Sam Levinson Quotes

What I learned from the Beastie Boys was to be independent. They set up their own world separate from the label. They built their own studio.

As a producer you have creative control, and that's what is so exciting about it. At the end of the day, if you have made a film it's totally your responsibility, and if it works it's your responsibility and if it doesn't it's also your responsibility.

It's a huge responsibility being a solo act.

I'm wearing three hats; I'm acting, producing, and directing. I was very involved in developing the script, too. But to me, that is very liberating. To me, the lower the budget, the more I want to be involved. I want to be more in control of my own destiny when there isn't much money involved, because you don't have the experts who can control your destiny.

You can take your life into your own hands in terms of directing. There are ways for you to finance yourself and to write and make a film.

'Easy Rider' and 'The Last Movie' were the only films that I made totally on my own.

No one pretty much tells me what kind of horror films to make.

I've been wanting to produce for some time because I want to have more creative control over the things that I do and not be victim to the whims of other people's desires.

I didn't want to just be an artist and let someone else have all that control over me. I knew I would have to produce.

We were the leaders of a company at the age of 15 with lawyers, tax advisers and managers around us, all on our payroll. A huge chunk of responsibility rested on our shoulders, which at the same time was a good thing since we hate superiors.

It is extremely empowering when you are making fundamental and critical decisions on different levels of production, till the final showcase on the screen.

I can be a little messy and wild and carefree with my creativity as a solo artist. In a group, there's a certain structure, and everyone has a part to play, and being a solo artist, I can do as I please.

When I was doing something on someone else's dime, I was inclined to try to anticipate what they wanted. I knew that wasn't what an artist was supposed to do. In funding my own music, I found my voice.

I still want to do features, but on my own terms.

We have full creative control, we have a giant audience that loves what we do, and we can make whatever we want.

Grimes is the extreme version of doing everything yourself. I think this is impressive, because she is fiddling with things I couldn't fiddle with, all the technical stuff. I know what I want to do, but I wouldn't do it all my own, I would go crazy. This is insanely hard, to do an album by yourself. But I admire her for that.

I think I prefer writing books because the work of art begins and ends with you - it's easier to know if you're doing it right, as opposed to writing a play and then waiting around for somebody else to complete it.

I'm always trying to do every part myself, you know what I mean? I'm trying to sing, rap, whatever. I'm trying to do it all.

So, as I step out and take these first steps on this journey to do my own thing, I didn't want to have to get anybody's approval on anything. I didn't want to have to ask a record label 'Is this okay for the album cover? What time do you think I should go on tour this year?'

Definitely, doing my solo stuff, it's fun in a different way. I get a lot more say. However, there's a lot more work to do because I have to make everything happen.

I took it as my personal responsibility to be able to juggle. I didn't want anybody to help me and I didn't expect my office to make it easy for me.

Yes, I worked hard to put together an experimental show on a budget of zero. But I was not being exploited by anyone. I was in charge.

I can make my own decisions, I can do the music I like. If I fail, it's me failing - you know.

I've always wanted to keep my own personal creative space, and do everything myself.

I am happy writing and being a producer not a director.