--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a reality to the way the actors…" description: "\"There is a reality to the way the actors play the scenes, given that there is a real, animatronic, moving robot in the room. So the level of nuance and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/shawn-anthony-levy-32486_actors_there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors_2377069.jpg" --- # There is a reality to the way the actors play the scenes… ![“There is a reality to the way the actors play the scenes, given that there is a real, animatronic, moving robot in the room. So the level of nuance and realism in performance was higher because we built the real ones, and it keeps the visual effects guys honest.” quote by Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/shawn-anthony-levy-32486_actors_there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors_2377069.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/shawn-anthony-levy-32486_actors_there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors_2377069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/shawn-anthony-levy-32486_actors_there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors_2377069.jpg) > “There is a reality to the way the actors play the scenes, given that there is a real, animatronic, moving robot in the room. So the level of nuance and realism in performance was higher because we built the real ones, and it keeps the visual effects guys honest.” [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using real animatronic robots in scenes forces VFX teams to maintain higher realism and integrity. **In simple terms:** Real robots make VFX work more authentic. Key Takeaway Integrate practical effects to elevate visual fidelity. Themes innovation authenticity collaboration Mood inspired curious analytical Type technical creative When to use this quote - film production - theme theater - advertising - educational demos Key Concepts practical effects robotics visual storytelling industry standards Questions to Reflect On - How can practical and digital effects complement each other? - What are the trade‑offs of realism vs. budget? A Different Perspective Cost and technical constraints may limit practical use. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Realism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realism/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robots/) [Visual effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visual-effects/) ## Related quotes > [ And this movie \[Real Steel\] definitely looks like nothing else I've made, which was the point. I think also, Evangeline and Hugh are such… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/and-this-movie-real-steel-definitely-looks-like-nothing-else-i-ve/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [When I'm working on the scripts or working with the other actors or rehearsing with the director, and when the director is cutting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/when-i-m-working-on-the-scripts-or-working-with-the-other-actors-or/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Especially in television, when you do visual effects, what you're predominantly doing is trying to add value to TV shows that otherwise don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-edwards/especially-in-television-when-you-do-visual-effects-what-you-re/) [Gareth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-edwards/) > [I spent 10 or 15 years doing visual effects and, if I learned anything from that time, it's that you do the best work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-edwards/i-spent-10-or-15-years-doing-visual-effects-and-if-i-learned-anything/) [Gareth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-edwards/) > [I've always been into visual effects. It was something I took keen interest in before films happened. Ironically, I am a part of 'Raaz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emraan-hashmi/i-ve-always-been-into-visual-effects-it-was-something-i-took-keen/) [Emraan Hashmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emraan-hashmi/) > [The thrill of doing visual effects doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-goldberg/the-thrill-of-doing-visual-effects-doesn-t-exist/) [Evan Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-goldberg/) > [In my opinion, visual effects are great when it compliments a good story, and action is great when it compliments a good story, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-roy/in-my-opinion-visual-effects-are-great-when-it-compliments-a-good/) [Drew Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-roy/) > [We've been working on the visual effects for a year, so we're trying to raise the bar. Stuff will absolutely come out at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/we-ve-been-working-on-the-visual-effects-for-a-year-so-we-re-trying/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > ['Mars et Avril' is a science fiction film. It's set in Montreal some 50 years in the future. No one had done that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-villeneuve/mars-et-avril-is-a-science-fiction-film-it-s-set-in-montreal-some-50/) [Martin Villeneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-villeneuve/) > ['Mayabazar' was the film I immensely loved as a kid. Only when I became a filmmaker about 20 years later did I realise its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-s-rajamouli/mayabazar-was-the-film-i-immensely-loved-as-a-kid-only-when-i-became/) [S. S. Rajamouli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-s-rajamouli/) > [You set up the look, the visual effects and the sets, and that's awesome, but I enjoy the casting most of all. That's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mcginty-nichol/you-set-up-the-look-the-visual-effects-and-the-sets-and-that-s/) [Joseph McGinty Nichol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mcginty-nichol/) > [I grew up watching movies and being amazed at the animatronics you'd see in stuff like 'The Dark Crystal,' and all those kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-o-donoghue/i-grew-up-watching-movies-and-being-amazed-at-the-animatronics-you-d/) [Colin O'Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-o-donoghue/) > [The most important thing is that you have to have the visual effects working for you, instead of you working for the visual effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-heyman/the-most-important-thing-is-that-you-have-to-have-the-visual-effects/) [David Heyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-heyman/) > [When I work, I'm thinking in terms of purely visual effects and relations, and any verbal equivalent is something that comes afterwards. