One of the biggest turnoffs is being presented with an idea that's already, to a degree, complete. That's not an adventure, and it's not a learning experience. It's more of a chore. Then you become a technician with taste, as opposed to an explorer and an author.

I know what it's like to be genuinely intrigued and compelled by a story and to have a sense that there's an adventure to be had and a film to be conjured.

I do have that compulsion to organize moments into a larger thing.

People without fathers tend to have two predominant characteristics. They tend to believe anything is possible. At the same time there's an anxiety and an unending insecurity. It's a very American thing because back in the past, we lost our fathers or father. The king.

The first thing successful people do is view failure as a positive signal to success.

I'm astonished by my success. I wrote because I needed to and wanted to. It never occurred to me that I'd become famous.

I have had some problems because the French don't like people to have success, they don't like the number one.

It's not just about achieving success; the journey is equally important for me.