As a kid, I had a background in theater.

If I were doing somebody else's script or I adapted a book by Philip Roth, on set there could be a million different interpretations of the material and people could argue with me. Certainly on Synecdoche, New York we had discussions and arguments, but I felt like I had authority because I'm a writer.

If you ever got me, you wouldn't have a clue what to do with me.

In a lot of movies, especially big studio ones, they're not constructed in any other way than to get people to like them and then tell their friends. It's a product.

I just try to be honest, because I think that's part of my job description as a writer.

I choose to write characters from the inside because I feel like that's the way I'm gonna get the most honest version of them.

I think if I've worked anything through with screenwriting it's that I'm not going to be able to work anything through.