Paul Schrader Quotes

Taking nuances from real life will help you make scenes that have never been done before. It keeps the story interesting.

I like something with a really great storyline, characters, and concept. I like doing things that are new and cutting edge.

I want each season to feel new and special. I don't want it to feel, "Oh, more of this." That's something that's easy to do in the first three seasons, and harder to do as you go. I'd rather err on the side of blowing up everything and being like, "Why did you do that? There was more story to tell there," and moving the family to Mexico like on Weeds, instead of people going, "Oh, we've seen this already. We're tired of this."

A new acquaintance is like a new book. I prefer it, even if bad, to a classic.

All the movies I've made are essentially character-driven movies about people that I'm interested in.

I always make sure that every film of mine has some element of freshness to it.

I don't start a film with the heroine but with the cinema subject. If there is a woman in the story, she has to be of a particular type. It's not as if I start with Madhuri Dixit and then think what kind of film.

Most of my films have been very character driven.

I was the last guy I imagined anyone would ever associate with 'Daredevil,' but once I gave the character some thought, much like with the 'Fantastic Four,' I found my hooks and, I think, some angles on the series that have never been explored.

I really don't want to make the same film twice, so I am conscious of going after material that is significantly different to anything I've done before.

When I thought of writing for Rajini sir, I told myself it will be a really cool character with a very happy-go-lucky attitude. We took such a character and placed him in a strong story, and I believe, as a combination, it has worked wonders.

There has to be some newness in the story or, at least, some aspect of the movie. I get bored if the story is told in the same way all the time. I get bored easily.

Thankfully, as much as Hollywood is interested in brands, I think people are still looking for originality and freshness.

The element of surprise is the most important thing and what keeps me interested in writing. I can feel it if I've written that predictable or boring line, and I will carry that around with me all day.

My first narrative films developed out of a documentary process - finding someone who was willing to be filmed, watching, listening, taking copious notes and many hours of video footage.

I have been in advertising and I know my craft well, but ultimately in cinema every scene has to matter, and that has to do with the writing.

Normally my films have a single thread of an emotion, an insight or one single belief, and then I turn the entire story and build it around that.

When we first started to write our first movie, 'You Are Going To Prison,' we wanted it to be crazy and unique, brand new, our voice, not like anything that'd ever been before. It took us about a year to write our first script.

There are so many factors that one needs to keep in mind while composing for a film. Every movie is different and demands a separate approach. Originality also plays an important role.

I suppose each project is a new thing, so there's all this excitement and nerves about this new thing. Every single thing is like a new thing, so it's never what I expect. I don't know what to expect for the next thing. There are always different people. It's interesting.

When you start a script you aim to hit a note you know you want to end in general.

I always want to try to bring something fresh to every book. It's getting harder instead of easier. I feel like I work harder with each book. But I don't want it to show on the pages, that's for sure.

Every character I've had in my act - none of them have a similar creation story. I actually thought up Peanut and designed him in my head. I described him to a woman that was making soft puppets and she drew up some sketches. And the character came to be just because he popped into my head.

I find it inspiring and I always think when I'm working on something new, whether it's a new kind of character or a new kind of story or new kind of camera, it gets my creative wheels spinning.

I think that usually I'm just drawn to something that's different from something that I've done previously. Whatever makes me feel something. Whatever makes me excited and connected to it.