James Gunn Quotes

The minute you succumb to outside pressure, you cease to be creative.

I don't want to get myself in trouble - and I don't think I'm super important or anything - but I think it's so funny that when you look at the business and the way that people make decisions in their lives, whether they're in art or music or they're in industry, they forget that being unique is the answer.

I think it's so important as an actor that you hang on to your own inner compass, because so many people want to guide you - 'This is what you should you be doing'. But I want to do different things.

When you're an artist, all you're trying to do is self-express.

It does not matter how badly you paint so long as you don't paint badly like other people.

I don't want ever to be guilty of what my critics claim: doing formula without original elements.

No age is compelled to take its beauty from preceding epochs.

Just trying to be different - when I hear something - I don't like to go trampling on other people's sounds.

I'm constantly trying to be as original as I can.

The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.

I love when people have their own creative vision, when a person stands out and tries different things.

To me, what makes an artist is a unique personality that they're not afraid to let show.

I don't want to be the cliche American Idol dude. I want to be different, you know - that's the whole goal, me and music. It's about being yourself and being unique.

Discover your own style. Don't try to repeat what has already been written - have the courage to do your own thing and don't be afraid to do something different.

I never tried to sing like anybody else, fortunately I didn't sound like anybody else. It just happened.

I think that, as artists, all we can do is be who we are. I think that if we do that, then we're automatically not anyone else.

My early experiences in animation taught me that following someone else is not a great idea.

I like to create something that's unique and kind of true to myself and authentic and everything. I don't really like to mirror myself after different artists.

The message is risk, really risk. Be yourself. Create.

All artists are equal when they are themselves.

You can filter certain stuff - it depends what artist you are - but you're never going to be true to yourself if you're worried about what other people think.

When I can make music and don't have to think about anyone else's ideas or voice - when I'm making something that only I can make - it feels good. It's nice when you can find a sound that only you can make. No one else can make 'Cosmogramma.' No one else can make 'Until the Quiet Comes.'

We don't follow trends; I don't think we even set trends. We just do our own thing. We just do what we love. That's why Arch Enemy sounds like that.

I wasn't trying to sound like anybody else. Basically, I was just experimenting all over the place.

Find your own style, whatever it is. Whatever is inside you, bring that out. I think that's when you have something unique.