hadn't seen before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/i-never-knew-what-i-wanted-except-that-it-was-something-i-hadn-t-seen/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [People have asked me throughout the years which directors have influenced me. I don't know their names, because I was mostly influenced when I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/people-have-asked-me-throughout-the-years-which-directors-have/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [I don't think screenplay writing is the same as writing - I mean, I think it's blueprinting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/i-don-t-think-screenplay-writing-is-the-same-as-writing-i-mean-i/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [Happy endings are absolutely ludicrous, they're not true at all. We see the guy carry the girl across the threshold and everybody lives happily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/happy-endings-are-absolutely-ludicrous-they-re-not-true-at-all-we-see/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [If you have a child who is seven feet tall, you don't cut off his head or his legs. You buy him a bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/if-you-have-a-child-who-is-seven-feet-tall-you-don-t-cut-off-his-head/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [The artist and the multitude are natural enemies. They always will be, both ways. The artist is an enemy of the multitude, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/the-artist-and-the-multitude-are-natural-enemies-they-always-will-be/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [Wisdom and love have nothing to do with each other. Wisdom is staying alive, survival. Youre wise if you dont stick your finger in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/wisdom-and-love-have-nothing-to-do-with-each-other-wisdom-is-staying/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [I've never had a big hit movie. "MASH" was probably the biggest. I don't make those kind of films, and I never have. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/i-ve-never-had-a-big-hit-movie-mash-was-probably-the-biggest-i-don-t/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [What's a cult? It just means not enough people to make a minority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/what-s-a-cult-it-just-means-not-enough-people-to-make-a-minority/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [I am not an expert. That is someone else's job. If I were expert, the approach would be all wrong. It would be from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/i-am-not-an-expert-that-is-someone-else-s-job-if-i-were-expert-the/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [I was scared that no one would hire me. At that time, there was still a stigma attached to it. A big stigma. Actually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/i-was-scared-that-no-one-would-hire-me-at-that-time-there-was-still-a/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [Why should I keep doing things that I've done before?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/why-should-i-keep-doing-things-that-i-ve-done-before/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) [Explore all 51 Robert Altman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) ## 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. 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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. 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