--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first time we wrote a full-blown…" description: "\"The first time we wrote a full-blown movie musical was our adaptation of 'Mai, the Psychic Girl' for Tim Burton, which didn't get made. We learned pret..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/ron-mael-5107_actor_the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-mov_614028.jpg" --- # The first time we wrote a full-blown movie musical was our… ![“The first time we wrote a full-blown movie musical was our adaptation of 'Mai, the Psychic Girl' for Tim Burton, which didn't get made. We learned pretty early on from that experience how to incorporate dialogue into a musical setting that feels naturalistic while still feeling stylized.” quote by Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/ron-mael-5107_actor_the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-mov_614028.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/ron-mael-5107_actor_the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-mov_614028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/ron-mael-5107_actor_the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-mov_614028.jpg) > “The first time we wrote a full-blown movie musical was our adaptation of 'Mai, the Psychic Girl' for Tim Burton, which didn't get made. We learned pretty early on from that experience how to incorporate dialogue into a musical setting that feels naturalistic while still feeling stylized.” [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. They discovered that dialogue can be woven into songs so the musical feels both natural and stylized. **In simple terms:** Dialogue can blend with music naturally. Key Takeaway Blend speech and song smoothly. Themes creativity musical theater collaboration Mood reflective inspired Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - film production - musical workshops - songwriting sessions Key Concepts songwriting theatrical storytelling adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How can you keep dialogue authentic in song? - What techniques help maintain style? A Different Perspective Balancing realism and stylization can be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Adaptation Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation-mai-4980515/) [Dialogue Musical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dialogue-musical-4980513/) [Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie Musical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-musical-260736/) [Musical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical/) [Musical Adaptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical-adaptation-4980514/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The artificiality of a movie musical is something we feel really comfortable working within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/the-artificiality-of-a-movie-musical-is-something-we-feel-really/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [I would love to do a big-budget movie musical - I feel like there is one big musical movie a year. And I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autumn-reeser/i-would-love-to-do-a-big-budget-movie-musical-i-feel-like-there-is/) [Autumn Reeser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-reeser/) > [The designs were based on quite a lot of research of what a movie musical is, filtered through the eyes of today. If we'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-atwood/the-designs-were-based-on-quite-a-lot-of-research-of-what-a-movie/) [Colleen Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-atwood/) > [In Moulin Rouge, Baz Luhrmann takes the most thrilling moments in a movie musical-the seconds before the actors are about to burst into song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/in-moulin-rouge-baz-luhrmann-takes-the-most-thrilling-moments-in-a/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [I'm doing 'Les Miserables,' the movie. I've done a lot of musicals and a lot of movies, and I know there are not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/i-m-doing-les-miserables-the-movie-i-ve-done-a-lot-of-musicals-and-a/) [Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/) > [In the past, once a movie musical was made, it was believed that you were left with that version, good or bad, for posterity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-zadan/in-the-past-once-a-movie-musical-was-made-it-was-believed-that-you/) [Craig Zadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-zadan/) > [A lot of people feel that 'Music Man' is a good movie musical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-zadan/a-lot-of-people-feel-that-music-man-is-a-good-movie-musical/) [Craig Zadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-zadan/) > [If a movie musical came along and the part was right and somebody wanted me to do it, I would do it in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/if-a-movie-musical-came-along-and-the-part-was-right-and-somebody/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [We liked being able to do a movie musical that's not traditional in how a movie musical has to be. 'Annette' is not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/we-liked-being-able-to-do-a-movie-musical-that-s-not-traditional-in/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [I have never been asked to be in a movie musical. Other than 'Yentl,' which I didn't sing in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-have-never-been-asked-to-be-in-a-movie-musical-other-than-yentl/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [The challenge in any musical is unifying all the moving parts of it, in particular a movie musical because now you're adding the camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-e-platt/the-challenge-in-any-musical-is-unifying-all-the-moving-parts-of-it/) [Marc E. Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-e-platt/) > [My parents were big movie-musical fans. And I thought 'Grease' was different from the usual MGM musical. I was intrigued and fell in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-mendez/my-parents-were-big-movie-musical-fans-and-i-thought-grease-was/) [Lindsay Mendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-mendez/) > [I've dreamt of being in a movie musical for a long time. For some reason I never even thought 'Les Mis' would be possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/i-ve-dreamt-of-being-in-a-movie-musical-for-a-long-time-for-some/) [Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/) > [I would do a movie musical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alia-shawkat/i-would-do-a-movie-musical/) [Alia Shawkat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alia-shawkat/) > [I would love to do a Fred Astaire/Gene Kelly type movie musical - a fun, song and dance, romantic comedy. Or, even just play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dash-mihok/i-would-love-to-do-a-fred-astaire-gene-kelly-type-movie-musical-a-fun/) [Dash Mihok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dash-mihok/) ## More by Ron Mael > [Even before we had a band, the merging of music and movies just seemed so perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/even-before-we-had-a-band-the-merging-of-music-and-movies-just-seemed/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [I can't say it wasn't fun in the 70s having screaming people in the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/i-can-t-say-it-wasn-t-fun-in-the-70s-having-screaming-people-in-the/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [Having more people accepting what you're doing - that's the kind of limelight we really cherish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/having-more-people-accepting-what-you-re-doing-that-s-the-kind-of/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [We just thought that bands from the U.S. in general were just really boring, and they didn't represent what we felt pop music should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/we-just-thought-that-bands-from-the-u-s-in-general-were-just-really/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [When things are sequenced really hard, it has an effect similar to the one power chords had in the '70s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/when-things-are-sequenced-really-hard-it-has-an-effect-similar-to-the/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [I'm so happy that the first time Russell and I saw 'Annette' with an audience was at the Cannes Film Festival, and even more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/i-m-so-happy-that-the-first-time-russell-and-i-saw-annette-with-an/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [We detested folk music because it was cerebral and sedate and we had no time for that. But the Byrds were OK because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/we-detested-folk-music-because-it-was-cerebral-and-sedate-and-we-had/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [Of course everybody wants to be filthy stinking rich. But we've seen the effect that having that kind of massive success has had on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/of-course-everybody-wants-to-be-filthy-stinking-rich-but-we-ve-seen/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [People have told me repeatedly of how scared they were of seeing me on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/people-have-told-me-repeatedly-of-how-scared-they-were-of-seeing-me/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [We kind of have a cranky side of ourselves, so when people get upset about what we're doing, we kind of feel that we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/we-kind-of-have-a-cranky-side-of-ourselves-so-when-people-get-upset/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [There aren't enough people fighting for being conservative with your sexual tastes. There's a little too much adventuresome stuff going on, so it's good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/there-aren-t-enough-people-fighting-for-being-conservative-with-your/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [There is something encouraging about the rebellious spirit of the Internet. It's like the modern equivalent of punk - anyone can make a record.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/there-is-something-encouraging-about-the-rebellious-spirit-of-the/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [It's almost as if the most successful people don't put too much effort into being so brilliant at what they do, that they're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/it-s-almost-as-if-the-most-successful-people-don-t-put-too-much/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [We're not trying to be esoteric. There is that about what we do, but we like to be there at the table with everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/we-re-not-trying-to-be-esoteric-there-is-that-about-what-we-do-but-we/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [In a personal way, we like to irritate by just staying around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/in-a-personal-way-we-like-to-irritate-by-just-staying-around/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) [Explore all 103 Ron Mael quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [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/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [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/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [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/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first time we wrote a full-blown movie musical was our adaptation of 'Mai, the Psychic Girl' for Tim Burton, which didn't get made. We learned pretty early on from that experience how to incorporate dialogue into a musical setting that feels naturalistic while still feeling stylized.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ron Mael" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-movie-musical-was-our-adaptation/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-movie-musical-was-our-adaptation/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/ron-mael-5107_actor_the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-mov_614028.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/ron-mael-5107_actor_the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-mov_614028.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/ron-mael-5107_actor_the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-mov_614028.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first time we wrote a full-blown movie musical was our adaptation of 'Mai, the Psychic Girl' for Tim…” — Ron Mael", "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": "Ron Mael", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first time we wrote a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-movie-musical-was-our-adaptation/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/the-first-time-we-wrote-a-full-blown-movie-musical-was-our-adaptation/#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 } } ] } ```