The whole point is you're telling a story to an audience. So when there's no audience, it's like cinematic masturbation.

Obviously not a Stephen King level writer, but I'd written short stories and short fiction, from the time I was 12.

The filmmakers are very much in their own kind of bubble. It was kind of a revelation to me and I realized why so many of the great filmmakers are one of a kind people. You know, they have a vision. They may be influenced by other filmmakers, but they don't work with them on anything.

The best actors in the world are the actors who don't keep the walls up all the time and allow themselves the potential to be embarrassed.

My first teacher was Steven Spielberg. I worked on Amazing Stories. That was my first job, as a writer and as a story editor. Watching him and his command of the tools of filmmaking, and his admiration for writing and the story itself, was the greatest lesson I ever had.

The whole point is you're telling a story to an audience. So when there's no audience, it's like cinematic masturbation.

For me, it's important that a movie is the congregate of all art forms, from writing to art composition to music to performing. Trying to keep a balance of all those is what I think a director's job is.