I always need a couple of highlights to really spark the passion for a project.

I love involving actors at all levels - and they have to know that I want to hear their contributions, with dialogue, with story suggestions, with script changes, whatever.

I love mixing amateurs and professionals.

My father would tell anyone who would listen that this dentist thing he was doing was not his passion; cinematography was.

A film that is bleached tends to have a more realistic quality.

It was important on The Shipping News to have my house far enough away from each location so I had this time in the morning to think about my shots and still remain open to surprises once I got to the set.

I was always attracted by the European way of life, but I am deeply Swedish.