I'm always excited when I can discover new filmmakers.
I hope that all new filmmakers see that the Internet and social media are helpful tools in establishing a fan base as well as being able to interact with your fans.
As I talk to film students now especially, I say, "The easiest job you'll ever get is to try to make your first film." That's the easy one to get, is the first film because nobody knows whether you can make a film or not.
When 'Tree of Life' went to Cannes, all the interviewers were asking me about my favorite actors and actresses because I was new to the industry, and they wanted to get to know me.
We can't make movies without scripts, and there's no cost to writing a script, so my advice to newcomers is do it yourself: Write your own script, shoot your shorts, edit your shorts.
I feel like I'm still learning a lot. I think there's a tendency for people who are just doing their first couple of films that I see now where they seem to be really resentful of the technical limitations that come along with filmmaking.
Showtime has given new, young filmmakers - black, white, across the board - an opportunity to make films, as well as actors who want to cross over into directing.
[Sundance is] giving people a chance - many first-time filmmakers. It carries that weight - if you bring something here, people connect with it and it can launch a career.
I think it's like the '60s - we're going to see another revolution in film where these new filmmakers stand up and take ownership of what film is and mould it into what they want.
There will be new and exciting filmmakers to come and movies that will be great successes.
The energy of first-time directors is tremendous. They work beyond the limits for a hit in this competitive industry.
'Beyond the Lights' was my fourth film. I gained a lot of knowledge, and I'm excited to share that with young filmmakers because I know how lost I was coming out of film school with that question of 'What's next?'
The kind of stories I like often comes from debutant directors.
I read certain articles about how all of the new filmmakers are immediately being given massive tentpoles, and there's a lot of original movies that we have now lost as a result of this. I don't want to call it a fad because I think it's a good thing. I think the movies are better as a result.
I selfishly like a lot of first-time directors because they over-prepare, they're super eager, and there's very little ego.
Most filmmakers go out with the first feature and nobody cares.
I love people who just started making movies - first-timers, second-timers. They take chances.
Real to Reel is a rare opportunity for new filmmakers to screen their work for industry insiders.
Well, this is the second time I've done New Directors.
At the risk of saying you should make a self-indulgent film for your first movie: you should make a self-indulgent film for your first movie.
I love indie movies. I think that independent cinema is where it's at and where a lot of trends begin. It's where new filmmakers are breaking through.
Men starting out have so many options of filmmakers to connect with artistically and be shepherded by and collaborate with. I just didn't have an older, more experienced me to help me. So I hope all the women making movies now are aware we have the opportunity to be that to new filmmakers.
When we made 'Shaun of the Dead,' it was our first feature, and we were just lucky to make a film, full stop.
