Rajiv Menon Quotes

People talk about making art films - experimental films. I can make an art film every day of the week. Nothing to it. What's difficult is to combine a commercial film with art.

There's no point in making films unless you intend to show us something special, otherwise just go out and watch a play.

Of course I know what works for me and what kind of tone I want my films to have.

I just try to direct in a way that interests me. And, hopefully, other people will find it compelling.

My responsibility is to make a film and find my dramatic language; I don't have any political or social responsibility.

Filmmaking, like any other art, is a very profound means of human communication; beyond the professional pleasure of succeeding or the pain of failing, you do want your film to be seen, to communicate itself to other people.

Cinema is a territory. It exists outside of movies. It's a place I live in. It's a way of seeing things, of experiencing life. But making films, that's supposed to be a profession.

I want to make movies that I want to see, and what I miss and I'm not seeing.

You always want to come back with an image that's interesting visually, and you hope to get something from the person you photograph that's different than other images you know of these people.

I found it very difficult to explain to someone why you did a film. It's not like having a conversation.

For so many filmmakers, cinema is a means to an end.

Agnes Varda changed my view of cinema; she directs from an artistic point of view, and a film is most of all the expression of an artistic director. I learnt to enter the world and the imagination of a director.

For me, what is most important is the element of surprise. If I can surprise you with every film of mine, that is exactly what I am trying to do.

I don't approach films purely in context of genre.

'Rocket Science' is really where I fell in love with filmmaking, I think 'Camp' was incredible, but it was so bizarre, and I was trying to find my footing in this world where you don't have an audience for immediate validation.

A movie is made for an audience and a film is made for both the audience and the film-makers.

As a media artist and filmmaker, I'm constantly considering the role of situational context when creating my work.

I'm very attracted to directors who want to experiment. The thing that attracts me the most are people who are trying find a language that is correct for their film, for that specific film.

Cinema is not about format, and it's not about venue. Cinema is an approach. Cinema is a state of mind on the part of the filmmaker. I've seen commercials that have cinema in them, and I've seen Oscar-winning movies that don't. I'm fine with this.

If you have something to say, a movie is a really great medium to say it. It doesn't matter what the message is.

I don't want to do a history lesson. I don't think cinema should be about that. Cinema should be about emotions.

I'm not a big fan of shooting something that looks like it could belong in any movie. I'm not a fan of, okay, 'wide shot, wide shot, medium shot, close-up, close-up - we'll figure it out in post.' I hate that.

I want to create films that will speak to different parts of our hearts and brains, stories told from a different angle.

The whole purpose of filmmaking is to entertain the viewers and when it happens, it gives you a high.

I have a particular taste, I do films according to it and promote it accordingly.