In the '60s and '70s it was a great period for American films because studios were still run by individuals who worked off the seat of their pants and went along with things. At that time, they were very uncertain about what to make because of the influence of television. A lot of really terrific movies were made. But then the studios gradually became more corporate and were owned by corporations and run in that way and now they're very nervous. You see what they make - sequels, franchises and try not to take risks.

You can't get an actor to do something that is beyond his range, so you have to be aware of the range of the actor and, if necessary, alter the part to suit the actor.

What is passion? Passion is surely the becoming of a person.

Movie-making is the process of turning money into light. All they have at the end of the day is images flickering on a wall.

I only storyboard scenes that require special effects, where it is necessary to communicate through pictures.

I love green. Green is the color of nature, trees. I'm a tree freak. I spend a lot of my time planting trees, nurturing them, and studying them. It's one of the colors I couldn't live without.

And you poor creatures--who conjured you out of the clay? Is God in show business, too?