Ego problems are endemic in every walk of life, but in the movie business egomaniacs are megalomaniacs.

Like the tectonic plate it sits upon, Hollywood is subject to seismic jolts and constant tremors. Each season erupts with a new champion, and every so often a genuine earthquake will tear down the apparently secure infrastructure.

Always remember the famous adage about the movie business: You can't make a living, you can only get rich.

What turns a work crisis into a life crisis is the infusion of dread.

Breakthroughs, in art, in culture, in personality, come when tackling the unexpected.

The key to moving a maybe to a yes is to make the buyer feel as though other buyers have already said yes. ... It helps if it's true, but it never is. No one wants to be the first yes. Why is this? I don't know, but I think it's anthropological.

My goal has been to learn how to get movies made without losing sight of the reasons I began. I have had to learn to recognize the insidious nature of the beast without becoming one.