Amy Heckerling Quotes

I just want to make good films on my own wherever I can.

The greatest success is creating whatever you want without conditions. I don't do commissions unless I really want to, because it's like having a job.

At this stage of my life, I've dedicated myself to playing what I want to play, how I want to play it for the rest of my time. Regardless of whether one might like it or one might not like it, this is where I am.

Other people have worked with big studios and maintained control over their movies. I see no reason why it wouldn't work for me.

Being a filmmaker in the digital platform has given me complete creative control. I can make what I want, when I want. I don't have to wait to book an audition.

I love independent films, it's the only place as an actor you're totally allowed to breathe.

We've turned down multi million dollar films, simply because we liked the film better. We have the luxury to do so - we have projects that make the money, and others that we do for love.

With stand-up, I can have an idea, go down the street to a comedy club and work on it, flesh it out, book a venue, people will come, then film it. I do all that myself; I never have to answer to anybody.

The only place where any artist feels liberated is doing independent music. I have had great experience making music for The Dewarists and Coke Studio. No actor, producer or label is telling me what to do with my music. I'm the boss. It is my life, my expression.

When you're on a lower-budget film, with one guy who maybe has a camera strapped to him, you're a much bigger part of that pie. You can be a sliver in a big Hollywood movie, but you can be a quarter of that indie movie pie. And I feel like, first of all, there is a real freedom that you feel from that, because it's like, you know what, if this is terrible, nobody's gonna ever see it, so I can be more brave.

I try to just make what I want to make or what I would want to see. I try not to think about the audience too much.

I'll put it this way: with the kind of films that I do - creatively driven, with interesting directors and writers - I don't feel the need to work with the super established, top-tier directors that are out there.

As a filmmaker, one tends to want to evolve evermore towards a place of independence.

What I will say - one thing that is attractive about getting a real film made within the studio system is that studio systems, with their marketing and distribution, have real power.

No, there is no 'need' for me to do a social cinema.

It really was total heaven to be a writer. As a model or actor you are employed on someone's whim. As a writer, you are in control.

When you're a writer, your song has to resonate with the person you're writing for in order for them to want to sing it. But if you're an artist, you can sing whatever you want.

I think, in general, independents don't have a lot of access to really good scriptwriters or actors or actresses, so they're very limited in what they can do.

I've avoided situations where I wouldn't have creative freedom.

I want everything that I've worked for to go into my pocket. I want all my money to come to me. I'm very much hands-on with my career, and I like to do what I want in the studio - I don't like being told, 'do it this way' or 'do it that way.'

We have to make some movies we have passion for, respect for.

I could never work in that kind of commercial environment where the stars have a lot to say, where the producers kind of push you around and tell you who to cast and who not to cast. I'm just not interested in that at all.

Let film-makers take a call about what films they want to do.

I always, as a firm rule, make my movies based on how inexpensively I can make them because that means the more freedom I'm going to have.

I always say that I'm a filmmaker, not a factory. I don't have to churn out films every six months.