The actors are the greatest executors of tone in a film. They're the most important cinematic component.

If you have your movies so that everyone understands everything, I think that's probably not a very good movie.

Acting is a lot easier than people think it is.

I don't feel despair because I am able to make the films I want to make, and that gives me hope.

A lot of people get stuck, like, "Oh, if it's made by a studio, it can't be independent." Often they link it to the source of financing, or how it's distributed, but I don't really know how you can. A filmmaker will take his money from anywhere. It doesn't matter.

Joe E. Lewis said, 'Money doesn't buy happiness but it calms the nerves.' And that is how I feel about a film being well-received.

I never wanted money worries to slow me down or make me take a job I didn't want.