The easiest thing to do on earth is not write.
William GoldmanRead
As far as the filmmaking process is concerned, stars are essentially worthless - and absolutely essential.
Interpretation
What this quote means
In filmmaking, while stars may seem unimportant, they are actually key to the success of a project.
William Goldman's quote reflects the paradox of stars in the filmmaking industry. On one hand, the star power can overshadow other aspects of film production, making it seem like they are not crucial to the storytelling process; on the other hand, their presence and draw can be critical in attracting an audience and securing funding, thereby making them absolutely essential for a filmβs success.
Themes
FilmmakingStarsImportanceProcessStorytelling
In practice
Example use cases
During a film workshop, one might quote Goldman to highlight the importance of both talent and teamwork.
More from William Goldman
All quotes βWriting is finally about one thing: going into a room alone and doing it, putting words on paper that have never been there in quite that way before.
William GoldmanRead
Chapter One. The Bride." He held up the book then. "I'm reading it to you for relax." He practically shoved the book in my face. "By S. Morgenstern. Great Florinese writer. The Princess Bride. He too came to America. S. Morgenstern. Dead now in New York. The English is his own. He spoke eight tongues." Here my father put down the book and held up all his fingers. "Eight. Once in Florin City...
William GoldmanRead
Her heart was a secret garden and the walls were very high.
William GoldmanRead
Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.
William GoldmanRead
Everyone had told her, since she became a princess-in-training, that she was very likely the most beautiful woman in the world. Now she was going to be the richest and the most powerful as well. Don't expect too much from life, Buttercup told herself as she rode along. Learn to be satisfied with what you have.
William GoldmanRead
Similar quotes
If I were able to write, I probably would. But movies have given me a part of my life where I can express feelings and bring convictions to an audience as if I could write. So I made 'Gandhi' about human relations, prejudice and the empire. In 'Cry Freedom' I expressed my horror and disgust about apartheid.
Richard AttenboroughRead
When I'm home on a break, I lock myself in my room and play guitar. After two or three hours, I start getting into this total meditation. It's a feeling few people experience, and that's usually when I come up with weird stuff. It just flows. I can't force myself. I don't sit down and say I've got to practice.
Eddie Van HalenRead
Maybe, as a Chinese woman, I was never told I would be a filmmaker, so I didn't have the ego set up.
Chloe ZhaoRead
I don't like records that are the same from beginning to end, that are too styled and slick. Everything is so designed and airbrushed and Botoxed, it makes us think, 'Oh, everybody's perfect except me. Everything's smooth except me.' But nothing is smooth.
BjorkRead
I'm here to make good pictures. If I don't see it, I won't touch it. I may not make a good picture, but I still gotta believe in it!
William WylerRead
I've made movies that I thought were good. I've made movies that I thought were okay, but then I was very good. And sometimes you're in a movie and you think, I wish more people saw that - because you're good. And it just works out that the movie gets lost. But that's show business.
Christopher WalkenRead