Bob Altman had this relaxed but serious attitude. Everybody loved him. I wanted him to adopt me.

I've certainly worked with really great directors who haven't acted.

In the beginning, it wasn't even a question of deciding I'm going to do independent film and not commercial films - I wasn't being offered any commercial films, and there wasn't an independent scene.

Communication is the key, and it's one thing I had to learn-to talk to the actors. I was so involved with the visual and technical aspects that I would forget about the actors.

I had a magic kit. I never really followed through on it, but I had my phase of wanting to do it, sure.

Usually, I only get to work a few weeks on a movie, or I often don't make it to the end of the movie because I'm disposed of.

It's always fun to get to do independent film because I believe that that's the life blood of film. It's about writers and directors who truly have their own vision, and that's hard.