“I really think people are greatly stimulated and enriched by experiencing in film just as we can from novels and other art, experiencing things that resonate with what our lives are about. I think people really want to know... want to share, want to have the stimulus to think and care about the way they live their lives, the way they relate to other people, their aspirations, their hopes, et cetera.” PeopleThinkingKnowsWayWantArtCareFilmNovelOur LivesShareRelateAspirationStimulusExperiencing Things Author:Mike Leigh
“I know, that trends and all of those things and formulae that calculate what audiences want to see and what audiences don't want to see and various other demographic demarcations are the eccentric and ludicrous prerogative of Hollywood studios. But out there in the real world - by which I mean the rest of the world where we make truthful organic films, independent films unimpeded by interference - it's not about all those sort of calculating what is commercial. It's about wanting to say things and saying them in a way that will get through to people.” PeopleKnowsWorldWayWantMeanRealFilmAudienceHollywoodIndependentVariousStudiosTrendsReal WorldTruthfulEccentricInterferenceDemographicsIndependent FilmCalculatingPrerogativeHollywood Studios Author:Mike Leigh
“When I was young I used to sit in the cinema thinking wouldn't it be great if you could have a film in which the characters were like real people instead of being like actors.” PeopleIfsThinkingRealCharacterFilmYoungUsedActorsCinema Author:Mike Leigh
“I make films because I am endlessly fascinated by people. I'm fascinated immediately to know about the lives that are going on around me. That is what drives me. And that is because everybody matters, everybody is there to be cared about, everybody is interesting and everybody is the potential central character in a story. Judging people is not acceptable.” PeopleKnowsMatterCharacterStoriesFilmInterestingJudgingFascinatedAcceptableJudging People Author:Mike Leigh
“For me the journey of making a film is a journey of discovery as to what that film is. I mean what I do is what other artists do, painters, novelists, people that make music, poets, sculptors, you name it. It's about starting out and working with the material and discovering through making, working with the material the artifact.” PeopleMeanFilmArtistNamesJourneyPoetMaterialsDiscoveryStartingPainterNovelistsDiscoveringSculptorsStarting OutArtifacts Author:Mike Leigh
“In the first place, I'm pretty thorough about whom I choose. I instinctively look for the kind of actor who is going to be trusting. There are all kinds of insecure people out there called actors.” PeopleFirstsLooksKindActorsAll KindsInsecureThoroughInsecure People Author:Mike Leigh
“People have been very resistant to giving me more than the standard amount of money. So I keep making films on a similar scale. Which is fine, but also frustrating.” PeopleGivingHas BeensFilmFineAmountStandardsScalesFrustrating Author:Mike Leigh
“What I do is to collaborate with each actor and work one-on-one to create a character. And that is a matter of huge complexity and is a combination of a great deal of discussion and a lot of practical work. It involves a lot of consideration for the real people out there, and all kinds of sources of real people. The result is the character. But I'm not supposed to talk about what it is we do, because it's nobody's business.” PeopleKindRealCharacterAll KindsDiscussionComplexityConsideration Author:Mike Leigh
“I did sit in cinemas as a kid looking at English and American movies thinking, "Wouldn't it be great if the characters were like real people?" And the worst thing is films are constantly advertising themselves, drawing attention to their style of things. But actually I make films that I think are extremely sophisticated and cinematic. But you don't want the audience thinking about the bloody film. You want them to think about what's going on, and believe in it. Be flies on the wall, you know?” PeopleThinkingBelieveRealCharacterKidsFilmAttentionAudienceWorstStyleWallAdvertisingBloodySophisticatedAmerican Movie Author:Mike Leigh
