That's the other thing about working on movies, the commitment is years. That's one thing that's so frustrating about the process is that it goes on and on and on for years.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think it's about following your instincts and doing a film for the right reason.
Making a movie takes a toll on your life because it's a commitment, so you put a lot on the back burner.
The big thing for actors is the level of commitment.
People with film careers get a whole onslaught of people they spend 12 hours a day with every three months. It's like speed dating. You've got a fast-track to social intimacy with a whole bunch of people.
The problem with movies is you are over-rewarded for the work you do. It's hard to give up, and I got used to a certain lifestyle.
Well, I just think through your career you go through different phases, and I just got sort of uninspired by the whole studio process of making and releasing films.
I made a commitment to myself; that I wanted to be an actress, and I wanted to do films that make a difference. It has to move people.
If you really spend time with movies, it's three years of your life from beginning to end. I started out planting the seed with 'Monster's Ball' about independent cinema and raising money and that whole thing as a producer, and then it becomes easier for me.
I think when you're a director, it's hard to do something unless you're absolutely over-the-moon in love with it. The audience, they spend 90 minutes with it, but for you, it's anywhere between a year and a half to three years of your life, every day, working on it.
It's weird: making a movie is like life compacted into three months. You have these very intense relationships with people, and you talk to them every day - your editor, the casting people, music people, your actors - then it ends. It's like a circus life.