--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The actors come in and they make…" description: "\"The actors come in and they make characters their own and so Patrick and I have never been the kind to think that our script is the bible. We want to m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/todd-farmer-19376_actors_the-actors-come-in-and-they-make-charact_631847.jpg" --- # The actors come in and they make characters their own and… ![“The actors come in and they make characters their own and so Patrick and I have never been the kind to think that our script is the bible. We want to make sure that the story is told, that you stick to the story but if you have to make changes to the character then that's fine. A lot of times…” quote by Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/todd-farmer-19376_actors_the-actors-come-in-and-they-make-charact_631847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/todd-farmer-19376_actors_the-actors-come-in-and-they-make-charact_631847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/todd-farmer-19376_actors_the-actors-come-in-and-they-make-charact_631847.jpg) > “The actors come in and they make characters their own and so Patrick and I have never been the kind to think that our script is the bible. We want to make sure that the story is told, that you stick to the story but if you have to make changes to the character then that's fine. A lot of times there are some funny one-liners, funny things that happen that are out of the ordinary. I like it.” [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers should stay true to story while allowing character flexibility and spontaneous humor. **In simple terms:** Balance story fidelity with character freedom. Key Takeaway Adapt characters while preserving core plot. Themes creativity flexibility storytelling Mood reflective collaborative Type instructional inspirational When to use this quote - film production - screenwriting workshops - actor collaboration Key Concepts character development improvisation Questions to Reflect On - When should a character change be limited? - What risks arise from excessive improvisation? A Different Perspective Too much deviation can dilute the original vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-come/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Funny one liner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-one-liner/) [Funny things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-things/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Liners Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liners-funny-5090952/) [Making changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-changes/) [One liner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-liner/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script/) [Script Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script-bible-1184782/) [Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts/) [Sticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Bacteria: The only culture some people have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesiod/bacteria-the-only-culture-some-people-have/) [Hesiod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesiod/) > [You stick to the script, the script is Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/you-stick-to-the-script-the-script-is-bible/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [I'm a big believer that the script is your bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-liotta/i-m-a-big-believer-that-the-script-is-your-bible/) [Ray Liotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-liotta/) > [The script is a bible and it's this unchangeable document that somebody spent years and years on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-pill/the-script-is-a-bible-and-it-s-this-unchangeable-document-that/) [Alison Pill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-pill/) > [I went to film school, and I came in when video art was king, weird stuff was king, and there, you don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krisel/i-went-to-film-school-and-i-came-in-when-video-art-was-king-weird/) [Jonathan Krisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krisel/) > [When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/when-everything-s-coming-your-way-you-re-in-the-wrong-lane/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-bartender-is-just-a-pharmacist-with-a-limited-inventory/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There are three kinds of people: those who can count, and those who cannot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/there-are-three-kinds-of-people-those-who-can-count-and-those-who/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I did not climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/i-did-not-climb-to-the-top-of-the-food-chain-to-eat-carrots/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [Some people are only alive because it is illegal to kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-aguilera/some-people-are-only-alive-because-it-is-illegal-to-kill/) [Christina Aguilera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-aguilera/) > [How do you know when you're finished making love?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/how-do-you-know-when-you-re-finished-making-love/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [Don't take life too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/don-t-take-life-too-seriously/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/why-do-psychics-have-to-ask-you-for-your-name/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [How many of you believe in telekinesis? Raise my hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/how-many-of-you-believe-in-telekinesis-raise-my-hand/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Pakistani actors and everything come later, but first comes my country. I don't know anyone apart from my country, and nor would I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/pakistani-actors-and-everything-come-later-but-first-comes-my-country/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) ## More by Todd Farmer > [It's a weird partnership. For me and Patrick, if you've met him, we're not very much alike. But we bring such different tools to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/it-s-a-weird-partnership-for-me-and-patrick-if-you-ve-met-him-we-re/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [I think longer that you sit on a screenplay the longer you sit. I'm a firm believer that you can write the magic out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/i-think-longer-that-you-sit-on-a-screenplay-the-longer-you-sit-i-m-a/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [I put in all the dirty words. It works really well. The thing that we found with 'Drive Angry,' more than anything else is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/i-put-in-all-the-dirty-words-it-works-really-well-the-thing-that-we/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [The graphic novel? I love comics and so, yes. I don't think we talked about that. We weren't influenced necessarily by graphic novels but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/the-graphic-novel-i-love-comics-and-so-yes-i-don-t-think-we-talked/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [We write for actors and even down to the smallest character in the film, they all have their moment. You take that and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/we-write-for-actors-and-even-down-to-the-smallest-character-in-the/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [ Nic is definitely a car guy because Nic and \[William\] Fichtner and Billy, these guys go on and on about the cars. So we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/nic-is-definitely-a-car-guy-because-nic-and-william-fichtner-and/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [We played more rock music when we were writing the script. 'Renegade'. All of the Styx songs. All of the old '70's and '80's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/we-played-more-rock-music-when-we-were-writing-the-script-renegade/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [In a way it was a modern story but it played to all those 1980 slasher movies. We did the same thing with this.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/in-a-way-it-was-a-modern-story-but-it-played-to-all-those-1980/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [So we have that, where there are moments where it's just Nic Cage and Amber Heard and you're in the car with them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/so-we-have-that-where-there-are-moments-where-it-s-just-nic-cage-and/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [As long as we work within the budget and are responsible, which by the way it's amazing how many people aren't but we are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/as-long-as-we-work-within-the-budget-and-are-responsible-which-by-the/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [It's modern day. It is modern day. Some of the cars are older but it is absolutely modern day. There are modern cars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/it-s-modern-day-it-is-modern-day-some-of-the-cars-are-older-but-it-is/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [It's funny, if you go back and look at all those old movies a lot of times they didn't have the budget for music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/it-s-funny-if-you-go-back-and-look-at-all-those-old-movies-a-lot-of/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [I think it's just as viable a way of telling a story as anything else but for right now we like playing around with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/i-think-it-s-just-as-viable-a-way-of-telling-a-story-as-anything-else/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > ['Scissorman' is terrifying. The studio at the time didn't want Scissorman because they were afraid that he'd look silly to which my response was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/scissorman-is-terrifying-the-studio-at-the-time-didn-t-want/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [It's not like we were forced to do something we didn't want to do. I mean, when you see that scene you'll realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/it-s-not-like-we-were-forced-to-do-something-we-didn-t-want-to-do-i/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) [Explore all 32 Todd Farmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. 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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. 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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": "The actors come in and they make characters their own and so Patrick and I have never been the kind to think that our script is the bible. We want to make sure that the story is told, that you stick to the story but if you have to make changes to the character then that's fine. A lot of times there are some funny one-liners, funny things that happen that are out of the ordinary. 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