---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you make a movie, everyone should…"
description: "\"When you make a movie, everyone should leave their own personal problems at home. When they start bringing those to set, filming can be very difficult...."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-de-niro-3745_character_when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-le_1871534.jpg"
---

#  When you make a movie, everyone should leave their own…

![“When you make a movie, everyone should leave their own personal problems at home. When they start bringing those to set, filming can be very difficult... You don't need any extra drama. Put the drama into the story, in the characters.” quote by Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-de-niro-3745_character_when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-le_1871534.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-de-niro-3745_character_when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-le_1871534.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-de-niro-3745_character_when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-le_1871534.jpg)

> “When you make a movie, everyone should leave their own personal problems at home. When they start bringing those to set, filming can be very difficult... You don't need any extra drama. Put the drama into the story, in the characters.”

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

## About This Quote

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

Actors should keep personal issues separate from work to maintain professionalism and focus on the story.

**In simple terms:** Leave personal drama off set; focus on character drama.

Key Takeaway

Separate personal life from professional responsibilities.

Themes

professionalism boundaries creativity collaboration

Mood

reflective practical

Type

advice industry

When to use this quote

- film production
- theatre rehearsals
- creative workshops

Key Concepts

emotional labor set dynamics artistic focus

Questions to Reflect On

- How can actors manage personal stress on set?
- What policies help maintain a drama environment?

A Different Perspective

Personal issues can still seep into performance despite efforts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Drama Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama-story-2424429/) [Extra Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extra-drama-2585050/) [Extras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extras/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Filming Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filming-difficult-2585051/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Make Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-movie/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Personal problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-problems/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Set Filming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-filming-2585052/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/)

## Related quotes

> [There was a strange atmosphere on the set because we were filming in this large house, which was used for troubled children. You'd go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-dalle/there-was-a-strange-atmosphere-on-the-set-because-we-were-filming-in/)

[Beatrice Dalle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrice-dalle/)

> [When I'm on set filming 'One Tree Hill,' I get up and work out four to five days a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shantel-vansanten/when-i-m-on-set-filming-one-tree-hill-i-get-up-and-work-out-four-to/)

[Shantel VanSanten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shantel-vansanten/)

> [Whatever the drama of the story is, you have to be true to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/whatever-the-drama-of-the-story-is-you-have-to-be-true-to-it/)

[Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/)

> [“It is not my job to explain the story or understand the story or reduce it to a phrase or offer it as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-carlson/it-is-not-my-job-to-explain-the-story-or-understand-the-story-or/)

[Ron Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-carlson/)

> [Well, I'm always drawn to the drama first. A story is really only interesting to me, if you can remove all of the genre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-flanagan/well-i-m-always-drawn-to-the-drama-first-a-story-is-really-only/)

[Mike Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-flanagan/)

> [“You don't have to know me, to read my drama-story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shin-haido/you-don-t-have-to-know-me-to-read-my-drama-story/)

[Shin Haido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shin-haido/)

> [I think that in any role you have, whether TV or film, it's hard to do comedy and drama within one story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callie-thorne/i-think-that-in-any-role-you-have-whether-tv-or-film-it-s-hard-to-do/)

[Callie Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callie-thorne/)

> [“It sounded old. Deserve. Old and tired and beaten to death. Deserve. Now it seemed to him that he was always saying or thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-sounded-old-deserve-old-and-tired-and-beaten-to-death-deserve-now/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [Just as a pool of water cannot reflect the sky overhead when it is restless and disturbed, so we can never get a perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hegan-rice/just-as-a-pool-of-water-cannot-reflect-the-sky-overhead-when-it-is/)

[Alice Hegan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hegan-rice/)

> [Anything outside yourself, this you can see and apply your logic to it. But it’s a human trait that when we encounter personal problems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/anything-outside-yourself-this-you-can-see-and-apply-your-logic-to-it/)

[Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/)

