--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing creative functions well when…" description: "\"Nothing creative functions well when fenced in or leaning on a prop. A contract is a fence and a prop.\" — Van Heflin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/van-heflin-7784_contract_nothing-creative-functions-well-when-fen_974873.png" --- # Nothing creative functions well when fenced in or leaning… ![“Nothing creative functions well when fenced in or leaning on a prop. A contract is a fence and a prop.” quote by Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/van-heflin-7784_contract_nothing-creative-functions-well-when-fen_974873.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/van-heflin-7784_contract_nothing-creative-functions-well-when-fen_974873.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f66/van-heflin-7784_contract_nothing-creative-functions-well-when-fen_974873.png) > “Nothing creative functions well when fenced in or leaning on a prop. A contract is a fence and a prop.” [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work suffers when constrained by rigid rules or reliance on external supports; true creativity thrives in freedom. **In simple terms:** Constraints hinder creativity; freedom fuels it. Key Takeaway Embrace creative freedom. Themes creativity art freedom constraints innovation Mood thoughtful encouraging Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - creative problem solving Key Concepts artistic expression design thinking entrepreneurial ventures Questions to Reflect On - How can teams foster an environment of creative autonomy? - What boundaries, if any, enhance creativity? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on structures can limit originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Prop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prop/) ## Related quotes > [June Cleaver didn't keep her house in perfect order, the prop man did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-billingsley/june-cleaver-didn-t-keep-her-house-in-perfect-order-the-prop-man-did/) [Barbara Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-billingsley/) > [I would never want to be treated as a prop, to be looked on as an object just because of my gender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-tripathi/i-would-never-want-to-be-treated-as-a-prop-to-be-looked-on-as-an/) [Shweta Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-tripathi/) > [Don't bring a prop. It's almost like they were afraid nobody would know who they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/don-t-bring-a-prop-it-s-almost-like-they-were-afraid-nobody-would/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [The personality must be bigger than the prop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-blackstone-sr/the-personality-must-be-bigger-than-the-prop/) Harry Blackstone Sr > [I'm not a sculptor; I'm a hard-edged model maker. You give me a drawing, you give me a prop to replicate, you give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-savage/i-m-not-a-sculptor-i-m-a-hard-edged-model-maker-you-give-me-a-drawing/) [Adam Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-savage/) > [My mother always taught me that two wrongs don't make a right. We shouldn't bail out Wall Street. We shouldn't bail out Detroit. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/my-mother-always-taught-me-that-two-wrongs-don-t-make-a-right-we/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Tradition is a prop for social security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/tradition-is-a-prop-for-social-security/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [I wish myself to be a prop, if anything, for my songs. I want to be the vehicle for my songs. I would like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-wish-myself-to-be-a-prop-if-anything-for-my-songs-i-want-to-be-the/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I don't want to play a prop in a film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urvashi-rautela/i-don-t-want-to-play-a-prop-in-a-film/) [Urvashi Rautela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urvashi-rautela/) > [“Et sorprendràs de tenir la història tan a prop però no ser capaç de veure-la.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-izquierdo-salas/et-sorprendr-s-de-tenir-la-hist-ria-tan-a-prop-per-no-ser-capa-de/) David Izquierdo Salas > [There's a sort of unwritten rule that the more elaborate the task is, the less likely it is to work. If we spend a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/there-s-a-sort-of-unwritten-rule-that-the-more-elaborate-the-task-is/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [The failure of Lehman may have allowed the government to do more to prop up the economy than it otherwise could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/the-failure-of-lehman-may-have-allowed-the-government-to-do-more-to/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [Tim Conway was a little different from the rest. He was always in the back of the studio building something with the prop man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/tim-conway-was-a-little-different-from-the-rest-he-was-always-in-the/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [My character has to be alive. It can't be a mere prop, and it has to have a life of its own. I need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawad-khan/my-character-has-to-be-alive-it-can-t-be-a-mere-prop-and-it-has-to/) [Fawad Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawad-khan/) > [I don't like having characters as props. I never want a character to be a prop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-gluck/i-don-t-like-having-characters-as-props-i-never-want-a-character-to/) [Will Gluck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-gluck/) ## More by Van Heflin > [An actor doesn't have a regular job. He is dependent upon the roles which are given him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/an-actor-doesn-t-have-a-regular-job-he-is-dependent-upon-the-roles/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [You must remember that I won an Oscar for my role Johnny Eager. Then I went into the Army. But before I did, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/you-must-remember-that-i-won-an-oscar-for-my-role-johnny-eager-then-i/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [I have enough money for myself and my children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/i-have-enough-money-for-myself-and-my-children/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [I don't want to work too hard any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/i-don-t-want-to-work-too-hard-any-more/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [When I was a very young actor, I made a wise move. I invested in the stock market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/when-i-was-a-very-young-actor-i-made-a-wise-move-i-invested-in-the/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [What I like about the independent field is that an