As a television actor, I was held to a tight, rigid structure.
I can recognize a good actor. I can recognize someone that can convey emotion and that has the essence and not get lost in the minutia of, 'Well, that person's got red hair, and so does the other.' Some of the decisions in casting that seem so important at the time, until you get on set and you're starting to shoot.
Where having been an actor was extremely helpful to me was in casting. That's where I think a director who has acted can really shine, and casting is the most important thing you do.
I think 'In The Heat Of The Night' was one of the most influential films on me. Looking back now, I can see how influential it was on my screenwriting because here you have what looks to be a crime procedural, and it's actually a study in race and loneliness, and a perception of an era.
Sugarcoating doesn't do anybody any good.
Until you've been to Cannes, it's hard to describe to someone the magnitude of that festival.
One of the major issues that's constantly batted around Hollywood and the media is my industry's responsibility toward the portrayal of violence. There's the irony of the films that glorify it and the individuals taking positions against it. It's a very confusing, confounding place.
We can't assign beliefs to people who don't have a voice to express them. And we can't assume what someone thinks.
As a filmmaker, you have to stand in front of what you did and make choices that you could do with a clear conscience.