I think that until a filmmaker knows that about him- or herself, the films they make will just be copies of other people's work. It's important for anyone who wants to make films for a living, but I think perhaps it has an even greater weight for female filmmakers since they represent a much smaller percentage of the population. Their voices are fewer so they must be even stronger.

It's difficult to make a movie about a complicated, non-traditional female character. We see a lot more movies with male characters who are at that point in their lives, but not that many about females.

We are living at a time where there are so many films available to watch through so many formats all the time. It's hard for any film to stand out in that din.

My advice to any filmmaker would be to figure out what it is that you bring to the table. What makes you different? What is your voice?

I never heard the expression, "A strong man," unless somebody was in the gym lifting a heavy barbell. Why is there a difference between being an ambitious, driven woman or passionate woman and a passionate man? That is something that has come up a lot.

All any filmmaker can do is focus on creating something that has depth and resonance, and then do whatever possible to get it seen by audiences and hope the word spreads.

If you don't have a dream as an artist, you shouldn't be an artist, because you should be working towards something and trying to reach that always, whatever that is.