The good thing about the Anvil school of filmmaking was that it was fly by the seat of your pants. There was no safety net.

I think it's impossible to get any movie made, let alone a character story. Even with big stars, which we had, there were challenges. But we got through it, and we're really happy that we made the movie. It's easier to make giant robot movies, but I'm not in that game.

Whether it's a guy living in an airport like Viktor Navorski in The Terminal, or Anvil in Toronto, or Alfred Hitchcock who's imprisoned by his success; there is a common thread to all these characters. I don't know why I'm particularly drawn to it. It's been pointed out to me, and I don't understand it myself.

I went to film school and studied Alfred Hitchcock. I knew of Alma Reville existence, but had no idea really who she was or how influential she was on him. She stayed in the shadows. Go online, and there are hardly any images or film of her. She really stayed out of the limelight on purpose. She didn't want it, and I think that's one of the reasons that she's really lost in the shadows of Hitchcock's history to a degree.

Being English definitely gave me some insight into these eccentric Brits puttering around Hollywood.

I think everyone who saw Alfred Hitchcock Psycho movie, as I did when I was young, was impacted. The shower scene is nuts. It still is, and I think what's wonderful about it is that it's universal. People understand the darkness and the violence, and it's shocking.

The good thing about the Anvil school of filmmaking was that it was fly by the seat of your pants. There was no safety net.