I made this film 'The Beach,' which didn't take place in a city, and it didn't really suit me.

One of the things in the Mary Shelley [Frankenstein] is that the creature tells his story, so this begins with the creature's point of view. So, it literally starts with the creature opening his eyes and is born - but is obviously in his 30s. But because they're the creator and the created we thought it would be really interesting if they could look at each other every other night and play each other's roles.

I trained in the theatre.

Always changing genres, making very different films is a good idea. It's a way of making yourself feel vulnerable again, getting back to that innocence. As is working within a circumspect budget.

I want people to leave the cinema feeling that something's been confirmed for them about life.

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

I grew up in a city, I'm a city person - I go on holiday and I'm bored.