Danielle Harris Quotes

I believe in giving actors the freedom to express themselves, and adding more to whatever is written.

When I did my first film, I didn't have formal training; I didn't work under any director. I really didn't know how to make a film.

I am blessed that I have worked with great filmmakers and, in that process, I have learned a lot. Be it Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ali Abbas Zafar, Ashim Ahluwalia or Nagesh Kukunoor, they have all taught me something new.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who has produced my earlier films, is still a part of 'PK' and is presenting it. He is not a hands-on producer - he used to put a certain amount in the bank and give me the cheque book.

In Punjabi film industry I am given full freedom to change the lines according to the situation. Directors believe in my gut instinct.

There are so many directors who don't like any kind of interaction on set except for producers. I am the opposite.

I gladly, I voluntarily gave up the kind of commercial film career I had going as soon as I had enough money to finance my own films. I didn't make that money necessarily from the film business, but I eventually made a lot of money and that's what I do. Of course, I consider myself unbelievably fortunate, and I'm pretty content with my life.

As the filmmaker, yes, I have to look out for everybody. But I don't have to know everybody's approach.

If everyone's comfortable, you can pretty much make any kind of movie that the director wants.

My work is trying to at least define myself on my own terms, and then if other people enjoy things that's a lovely addition.

From making documentaries all these years, it doesn't feel right to lead someone. In narratives, I'm always trying to shoot as though it's really happening, and I trust my actors are going to make decisions that I'm going to be following. I want to follow them. It feels dishonest to be pulling back in that opening shot and leading him to his destiny.

I'm really glad to have made a movie that way on Superbad, because I learned a lot about what can be done and what the limitations are.

I'm trying to escape by forming my own kind of world. Basically, I'm trying to encourage others to do the same.

We had shot six episodes of the West Wing season when 9/11 happened. An extraordinary thing that would never happen today is Aaron going to the network and saying, "I think we need to go back and reshoot, I have something I want to do," and the network just kind of let him do it.

In the novel, I can change things and simplify, and make events work towards whatever meanings I'm trying to get at more efficiently.

I'm still trying to learn how to do it, I'm still trying to figure out how to make films, but, yeah, it started then [in 1979].

I enjoy doing independent films more, only because there's more freedom. There's not as many cooks tampering with what you are trying to do.

I think the first film you do with your instincts because you haven't learned with another director or you haven't worked on other films, so you tend to do things your own way. I think what I learned the most was to take your time, to try to be less rushed into things and have some distance with what you're doing.

Any changes that I made to my line, I asked if I could make them, which I do in every movie. So far everybody's been gracious enough to say yes. The only improvising I do is in the movies I do with Chris Guest, which is what we do.

When I write a project, it might be something that I want to do and then when I look at it, I'm actually like, "I kind of don't want to direct it." I don't know why, I still love it enough for it to be made and to support it, but I don't want to direct it. I just give it to other directors and they do a good job!

As soon as you start making a film that's expensive then the studio wants total control over all elements of it because they want to get all their money back. If you make a smaller film you can try a lot more things because you can have control over it and not just be a hired director. The lower the budget the more freedom you have.

Try to produce your own films, avoid directing for hire.

Your freedom as a writer is not freedom of expression in the sense of wild blurting; you may not let rip. It is life at its most free, if you are fortunate enough to be able to try it, because you select your materials, invent your task, and pace yourself.

As we speak, that is what we are doing. Projects that come to you are not written for you. We have to take a lesson from Will Smith, who develops projects he can shine in. We're trying to develop things from the ground up.

I thought one way to try to hold on to the power was to write the script myself. That way, I could say to filmmakers, "I'm not asking you to hire me unseen. I'm just saying, 'Here's my script. Can we work together?'" So that worked out well.