--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I existed before Star Trek. I started in…" description: "\"I existed before Star Trek. I started in live television. I was there when the cameras were as big as a table, had internal fans that were whirring and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/william-shatner-1304_astronomy_i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in_2447099.jpg" --- # I existed before Star Trek. I started in live television… ![“I existed before Star Trek. I started in live television. I was there when the cameras were as big as a table, had internal fans that were whirring and tubes that, because of the heat, had to come right up to our face for a close-up. Now, we are talking about green screen and putting us in…” quote by William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/william-shatner-1304_astronomy_i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in_2447099.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/william-shatner-1304_astronomy_i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in_2447099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/william-shatner-1304_astronomy_i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in_2447099.jpg) > “I existed before Star Trek. I started in live television. I was there when the cameras were as big as a table, had internal fans that were whirring and tubes that, because of the heat, had to come right up to our face for a close-up. Now, we are talking about green screen and putting us in locations that we'll never visit. What has happened to us is a miracle, and the miracle is our inventiveness. The tragedy of our lives is also our inventiveness.” [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Technological advances have transformed media, showing both human ingenuity and its paradoxical costs. **In simple terms:** Tech changes media, showing both wonder and downside. Key Takeaway Balance innovation with ethical awareness. Themes technology innovation paradox Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - broadcasting - green screen - virtual reality - AI content creation Key Concepts media evolution creative problem solving ethical dilemmas Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities accompany new media tools? - How can we mitigate negative impacts? A Different Perspective Innovation can outpace societal readiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Existed Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existed-star-537957/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Fans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fans/) [Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/green/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Heat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heat/) [Internals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internals/) [Inventiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inventiveness/) [Inventiveness Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inventiveness-tragedy-537958/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Live television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-television/) [Lives Inventiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-inventiveness-537959/) [Location](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/location/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [Screens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screens/) [Star trek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-trek/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Trek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trek/) [Tubes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tubes/) ## Related quotes > [I did some professional radio acting as a teenager, and I essentially put myself through college with radio acting in Montreal. When I graduated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-did-some-professional-radio-acting-as-a-teenager-and-i-essentially/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Oddly enough, I have really bad stage fright - getting up in front of people. And I made a living going on live television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/oddly-enough-i-have-really-bad-stage-fright-getting-up-in-front-of/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [It's just a challenge doing live television every week; you know, it's a challenge to come up with new material every week and stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-thompson/it-s-just-a-challenge-doing-live-television-every-week-you-know-it-s/) [Kenan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenan-thompson/) > [85% of all video we watch is pre-recorded, so you can set your system to download it all the time. You're still going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/85-of-all-video-we-watch-is-pre-recorded-so-you-can-set-your-system/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [I'm familiar to people. They feel comfortable with me. I started in live television. I perform live all the time. I sing with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-henderson/i-m-familiar-to-people-they-feel-comfortable-with-me-i-started-in/) [Florence Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-henderson/) > [Live television is always stressful and the more you do it, the more you realise what can go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hansen/live-television-is-always-stressful-and-the-more-you-do-it-the-more/) [Alan Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hansen/) > [Live television drama was like live theater, because you moved without thinking about the camera. It followed you around. In film you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fletcher/live-television-drama-was-like-live-theater-because-you-moved-without/) [Louise Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fletcher/) > [If you know me, you know that nothing embarrasses me. Anything could happen to me on live television, and I sincerely don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuliana-rancic/if-you-know-me-you-know-that-nothing-embarrasses-me-anything-could/) [Giuliana Rancic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuliana-rancic/) > [It's one thing getting the job of Doctor Who, which is wonderful. And then the next thing they say to you is, 'We're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/it-s-one-thing-getting-the-job-of-doctor-who-which-is-wonderful-and/) [Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/) > [I enjoy live television a lot, but I'm not crazy about the hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariette-hartley/i-enjoy-live-television-a-lot-but-i-m-not-crazy-about-the-hours/) [Mariette Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariette-hartley/) > [I certainly pray before I go do a live television program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ego-nwodim/i-certainly-pray-before-i-go-do-a-live-television-program/) [Ego Nwodim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ego-nwodim/) > [There really is no foolproof or even optimal way of dealing with White House emissaries who tell whoppers on live television. On the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-wemple/there-really-is-no-foolproof-or-even-optimal-way-of-dealing-with/) [Erik Wemple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-wemple/) > ['Saturday Night Live' is live television. Nothing can compare to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/saturday-night-live-is-live-television-nothing-can-compare-to-that/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [The