I just started to write because I was fed up of not seeing the stories that I wanted, so I was like “Stop moaning and write something.”

People can criticise me all day long. It just washes off me. You might as well be talking to a wall.

After Kidulthood, I was called in to a meeting and told that I didn't write women very well. I was very annoyed.

I'm just who I am. I don't try to change myself for other people.

I think now you see a lot more British films from the perspective of, I guess what would be considered "new" British people - people of color, Asian people. I think that's what's happening now, whereas 20 years ago it couldn't happen because it was still predominantly, "British film is about middle-class white families and what they do."

When people say to me: "Oh don't worry, if one door closes another one opens..." If one door closes for me, go through the window - I'm not interested in waiting around for people to give me opportunities. I try and make things happen and if I am given opportunities I take them and work harder.

I allowed the actors to have freedom and sometimes change words if they needed to or thought that another word was more current.