Ultimately, what audiences respond to is truth. Even as fantastical as the story can be, and out there, at its core, it's dealing with loss, madness and mortality.

What I love is when I'm in the theater with audiences and I hear them laugh. That's such a relief to me. They're going on the ride and they're allowing themselves to enjoy it, even though we're traversing some dark waters.

It takes forever to make a film. It's a gargantuan thing of untold effort.

I think hope is key, in life and in art.

The test for me, when I read other people's scripts, is whether I feel like there's something about me that is the best person to tell this story. I have a pretty high bar for myself. There's a lot of scripts that I read and think, Oh, this is great, but I think there are 50 other directors who could bring this to the cinema.

Casting is very instinctual. I really like to meet people. To me, it's about their essence more than their audition.

Life, to me, is never one color. Even in the saddest moments, you can have a chuckle. And in the happiest moments, you can shed a tear.

The more personal you get, the more universal a story you end up telling.

I think we all have limitations, as directors. I don't care what the budget is, it's probably never enough money and never enough time. You figure it out. Sometimes the limitations bring more creativity.