--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing a screenplay's not rocket…" description: "\"Writing a screenplay's not rocket science, but I was in a bar, and the bartender came up to me and said, 'I saw 'Night at the Museum,' and the thing ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/robert-ben-garant-11413_movie_writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-scienc_2408297.jpg" --- # Writing a screenplay's not rocket science, but I was in a… ![“Writing a screenplay's not rocket science, but I was in a bar, and the bartender came up to me and said, 'I saw 'Night at the Museum,' and the thing about him and his kid brought me and my kid together.' Something like that... it's like, 'Oh, right. That's why we're doing it.'” quote by Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/robert-ben-garant-11413_movie_writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-scienc_2408297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/robert-ben-garant-11413_movie_writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-scienc_2408297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/robert-ben-garant-11413_movie_writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-scienc_2408297.jpg) > “Writing a screenplay's not rocket science, but I was in a bar, and the bartender came up to me and said, 'I saw 'Night at the Museum,' and the thing about him and his kid brought me and my kid together.' Something like that... it's like, 'Oh, right. That's why we're doing it.'” [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Screenwriting inspiration can strike unexpectedly in everyday moments, turning casual encounters into creative ideas. **In simple terms:** Ideas can come from everyday life. Key Takeaway Stay open to inspiration everywhere. Themes creativity screenwriting inspiration everyday life Mood optimistic curious Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - writing workshops - brainstorming sessions - daily journaling - creative retreats Key Concepts storytelling spontaneity idea generation Questions to Reflect On - What daily habits spark your creativity? - How do you preserve spontaneous ideas? A Different Perspective Inspiration may be fleeting and hard to capture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bartender Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bartender-came-6054680/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Museum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/museum/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Night At The Museum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night-at-the-museum-217427/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Rocket science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocket-science/) [Saw Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saw-night-401846/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Screenplay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplay/) [Screenplay Rocket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplay-rocket-6054681/) [Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Screenplay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-screenplay-828596/) ## Related quotes > [It's no coincidence that 'Night at the Museum' completely blew the lid off my career. I finally got a handle on tone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-levy/it-s-no-coincidence-that-night-at-the-museum-completely-blew-the-lid/) [Shawn Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-levy/) > [Many comedic stars have tried to a do a 'Night at the Museum' type film, in which an everyday Joe reacts to insane circumstances.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-levy/many-comedic-stars-have-tried-to-a-do-a-night-at-the-museum-type-film/) [Shawn Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-levy/) > [In 'Night At The Museum 3,' with Ben Stiller, I was only given a couple of lines. If you are in guys' comedies, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/in-night-at-the-museum-3-with-ben-stiller-i-was-only-given-a-couple/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [“When he came back, I hid my face within my hands. He said: "Fear nothing. Who has seen our kiss? --Who saw us? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-lou-s/when-he-came-back-i-hid-my-face-within-my-hands-he-said-fear-nothing/) [Pierre Louÿs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-lou-s/) > [“Fling. That’s how he saw their night together. She’d been thinking of box-sets with a blanket over their laps and mini-breaks to Rome or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-cohen/fling-that-s-how-he-saw-their-night-together-she-d-been-thinking-of/) [Tammy Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-cohen/) > [I saw Ellen and my knees were weak. It was amazing. And it was very hard for me to get her out of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-de-rossi/i-saw-ellen-and-my-knees-were-weak-it-was-amazing-and-it-was-very/) [Portia de Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-de-rossi/) > [“The first moment I saw him, the night people clamored over each other to step out of his way, I was frightened. The guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/the-first-moment-i-saw-him-the-night-people-clamored-over-each-other/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [“I saw something last night-a flash of power from an unexpected source. I can't jump to conclusions - I've been looking and waiting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/i-saw-something-last-night-a-flash-of-power-from-an-unexpected-source/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [If you're writing a screenplay, you need to be prepared to let go: there's a good chance the words you write aren't going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/if-you-re-writing-a-screenplay-you-need-to-be-prepared-to-let-go/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Writing a screenplay is an act of faith. First, that it's interesting enough that anyone would want to make it. Secondly, that anybody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-whannell/writing-a-screenplay-is-an-act-of-faith-first-that-it-s-interesting/) [Leigh Whannell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-whannell/) > [I've been a professional athlete, I've directed films, I've run a company with 150 employees, and nothing compares to writing a screenplay. Just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-peralta/i-ve-been-a-professional-athlete-i-ve-directed-films-i-ve-run-a/) [Stacy Peralta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-peralta/) > [“I do not recommend writing a screenplay in two weeks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-hall/i-do-not-recommend-writing-a-screenplay-in-two-weeks/) [Christy Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-hall/) > [Writing a screenplay is like climbing a mountain. When you’re climbing, all you can see is the rock in front of you and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/writing-a-screenplay-is-like-climbing-a-mountain-when-you-re-climbing/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [On the one occasion where I did try writing a screenplay, I found the rewriting just unendurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/on-the-one-occasion-where-i-did-try-writing-a-screenplay-i-found-the/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [It's much like writing a screenplay with someone else and that's how we view it, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-darden/it-s-much-like-writing-a-screenplay-with-someone-else-and-that-s-how/) [Christopher Darden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-darden/) ## More by Robert Ben Garant > [There were guys in 'The State' who would take one script and rewrite it and rewrite it and rewrite it and fight for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/there-were-guys-in-the-state-who-would-take-one-script-and-rewrite-it/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [You need to know that going in, and you also need to be able to write all the time. So when somebody looks at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/you-need-to-know-that-going-in-and-you-also-need-to-be-able-to-write/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [Not taking criticism of your writing personally is an enormous step towards surviving the studio system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/not-taking-criticism-of-your-writing-personally-is-an-enormous-step/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [Movies are very, very good to me; What do I need TV for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/movies-are-very-very-good-to-me-what-do-i-need-tv-for/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [I write manically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/i-write-manically/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [Most movies were always terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/most-movies-were-always-terrible/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [I don't think people realize how many scripts you write that go nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/i-don-t-think-people-realize-how-many-scripts-you-write-that-go/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [If you have a writing partner that you don't share a work ethic with, it's doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/if-you-have-a-writing-partner-that-you-don-t-share-a-work-ethic-with/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [We joke a lot about how, in Hollywood, the writer is one step below the doormat. That's not self-loathing. That's true!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/we-joke-a-lot-about-how-in-hollywood-the-writer-is-one-step-below-the/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [For a living I write stuff that I know is gonna sell to a studio and make a lot of money at the multiplex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/for-a-living-i-write-stuff-that-i-know-is-gonna-sell-to-a-studio-and/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [There are a huge amount of people who sell a TV pilot every year, but most of them never get produced. It's very easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/there-are-a-huge-amount-of-people-who-sell-a-tv-pilot-every-year-but/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [It's much easier to get your material out to the public now than it was in 1988, when you basically had to get onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/it-s-much-easier-to-get-your-material-out-to-the-public-now-than-it/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [You can't teach somebody how to be a good writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/you-can-t-teach-somebody-how-to-be-a-good-writer/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > ['Balls of Fury' was my first time directing, and that's a movie that I think parts of it are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/balls-of-fury-was-my-first-time-directing-and-that-s-a-movie-that-i/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [ You have to be willing to throw \[writing\] stuff away and replace it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/you-have-to-be-willing-to-throw-writing-stuff-away-and-replace-it/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) [Explore all 60 Robert Ben Garant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) ## More Movie quotes > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [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/) > [You play a part, and as soon as a movie is over and the camera stops, you go home and you're not really responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastassja-kinski/you-play-a-part-and-as-soon-as-a-movie-is-over-and-the-camera-stops/) [Nastassja Kinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastassja-kinski/) > [You will see a 3-D movie in a movie theater for the shared experience of it - or for a date, and so on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/you-will-see-a-3-d-movie-in-a-movie-theater-for-the-shared-experience/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. 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/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [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/) > [If I could find the right kind of property, get tied in with the right movie, I'd love to be involved, but I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/if-i-could-find-the-right-kind-of-property-get-tied-in-with-the-right/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [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/) > [I cant believe I just gave my panties to a geek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sixteen-candles/i-cant-believe-i-just-gave-my-panties-to-a-geek/) [Sixteen Candles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sixteen-candles/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Even if I set out to make a film about a fillet of sole, it would be about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/even-if-i-set-out-to-make-a-film-about-a-fillet-of-sole-it-would-be/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) [Browse all 16,847 Movie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing a screenplay's not rocket science, but I was in a bar, and the bartender came up to me and said, 'I saw 'Night at the Museum,' and the thing about him and his kid brought me and my kid together.' Something like that... it's like, 'Oh, right. That's why we're doing it.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Ben Garant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-science-but-i-was-in-a-bar-and-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Movie" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-science-but-i-was-in-a-bar-and-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/robert-ben-garant-11413_movie_writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-scienc_2408297.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/robert-ben-garant-11413_movie_writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-scienc_2408297.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/robert-ben-garant-11413_movie_writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-scienc_2408297.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Writing a screenplay's not rocket science, but I was in a bar, and the bartender came up to me and said, 'I…” — Robert Ben Garant", "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": "Robert Ben Garant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Writing a screenplay's not rocket science,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-science-but-i-was-in-a-bar-and-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/writing-a-screenplay-s-not-rocket-science-but-i-was-in-a-bar-and-the/#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 } } ] } ```