Being known as a writer did change the relationships I had with directors. The rap on actors is that they always want to inflate their parts. But when directors know you write screenplays and have a different view of things, you really get invited into the huddle in a much fuller way. And those collaborations end in friendships.
For me, always, the big inspiration really comes from talking with my creators, my showrunners and my producers, and seeing what is their vision for their project.
I love the conversation between film and music.
It's ludicrous to think people work for you: 'a film by...' doesn't exist. Directed by, maybe, but it's a film from a collective, a group of people whom you consult and seek your counsel and advice and vice versa, too.
What goes on between the actor and director is sacred.
I love working with people and having them bring something to the table that I couldn't. I think one of my favourite artists to work with has been Kucka. She's Australian, too, and it's great working with her because we kind of have a very similar take on music, and we like a lot of the same stuff. We're not super-precious about ideas.
It's part of the culture at ILM and at Lucasfilm that the work is better when you collaborate, you know. There's this culture of open exchange, a wonderful ego-free sharing of ideas and talent.
There are places where writing is acting and acting is writing. I'm not so interested in the divisions. I'm interested in the way things cross over.
In The Doors we have both musicians and poets, and both know of each other's art, so we can effect a synthesis.
In an ideal world, as a director, you usually wish you could do your own thing and not have to take anyone else's point of view into account, but occasionally you work with someone like Robyn, who brings a new set of ideas to the table, and the whole ends up much greater than the sum of the parts.
I've never been at odds with the world of contemporary artists. If there is any animosity, it's one-sided.
To me, the bones of 'Smokin' Aces' is in the Coen brothers. 'Barton Fink' and 'Raising Arizona.' Those two movies, if you look at them, that's where a lot of that comes from.
I have this very strange relationship with my work, which is that it's like a conversation between me and it.
I like it when an actor is secure enough to ask questions, and the director is secure enough not to be threatened by that.
One of the greatest experiences I ever had was listening to a conversation with Joni Mitchell and Wayne Shorter. Just to hear them talking, my mouth was open. They understand each other perfectly, and they make these leaps and jumps because they don't have to explain anything.
No art goes unmediated by other art.
Film festivals are important, as they often provide an opportunity to look at a film from a fresh perspective.
You get to say, 'Here's my philosophical idea about what the costume should like,' and the costume designer comes and gives you choices and sometimes they're all good, and I say, 'What do you think?' and they pick the right thing.
A film is not a vehicle to accuse, or to relay a specific message. If we reduce a film to this, we lose all hope for cinema to ignite a richer conversation.
All that is good in art is the expression of one soul talking to another, and is precious according to the greatness of the soul that utters it.
I'm not one of those playwrights who says, 'Show up, hit your marks, and don't talk to me!' I always want to hear from the other artists involved, whether it's the director, the lighting tech, or the actors.
Art in progress. MAK has occupied a unique and valuable space as international host for discourse between the arts and architecture.
I try with my pictures to raise a question, to provoke a debate, so that we can discuss problems together and come up with solutions.
Art is essentially communication. It doesn't exist in a vacuum. That's why people make art, so other people can relate to it.
Truth is, generally I like film festivals; somewhere at some level there's an exchange of ideas.
