Clearly, you can think back and see that a character has had enormous odds stacked against him and has to overcome them. It's usually a guy, I'm afraid. But then you're setting up a new movie you have amnesia about these meetings, when you've discussed it more analytically.

I trained in the theatre.

One of Dickens' biggest influences was the growth of London as a Victorian city, and the extremes being created as it expanded.

I dont see much difference between it and the other films though I can see on a rational and intelligent level there is a big difference.

Once, a French journalist told me that all my films are the same. I said, 'Excuse me? I work hard to make them different.' What she meant was that in my films there is a character that faces insurmountable odds, and they overcome them. But I thought that might be true, but you need certain factors for drama, and you need to overcome them.

Theres a certain truth that you do end up making the same film again and again so if you vary the genre you have a chance of breaking that cycle.

I don't want to make pompous, serious films; I like films that have a kind of vivacity about them.