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-gottlieb/when-i-work-i-m-thinking-in-terms-of-purely-visual-effects-and/) [Adolph Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-gottlieb/) > [There are so many films now where you know the story is a supporting role to the visual effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/there-are-so-many-films-now-where-you-know-the-story-is-a-supporting/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) ## More by Shawn Anthony Levy > [If you go to any fight, whether MMA or boxing, there's a whole musical soundscape to these events. There's pre-event pump up/psych-up music, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/if-you-go-to-any-fight-whether-mma-or-boxing-there-s-a-whole-musical/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [Because I've never made this kind of movie before, so I've never even been to Comic-Con. And Hugh and Evangeline keep telling me, 'Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/because-i-ve-never-made-this-kind-of-movie-before-so-i-ve-never-even/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [One that we can admire aesthetically and participate viscerally in. So the goal here, and we've had some early, small screenings, what seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/one-that-we-can-admire-aesthetically-and-participate-viscerally-in-so/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [I think that, on the one hand, our audience, our culture is so savvy now to an assumption that teaser effects are not fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/i-think-that-on-the-one-hand-our-audience-our-culture-is-so-savvy-now/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [The dozens of people working on this at Digital Domain, they knew that you couldn't get away with almost photo real, because we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/the-dozens-of-people-working-on-this-at-digital-domain-they-knew-that/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [ And this movie \[Real Steel\] definitely looks like nothing else I've made, which was the point. I think also, Evangeline and Hugh are such… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/and-this-movie-real-steel-definitely-looks-like-nothing-else-i-ve/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [I would say, while I think audiences are savvy enough, I think that the effects work in the teaser is quite a bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/i-would-say-while-i-think-audiences-are-savvy-enough-i-think-that-the/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [ We know it's being referred to as the robot boxing movie \[Real Steel\], but truth is, 70% of the movie is the relationships. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/we-know-it-s-being-referred-to-as-the-robot-boxing-movie-real-steel/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [To be very honest with you, there were two big factors: One was that we were initially coming out in that week before Thanksgiving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/to-be-very-honest-with-you-there-were-two-big-factors-one-was-that-we/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [I'm not sure that I could give notes to someone that I revere. That's a general challenge of directing, giving notes to someone you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/i-m-not-sure-that-i-could-give-notes-to-someone-that-i-revere-that-s/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [I've learned that, I wouldn't say I've made that mistake, but I've learned on some of my other movies, like, you always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/i-ve-learned-that-i-wouldn-t-say-i-ve-made-that-mistake-but-i-ve/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [ As opposed to a movie \[Real Steel\] where everything feels fantastical, it was really important to me, and I recognise it's not the first… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/as-opposed-to-a-movie-real-steel-where-everything-feels-fantastical/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [ Because to me, what is interesting about this movie \[Real Steel\] is its combination of relationship naturalism with. It's like a single conceit movie.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/because-to-me-what-is-interesting-about-this-movie-real-steel-is-its/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) > [There's a very interesting article or symposium to be written on just the real difference between comedy filmmaking and non-comedy. Because, you know, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/there-s-a-very-interesting-article-or-symposium-to-be-written-on-just/) [Shawn Anthony Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) [Explore all 15 Shawn Anthony Levy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/) ## 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. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [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/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a reality to the way the actors play the scenes, given that there is a real, animatronic, moving robot in the room. So the level of nuance and realism in performance was higher because we built the real ones, and it keeps the visual effects guys honest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shawn Anthony Levy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors-play-the-scenes-given-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors-play-the-scenes-given-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/shawn-anthony-levy-32486_actors_there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors_2377069.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/shawn-anthony-levy-32486_actors_there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors_2377069.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/shawn-anthony-levy-32486_actors_there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors_2377069.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a reality to the way the actors play the scenes, given that there is a real, animatronic, moving…” — Shawn Anthony Levy", "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": "Shawn Anthony Levy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anthony-levy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a reality to the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors-play-the-scenes-given-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anthony-levy/there-is-a-reality-to-the-way-the-actors-play-the-scenes-given-that/#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 } } ] } ```