> [“There are very few personal problems that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/there-are-very-few-personal-problems-that-can-t-be-solved-with-a/)

[Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/)

> [There is one recurring, persistent, perennial, and dogging personal problem which, more than any other, steals the force and peace of people and ruins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervin-seale/there-is-one-recurring-persistent-perennial-and-dogging-personal/)

[Ervin Seale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervin-seale/)

> [“My job as a therapist is to help victims of trauma understand that they are not to blame. They are not responsible for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-stevens/my-job-as-a-therapist-is-to-help-victims-of-trauma-understand-that/)

[Michelle Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-stevens/)

> [I think it's really important that I'm not the only model in the world that goes through personal problems. People forget that we're human.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gigi-hadid/i-think-it-s-really-important-that-i-m-not-the-only-model-in-the/)

[Gigi Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gigi-hadid/)

> [Unless we are prepared to search our souls to discover what to say, and then how to say it effectively, we cannot expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everett-case/unless-we-are-prepared-to-search-our-souls-to-discover-what-to-say/)

[Everett Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everett-case/)

## More by Robert De Niro

> [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I guess the only thing to do now is meet his parents. I'm sure they're decent people. I mean they gotta be if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-guess-the-only-thing-to-do-now-is-meet-his-parents-i-m-sure-they-re/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I like to visit L.A., but I wouldn't want to live there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-like-to-visit-l-a-but-i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-there/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [You don't need words to express feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-need-words-to-express-feelings/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [You don't just play a part. You've got to earn the right to play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-just-play-a-part-you-ve-got-to-earn-the-right-to-play-it/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I've been in so many movies that I automatically know what's happening on the set. Things that I don't even remember consciously I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-ve-been-in-so-many-movies-that-i-automatically-know-what-s/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [There is a certain combination of anarchy and discipline in the way I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/there-is-a-certain-combination-of-anarchy-and-discipline-in-the-way-i/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [The hardest thing about being famous is that ... in a conversation everybody's agreeing with what you're saying. ... You need people who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/the-hardest-thing-about-being-famous-is-that-in-a-conversation/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I mean, the actors that I admired were Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, an actress named Barbara Harris. And Greta Garbo. They were great actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-mean-the-actors-that-i-admired-were-marlon-brando-montgomery-clift/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [It's important not to indicate. People don't try to show their feelings, they try to hide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/it-s-important-not-to-indicate-people-don-t-try-to-show-their/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I hurt someone's feelings once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-hurt-someone-s-feelings-once/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [As I get older, I think that things have been pre-determined for me, whether I liked it or wanted it, wished for it, whatever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/as-i-get-older-i-think-that-things-have-been-pre-determined-for-me/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [New York is more exciting, I guess, than even Paris or London. New York's the center of something; I don't know what, really -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/new-york-is-more-exciting-i-guess-than-even-paris-or-london-new-york/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I'm not a big football person at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-m-not-a-big-football-person-at-all/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I will not hesitate. Not for a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-will-not-hesitate-not-for-a-second/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

[Explore all 123 Robert De Niro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

## More Character quotes

> [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/)

[Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/)

[Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/)

> [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/)

[David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/)

> [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/)

[Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/)

> [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/)

[Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/)

> [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/)

[Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/)

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [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/)

> [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [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/)

[Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When you make a movie, everyone should leave their own personal problems at home. When they start bringing those to set, filming can be very difficult... You don't need any extra drama. Put the drama into the story, in the characters.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert De Niro"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-leave-their-own-personal/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Character"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-leave-their-own-personal/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-de-niro-3745_character_when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-le_1871534.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-de-niro-3745_character_when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-le_1871534.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-de-niro-3745_character_when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-le_1871534.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When you make a movie, everyone should leave their own personal problems at home. When they start bringing…” — Robert De Niro",
                "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 De Niro",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When you make a movie, everyone...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-leave-their-own-personal/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/when-you-make-a-movie-everyone-should-leave-their-own-personal/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
