Gus Van Sant Quotes

I have a notebook, and I know what decisions will be made in pre-production. Everything is pre-determined in the pre-production period. I visually design the whole thing, and I know when things will happen.

The projects I look for to produce or direct would not be ones in which I would want to act.

Look, I've done some low-budget movies and I've done some big-budget movies, and the big-budget movies were always kind of disorganized.

I do not need a producer. I need only a good production manager. I need only a man who will give me money.

Even as an actor, much before I turned director or producer, I was somebody who was very involved with every film I was doing. I would pretty much be a part of a project from the time they toss the ball to the marketing. It's very simple.

I am very filmmaker oriented, as a producer. I think the most important thing is that you have to really choose the players carefully.

I'm focusing on my efforts behind the camera. I'm doing some producing and directing so that I can make projects for all of the amazing, talented actors and crew that I know.

I actually wanted to be a producer because I like to run things.

When you're the showrunner, you're the person that's in control of most of the details, and to be able to take all that and then to step right behind the camera and to have a direct line of communication with the crew and with the actors - to not be delivering that through another person - is pretty freeing and extremely stimulating.

I think the larger productions in India are very methodical and pretty much on the ball in terms of work. When I say work, I mean pre-production and the homework that's required.

I am an actress, not a producer; I can't decide release dates.

I make it happen. Who bought Alex Haley's book 'Roots' for TV? Me. I hired the director, hired the writer. I put them all together. I'm like the chef. If I mix all the ingredients right, it's going to taste terrific. If I don't, it's not going to come out good.

Filmmaking is all about people management.

When 'The Lighthouse,' bizarrely, became the film that people wanted to greenlight, it was really clear that those were the only two people to play the roles. And I knew that they would want to do it.

I've told my agent to push the idea of me as a director for hire off the table. Otherwise, we're wasting people's time.

It is easier to produce a film on your own than convincing another person to come on board.

I want to be an executive producer.

I wanted to try directing.

I'm writing, I'm directing, I'm editing, I'm mixing, I'm showrunning. There is a certain point where it's like, the work is the work.

When you are writing and directing and producing, there is a lot of stuff to do. I like to finish one; then while I am editing, I will think of the next one.

As an actor, I can only do my job well, but in a movie there are a lot of other things that matter too - like how it is edited and promoted and the works. Those are not in my hand.

I do a film only when I feel I will be comfortable with the set-up and other members of the team.

I had actually sent an audition tape for Simon Pegg's movie 'Hot Fuzz,' which came to nothing. Four years after the film released, out of nowhere, I got a call saying the producers of 'Game of Thrones' wanted me to play Hodor after they had seen that particular tape.

Ultimately, I want to direct a movie, so that's another thing, too, where I wonder what that will look like and how will I be able to manage.

I would love to turn producer someday but the time has to be right.