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.

I think I came to film-making through writing. I started to write, and people, teachers, responded to my writing.

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 was a TV junkie as a kid. I am the Sesame Street generation.

I don't make films that are easy to market, unfortunately. I think that 'Pi' was the easiest one, because we had that symbol to stick up everywhere, so that was a good gimmick, and created a good mystery, and we didn't have to do huge scale.

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 spent about a year and a half doing technical post work on 'The Fountain'. Although I do like the process, I think my favorite part of filmmaking is the actors.