Terry Rossio Quotes

• Most aspiring screenwriters simply don't spend enough time choosing their concept. It's by far the most common mistake I see in spec scripts. The writer has lost the race right from the gate. Months - sometimes years - are lost trying to elevate a film idea that by its nature probably had no hope of ever becoming a movie.

  Terry Rossio

  Mistake, Race, Years

  45 Copy quote

• Human beings are compelled to adopt a belief system; some paradigm to provide meaning, purpose, and understanding to our lives. A quick survey of the world shows that pretty much any idea will do - it need not reflect reality or truth, merely function to fascinate, distract, and compel. We are designed for belief, not for truth.

  Terry Rossio

  Reality, Ideas, Understanding

  14 Copy quote

• Anger is a more noble emotion than indifference.

  Terry Rossio

  Noble, Emotion, Indifference

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• My lousy way of getting it done is better than your great way of not doing it.

  Terry Rossio

  Done, Way

  4 Copy quote

• Mistakes are the byproduct of action - and thus an accurate gauge of effort.

  Terry Rossio

  Mistake, Effort, Gauges

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• Self-esteem is the prize awarded by you to you for playing by your own rules - in which case, you'd think it would be easier to come by.

  Terry Rossio

  Self Esteem, Thinking, Would Be

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• It seems quite proper to fear achievement, which, after all, is proof that you've successfully moved an experience from the delightfully anticipated future into the forever and sadly lost past. Avoid as long as you can the ultimate indignity: a lifetime achievement award.

  Terry Rossio

  Past, Awards, Long

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• You should quit trying only after two conditions have been met: 1.) You've given yourself a legitimate shot. 2.) Trying is no longer fun.

  Terry Rossio

  Music, Fun, Powerful

  6 Copy quote

• You are an adult when, faced with important decisions, you choose to have more faith in yourself than anything else.

  Terry Rossio

  Decision, Important, Adults

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• Success is less rare than the courage to attempt it.

  Terry Rossio

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• Personal happiness is so important, most choose to let someone else take care of it.

  Terry Rossio

  Important, Care, Take Care

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• It is a rare man who can prevail in the face of comfort. Freedom is fragile and elusive, for rarely does the appreciation of it exceed the pleasure of being able to tell others what to do. There is but one tick on the accuracy scale between 'optimism' and 'denial.'

  Terry Rossio

  Appreciation, Men, Optimism

  8 Copy quote

• Once learned, the ability to disagree with a smile pays valuable dividends for a lifetime.

  Terry Rossio

  Pay, Lifetime, Ability

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• How do we not rue the many unchosen paths in life? A blessed lack of imagination. There are enough real glories along any path to swamp our meager ability to picture alternatives.

  Terry Rossio

  Real, Blessed, Imagination

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• I'm tempted to say, 'Writing treatments is like designing a film by hiring six million monkeys to tear out pages of an encyclopedia, then you put the pages through a paper-shredder, randomly grab whatever intact lines are left, sing them in Italian to a Spanish deaf-mute, and then make story decisions with the guy via conference call.' But no... compared to writing treatments, that makes sense, too.

  Terry Rossio

  Writing, Italian, Design

  5 Copy quote

• The resolve to diet is most easily summoned on a full stomach.

  Terry Rossio

  Stomach, Resolve, Diets

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• Most will choose to leave someone who can't bear to see them go.

  Terry Rossio

  Bears

  4 Copy quote

• A fool harvests his opinions in the spring.

  Terry Rossio

  Spring, Fool, Opinion

  4 Copy quote

• Talent is truth on display.

  Terry Rossio

  Talent, Display

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• In Hollywood, story content of movies follows a hierarchy of power, not the relative quality of various ideas. Hollywood does not lack for quality writing. It's just that quality writing commonly has to be sacrificed in order to propel a film into production. A studio needs a star and a director to make a film, so those are the folk who'll define the content. If they don't have the same creative sensibilities, then the content will change.

  Terry Rossio

  Stars, Writing, Order

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• It's easier to be old than young. You make just as many blunders, but you've become much more adept at not recognizing them.

  Terry Rossio

  Easier, Blunders, Young

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• A child should have every advantage - including those taught by disadvantage.

  Terry Rossio

  Children, Should Have, Taught

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• You must -- you MUST -- choose well.

  Terry Rossio

  Wells

  4 Copy quote

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