“I try and create for the audience something that relates to real-life experience.” TryingRealAudienceReal LifeRelateLife ExperienceReal Life Experiences 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 hate period films - and there are plenty of them - where they say, "Let's not do contemporary language because the audience won't understand it;" "let's not make the girls wear corsets, because it's not sexy" and all that sort of thing. Gradually it disintegrates into a no man's land: you don't really believe it's a period scene and it doesn't feel like it's now because it's not now. You don't feel it's quite real and you don't believe in it.” MenFeelsBelieveRealFilmHateGirlLanguageAudienceLandPeriodsSceneI HateDon't BelieveSexyContemporaryPlentyCorsets 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
“Film-makers should remain true to their principles and never compromise, there is a real revival in the British film industry but there is a danger that we will become colonial servants of Hollywood. We need to maintain our own integrity.” NeedsShouldRealFilmPrinciplesDangerIndustryIntegrityHollywoodBritishCompromiseServantMakersRevivalFilm IndustryNever CompromiseBritish Film Author:Mike Leigh
