I believe that if you really have a strong idea, you can say, "What do you think? Let's see how my idea plays off yours."

I use cinematic things in a theatrical way on stage, and in film I use theatrical techniques in a cinematic way.

Directing is much more psychological-it's a lot like being a general. And you have to be organized. While you're making a film, you have between two and 500 people asking you a billion questions.

Some people become dullards, but as children we are all creative. It's in the programming, the socialization, that we lose our sense of play.

I love directing Shakespeare on film. It's fantastic that the actors would do exactly the same thing and be true to their part.

In America, the word art has become like the word adultery. It's this big scarlet letter. When you say you're an artist, people are like, "Ugh."

I saw bubbling lava, and at the same moment I saw a reflection of a certain kind of inner turmoil. Because at the moment I looked into that crater, I slipped, and a large piece of volcanic rock took a hole out of my leg. The scar is still there 20, 30 years later. But it's one of those things that reminds you of the kind of risk or the kind of moment in order to push yourself.