I think growing up in South Africa, and then moving to Canada, I'm just genuinely interested in the difference between the First World and the Third World, immigration, and how the new, globalized world is beginning to operate. All of those things run through my mind a lot.

I have zero strategy for my career - like, zero. I could get as much satisfaction about doing a $20,000 shot film the same way I could do a $100 million film with a bunch of effects.

I think that people who make films and think they're changing the world are sorely mistaken. If that really is your goal, there are far better ways to do it. I'm making politically observant films for audiences.

There's no question that how Johannesburg operates is what made me interested in the idea of wealth discrepancy. 'Elysium' could be a metaphor for just Jo'burg, but it's also a metaphor for the Third World and the First World. And in science fiction, separation of wealth is a really interesting idea to mess with.

Don't try and be like someone else. There is already a Michael Jackson, a Janet Jackson, a Beyonce. You be you. And take advantage of the social media platform you have to share. That wasn't around when I started out.

Positive energy knows no boundaries. If everyone were to spread positive energy on the Internet, the world would be a much better place.

What the Internet has done is it has decentralised power.

I'm not actually terrified of technology. Though I'm certainly not an early adopter, either.