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Quotes

From Joe Acton during the 2007 film festival circuit Q & A sessions:

Think big. Do it yourself. Don't follow convention.

All technology is transitional – but shooting digital is a good bet for the rest of my life.

The hardest thing about being a writer-director are the story conferences.

Hire good actors, don't ask them to do stupid things, and then stay the hell out of their way.

Directing is like mushing dogs – let them run like hell, but steer them where you want to go.

I don't care who says what – you can't fix everything in post.

I'm beginning to think my wife isn't as smart as I thought she was since she hasn't divorced me, yet.

A good director surprises his audience, not his actors.

Little moments make big movies.

To set up the premise, I think the audience will let you tell them one lie that allows them to suspend disbelief. But after that, every thing that happens has to happen organically or the audience falls out of orbit, re-enters the world of reality and starts saying, "Oh, that would never happen." And then you've lost them.

I got into the movie business for the same reasons as everyone else: money, power and sex. So far I'm batting zero for three – which ought to be good enough for a $500,000 contract with the Mariners.