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.

We have often been attracted to the story of the other, the outcast. And he and I just loved working together, so it just kept happening, and our relationship is completely bound up with our work. We enjoy each other's art.

We're really having a problem right now in our culture. I haven't seen one movie lately in which the story and visuals have been equally good.

When I was growing up, there were a lot more arts in the public schools. Politically, America has screwed up on that.

What I don't know for sure is what's next for me - and I don't mind that. I know for sure that whatever happens will be interesting and will challenge and excite me.

That's my policy - to be positive, to just hope that something will happen. If you start with all your fears, your receptivity is for the negative.

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."