There are a lot of layers in the film [Dream of Life]. And during editing we would try to tame all the layers, try to make things a little bit more understood. We would move scenes around. We'd try all these things.

I quickly realized that Patti [Smith] was somebody very special.

[Some] times I'd have sound but no image. When Patti [Smith] was singing with her guitar, or doing something amazing with her clarinet, I'd just mess around and record the sound. So we'd use those sounds as another layer in the film [Dream of Life].

Patti [Smith] was my experiment, to be honest. And the film is what we got out of it. At the end of the day, I learned a lot about how to make a film.

Many of my family members are teachers in the arts, and I picked up the camera years ago, in high school.

I just wanted to be Patti's [Smith] messenger and get her word out there.

Fashion's been really good to me. It financed Patti Smith: Dream of Life.