I don't think anybody can be told how to act. I think you can give advice. But you have to find your own way through it.
Judi DenchRead
Some things you know about, you know what the ingredients are - maybe not all of them. But it's up to you to put in the amount. It's up to the director to nag you until you get it right.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the role of individual contribution and the importance of guidance in achieving excellence.
In this quote, Judi Dench reflects on the collaborative nature of the creative process, suggesting that while one may have knowledge of the elements involved in any endeavor, the effectiveness and success of that work depend significantly on the effort and intention one applies. Furthermore, it highlights the director's role as a guiding force, pushing individuals to refine their craft and achieve the best results possible.
In practice
In a filmmaking workshop, this quote could be used to inspire beginners about the importance of teamwork and mentorship.
I don't think anybody can be told how to act. I think you can give advice. But you have to find your own way through it.
I'd rather do a part because I want to, not because great things are expected of me.
I'm always fearful. … Fear generates in you a huge energy. You can use it. When I feel that mounting fear, I think, 'Oh, yes, there it is!' It's like petrol.
It is true that there are few plays of Shakespeare that I haven't done.
Since Michael died I think I've worked constantly. Friends and colleagues are very sustaining. They're the people who get you through it... It's no good to be on your own.
Most things don't work out as expected, but what happens instead often turns out to be the good stuff.
The artist doesn't really think about consequences - he or she does the work, stands back and looks at and thinks, 'Hmm, that could have worked better like this.' But as a person who needs to sell tickets to do the next work, one needs to analyze how it does or does not hit its mark.
Your best work is your expression of yourself. Now, you may not be the greatest at it, but when you do it, you're the only expert.
An image is not simply a trademark, a design, a slogan or an easily remembered picture. It is a studiously crafted personality profile of an individual, institution, corporation, product or service.
You’ll find that the movie business is paid for by those mega movies. The movie business is paid for by Big Macs. By movies as product. Movie studios use that term “product” all the time. Product? You mean you have a lot of stories? No, we have a lot of product. You have stories.
The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.
When I was in college at UCLA, I took a playwriting course. I was all set to be a writer. But I had to take this acting class as a theater arts major. I had to do this scene in a one-act comedy. I just said this line, and then... this laugh happened. I thought, 'Whoa. This is a really good feeling. What have I been missing?'
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.