Quotes About Filmmaking

It takes great skill to tell a compelling story in under 60 seconds. These five directors have mastered the format, using their talent, craft and imagination to provide us with some of the most innovative filmmaking out there today.

As a filmmaker, I really want to utilize the tools to carry the voice - my voice, and the voice of the characters.

My favorite part of the whole filmmaking process is working with a fantastic cinematographer, a fantastic actor or actors, and then just creating emotions and stories. I get so excited by that. That's the part I'm utterly addicted to.

I think some people have a vague idea, but the general public has no clue what the actual behind-the-scenes of filmmaking is and what this profession is.

My sense is that you can make a film under almost any circumstances. As long as someone has a vague idea of what he's doing, something distinctive will emerge. That, to me, is what film making is all about.

I shot 'Blue Valentine' on 16mm for the past, and for the present on the Red Camera. I feel that both formats are valid. The stories should dictate the format we shoot on. Filmmakers should have a choice.

'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.

I feel like all my films have my politics. As a film-maker, whatever story you're telling, your value system comes out.

I look at other filmmakers and see skills in them that I wish I had but I know that I don't. I feel like I have to work really hard to keep myself afloat, doing what I do. But I find it pleasurable.

I get that same queasy, nervous, thrilling feeling every time I go to work. That's never worn off since I was 12 years-old with my dad's 8-millimeter movie camera.

I feel like, as a filmmaker, I'm at my strongest when I write the script and when it comes from me, out of whole cloth. My best work has always been self-generated.

Everyone is so addicted to their damn phone. It's sad to see the filmmaker's work diminished down to a computer screen.

As a filmmaker, you are going to manipulate the character as you need to make the scenes work.

I'd love to work with David Lynch. I'm such a big fan. He's a genius.

In my films that I've directed, and my work in commercials and videos, I've rarely used handheld. It's just not something I'm drawn to, but I've seen it done very well.

I like to do the camera work myself because I kind of feel it, you know, I don't articulate it, I feel it. It's the same with editing.

It was nice to be reminded of how much hard work goes into movies, and how as a director, it's your job to acknowledge and channel that hard work. She's amazing at that.

Shooting a movie is the worst milieu for creative work ever devised by man.

The work of the director is the work of constructing the shot list from the script.

I have always tried to work with first-time actors since my first movie. I always like to do movies with debutants.

I really want to meet and work with JJ Abrams. Everyone talks about what a nice director he is, and he has kids and stuff, so he sounds really awesome, not to mention he makes awesome movies.

I would love to work with Guillermo del Toro and J.J. Abrams. I think they are creative geniuses that are constantly producing great work, and they're two people that I would just love to work with.

I can kid people, including myself, into believing that something on the page will work. But when you film it, you just think, "Oh ...".

I've become friends with Michael Mann and Oliver Stone; I've seen those guys work and that was great to see.