When James Cameron brought me the script, which I developed with both Cameron and Jay Cocks, I wanted to make it a thriller, an action film, but with a conscience, and I found that it had elements of social realism.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I came to Hollywood and felt myself an outsider, and I was sent all these action thrillers and superhero scripts.
No other aspect of filmmaking has tempted me to do a film other than the script and the story itself.
I always felt there was a kind of humanistic impulse in my thinking about film as well as a real interest in its formal and aesthetic properties - just this idea that it can bring you into a very intimate encounter with people.
I almost always do things that I like, in some form or fashion. Every once in awhile that means that I don't think the script is any good and I don't have any trust in the people, but the film is shooting in Sri Lanka, or somewhere like that, so I'm going.
Since I was 12 or 13, I have been taking movie meetings finding a project right for me because I wanted to try it. Craig gave us the script - it was set in Wales, it is really British humour. I just loved it.
I wanted to make a film that was sophisticated and emotional, but for a wider audience.
I wanted to do a film for a while, but I never found a script that I felt I was going to be the right person for; because if you've never made a film, you're not taught how to make a film, and you feel like you lack skills.
I've done a lot of movies based on real people, real situations, non-fiction books, magazine articles, life rights.
I did some writing and bought a book, and have been working on that as a film to act and direct in.
I think I have been stereotyped as an action director in Hollywood, so all I got were the action scripts.