Every film had its own grammar. And it's your job as a director to basically figure out a language to tell a story.

I've been joking that if Madonna taught us anything, you've got to reinvent yourself. I think it's important as a filmmaker, as any person working in the arts, that you've got to try new stuff and challenge yourself and take chances. I've tried to take a chance with every film I've done - I've never done it the easy way, and I think that's because that's what excites me, is making as big a mountain as I can in front of me, and just trying to mount it.

Also expressionistic filmmaking - making the audience feel like they were inside the characters' heads. And so we create all these different types of techniques to put the audience there.

When I go to movies I generally want to be taken to another world.

I had some big ups and downs when I was in my 20s and the one thing I learned was, no matter how low it gets, something good will come along - something always comes out of that dark period.

As filmmakers, we can show where a person's mind goes, as opposed to theater, which is more to sit back and watch it.

I only want to work with actors that really get it and make it work. I didn't want it to be a star-driven thing anymore.