only TV I would be interested in exploring would be live television. There's no substitute for a team of artists performing at their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/the-only-tv-i-would-be-interested-in-exploring-would-be-live/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [I think it takes a lot for you to admit you made a mistake and correct it right away, especially on live television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/i-think-it-takes-a-lot-for-you-to-admit-you-made-a-mistake-and/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) ## More by William Shatner > [My dad died of a stroke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/my-dad-died-of-a-stroke/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [We were basically one and the same, although Jim Kirk was just about perfect, and, of course, I am perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/we-were-basically-one-and-the-same-although-jim-kirk-was-just-about/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [It's irksome to read about someone I don't recognize. It frightens me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/it-s-irksome-to-read-about-someone-i-don-t-recognize-it-frightens-me/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [You might as well aim high. Why shoot yourself in the foot when you can shoot yourself in the head?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/you-might-as-well-aim-high-why-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-when-you/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I think the supernatural is a catch-all for everything we don't understand about the vast other parts of life that we cannot perceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-think-the-supernatural-is-a-catch-all-for-everything-we-don-t/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I always thought that the spine of a character was awe and wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-always-thought-that-the-spine-of-a-character-was-awe-and-wonder/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [We live in grief for having left the womb, for having left the teat, then school, then home. In my case, it was leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/we-live-in-grief-for-having-left-the-womb-for-having-left-the-teat/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I love cameras but I find myself reluctantly taking pictures because what's past is past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-love-cameras-but-i-find-myself-reluctantly-taking-pictures-because/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I have been accused of never saying no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-have-been-accused-of-never-saying-no/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [If you make a fool of yourself, you can do it with dignity, without taking your pants down. And if you do take your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/if-you-make-a-fool-of-yourself-you-can-do-it-with-dignity-without/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I played comedies and dramas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-played-comedies-and-dramas/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I spent years doing 'Star Trek' bits and things, and a lot of people loved it, a lot of people mocked it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-spent-years-doing-star-trek-bits-and-things-and-a-lot-of-people/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I watch movies and sports. I can count on the fingers of my hand the number of times I have watched an hour show.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-watch-movies-and-sports-i-can-count-on-the-fingers-of-my-hand-the/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Marriage is a reflection of your life in general: how you treat people, how you argue, how secure you are in your own thoughts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/marriage-is-a-reflection-of-your-life-in-general-how-you-treat-people/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Nature is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/nature-is-perfect/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) [Explore all 259 William Shatner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) ## More Astronomy quotes > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Wen daylight turns to a darkened hue, D lovely stars hinting at u, ur heart beat tells u something true, That some 1 badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/wen-daylight-turns-to-a-darkened-hue-d-lovely-stars-hinting-at-u-ur/) [Butterfly\_Kisses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butterfly-kisses/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [From the grasses in the field to the stars in the sky, each one is doing just that; and there is such profound peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/from-the-grasses-in-the-field-to-the-stars-in-the-sky-each-one-is/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [“If there are no stars on the sky, you must try to be happy with the shining streetlights!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-there-are-no-stars-on-the-sky-you-must-try-to-be-happy-with-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/) [Sylviek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylviek/) > [When certain stars take you under their wing, it does help as they gauge your potential and are willing to work with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/when-certain-stars-take-you-under-their-wing-it-does-help-as-they/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Browse all 6,190 Astronomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I existed before Star Trek. I started in live television. I was there when the cameras were as big as a table, had internal fans that were whirring and tubes that, because of the heat, had to come right up to our face for a close-up. Now, we are talking about green screen and putting us in locations that we'll never visit. What has happened to us is a miracle, and the miracle is our inventiveness. The tragedy of our lives is also our inventiveness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shatner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in-live-television-i-was-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astronomy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in-live-television-i-was-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/william-shatner-1304_astronomy_i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in_2447099.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/william-shatner-1304_astronomy_i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in_2447099.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/william-shatner-1304_astronomy_i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in_2447099.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I existed before Star Trek. I started in live television. I was there when the cameras were as big as a…” — William Shatner", "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": "William Shatner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I existed before Star Trek. I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in-live-television-i-was-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-existed-before-star-trek-i-started-in-live-television-i-was-there/#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 } } ] } ```