What I love about writing is the contradictions we all embody as human beings.

We never did just one take. Multiple takes. Many. I did a bunch. Sometimes I do one take. Sometimes I did 20.

Usually the characters are where I start. Then I continually ask myself, 'What's the worst thing that could happen to this character?'

You don't do pictures because the audience is ready for them. You do them because there's something gnawing at you, something inside.

If you make a film and then two and a half, three years later, suddenly the country's changed and you look like you just happened to hit it. I actually like being contrarian. I would have preferred to come out three years ago when everyone was disagreeing with me. But hopefully it asks a lot of questions about our responsibility in sending young men and women to war, especially a war that's so complex, where there's no right answer, where they're forced with impossible decisions every day.

I like to really respect the audience and let them come through on answers.

I just always try to find an interesting story and tell it well. That's a hard enough thing to do, whether it's a piece of fiction or it's a small piece of reality. I just look for good story.