I've been largely an improvisational actor for most of my career.

[The lyrics and melody] usually come a little simultaneously, but I would say the lyrics are first; usually I have the idea for a story in my head, or few lines.

I'm really influenced by Southern novelists, not many movie people. More like John Faulkner, William Faulkner, Erskine Caldwell, Flannery O'Connor, John Steinbeck, and people like that.

The great movies that I want to do now are being made for $2.5-million budgets.

I figured I would have to tell someone to kiss my ass before it was all over, and I have -- twice.

I think everybody's contemplating TV now, because mid-level and high-budget independent films are not being made now.

Usually with film writing I start with characters, and set about writing their story.