There's the internal rhythm within a sequence, and then there's the rhythm between the sequences, and that's extremely important in constructing the narrative. For example, you don't put two big dramatic scenes right next to each other. But you can use the rhythm of the transition shots; they can often serve a double purpose.

I'm drawn to making movies about contemporary life. The reason I choose institutions is because they provide a limit, a boundary.

I don't really know what I want, other than good sequences, whatever that means. What I find is always a matter of chance, judgment, and luck.

It is always a problem to know what an image means.

Everything about a movie is manipulation.

It's rare in a documentary film that you have a repetitive act. So when you do, you can shoot it in different ways so that you have more choices when you're sitting down to edit that sequence six months later.

Anybody whose mind is functioning at all can't be content with the way the world works.