Because I’m not very good at answering these things, here is a film-related quote for every question, from some of my favorite directors .
- Was there a particular event or time that you recognized that filmmaking is your way of telling stories?
“Filmmaking is just a very luxurious and efficient way of expressing yourself” – Gaspar Noe
- Do you think it is essential to go to a film institute in order to become a successful filmmaker?
“When people ask me if I went to film school I tell them, ‘no, I went to films’” – Quentin Tarantino
- Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?
‘I would travel down to hell and wrestle a film away from the devil if necessary’ – Werner Herzog
- What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive effect on your film? How did that lesson happen?
“If you compromise what you’re trying to do a little bit, you’ll end up compromising a little more the next day or the next week, and when you lift your head you’re suddenly really far away from where you’re trying to go.” – Spike Jonze
- What were the production realities from casting through editing that you had to accommodate? How did you navigate those compromises or surprises and still end up with a cohesive film?
“The saddest journey in the world is the one that follows a precise itinerary. Then you’re not a traveler, you’re a f#!%@#g tourist.” – Guillermo del Toro
- What was the hardest artistic choice you made in the making of a film, at any stage in production?
“A director must be a policeman, a midwife, a psychoanalyst, a sycophant, and a bastard.” – Billy Wilder
- You are a collaborator. How have you discovered members of your team and how do you keep the relationship with them strong?
“I think, at the end of the day, filmmaking is a team sport, but eventually there’s got to be a captain” – Ridley Scott
- What do audiences want? And is it the filmmaker’s role to worry about that?
“I don’t try to guess what a million people will like. It’s hard enough to know what I like.” – John Huston
- What role have film festivals played in your life so far? Why are they necessary? How do you get the most out of them?
Actual answer for this one: for emerging filmmakers festivals are like gold. Audiences aren’t built in, so it’s a privilege to have an opportunity for a wider audience. Engage with the community!
- Do you believe that a filmmaker should be original and fresh or he/she should stick to classic but safe cinema style?
“I steal from every movie ever made” – Quentin Tarantino, again.