actor can pick his roles and his stories and do them without anyone always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/what-i-like-about-the-independent-field-is-that-an-actor-can-pick-his/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [Being under contract gives you financial and emotional security. But you lose the sense of accomplishment that goes hand in hand with being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/being-under-contract-gives-you-financial-and-emotional-security-but/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [Most fellows learned something about dressing in college. But my fraternity made me stay in the basement whenever we gave a dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/most-fellows-learned-something-about-dressing-in-college-but-my/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [I can sit on a boat or a river bank and problems that seemed insurmountable just don't seem that important anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/i-can-sit-on-a-boat-or-a-river-bank-and-problems-that-seemed/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [I certainly don't approve of American actors who go to Europe and run down Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/i-certainly-don-t-approve-of-american-actors-who-go-to-europe-and-run/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [Every film is a comeback, no matter what I did the last time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/every-film-is-a-comeback-no-matter-what-i-did-the-last-time/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [I don't think it's fair to a family to uproot them simply because it's profitable for you to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/i-don-t-think-it-s-fair-to-a-family-to-uproot-them-simply-because-it/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [I believe all conscientious actors feel the same way - that there is too much hurry-scurry in TV to permit a sufficient amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/i-believe-all-conscientious-actors-feel-the-same-way-that-there-is/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [You have to be careful of the pictures you make. You should ask, Will it have universal appeal, will it have an appeal at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/you-have-to-be-careful-of-the-pictures-you-make-you-should-ask-will/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [Let's face it. I'm not a personality or the handsome actor type. When you have those God-given assets, you don't have to worry if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/let-s-face-it-i-m-not-a-personality-or-the-handsome-actor-type-when/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) [Explore all 87 Van Heflin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) ## More Contract quotes > [I am very convinced that I did not contract Ebola in the isolation unit, because our process is so safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-brantly/i-am-very-convinced-that-i-did-not-contract-ebola-in-the-isolation/) [Kent Brantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-brantly/) > [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/a-contract-is-an-ask-game-and-if-it-asks-for-an-hour-and-i-submit-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [I love Scott Coker and I love Bellator and I love what we have built together and it's a little uneasy to think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chandler/i-love-scott-coker-and-i-love-bellator-and-i-love-what-we-have-built/) [Michael Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chandler/) > [I signed my first book contract without paying much attention to what it said. I didn't know at the time that the book would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-signed-my-first-book-contract-without-paying-much-attention-to-what/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [I work seriously with complete integrity. I never, never, never have offered a part to anyone who didn't deserve it, and I've never not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toback/i-work-seriously-with-complete-integrity-i-never-never-never-have/) [James Toback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toback/) > [Nowadays, in the contract that actors sign, you have to agree that you're going to do a certain amount of publicity-the hard part they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/nowadays-in-the-contract-that-actors-sign-you-have-to-agree-that-you/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [Society is indeed a contract. It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/society-is-indeed-a-contract-it-is-a-partnership-in-all-science-a/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“A prisoner is imprisoned by the crime that he has committed. A jailer is imprisoned — in the very same prison — by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-prisoner-is-imprisoned-by-the-crime-that-he-has-committed-a-jailer/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“When we are quiet and still we contract and settle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/when-we-are-quiet-and-still-we-contract-and-settle/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [When you sign a contract, that's your deal. Everyone has different deals anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/when-you-sign-a-contract-that-s-your-deal-everyone-has-different/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [When you need to renew your contract, you must demonstrate why they are renewing your contract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-pellegrini/when-you-need-to-renew-your-contract-you-must-demonstrate-why-they/) [Manuel Pellegrini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-pellegrini/) > [“You don't know with who you are having to deal with... you just sign the contract to die”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/you-don-t-know-with-who-you-are-having-to-deal-with-you-just-sign-the/) Deyth Banger > [Even if you have a contract you can be sold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teemu-pukki/even-if-you-have-a-contract-you-can-be-sold/) [Teemu Pukki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teemu-pukki/) > [I worked in three local news markets and in every single one of them, they said: 'You're a lousy anchor. We would love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-vargas/i-worked-in-three-local-news-markets-and-in-every-single-one-of-them/) [Elizabeth Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-vargas/) > [A group is as healthy as its 'social contract' is clear; a congregation as faithful as its covenant is mutually understood; a pastor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-group-is-as-healthy-as-its-social-contract-is-clear-a-congregation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 518 Contract quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing creative functions well when fenced in or leaning on a prop. 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