I don't like having hierarchical structures. So, everybody knows that I'm the boss but, from that, I don't like people to walk on eggshells. I like people to be friendly and to feel loved. I think that kind of fits into creativity stronger. If people are scared, they are afraid to come up with ideas.

Daniel Espinosa

Categorized in : Thinking People Creativity

I think a lot of directors nowadays come from the commercial world, which is about seduction, which has nothing to do with personal directing. If you are trying to seduce an actor he might like it but I can guarantee you that he'll hate it when you start shooting. They are looking for somebody who is like a compadre, their brother, or sister, who can tell them the honest truth and help them to become a better artist than they are right then.

Daniel Espinosa

hate artist brother

I really like to have a coffee shop next door and be able to smoke a cigarette. I'm a city person; I regard nature as something hostile and problematic. I do enjoy it when I get out there, but it is mostly against my will. It's a bit of an awkward thing to say - people really don't like it when you say that.

Daniel Espinosa

coffee cities doors

In editing, you really face what the movie is. When you shoot it, you have this illusion that you're making the masterpieces that you're inspired by. But when you finally edit the movie, the movie is just a movie, so there is always a hint of disappointment, particularly when you see your first cut.

Daniel Espinosa

cutting disappointment editing

When I make a movie, I completely dive into it and I can't really take anything in at all, at that time.

Daniel Espinosa

i-can

If you don't feel a true passion through work, you can't do it. It's not possible for me. I've never done TV. I've never done commercials. I've never done anything for money. I can't do it. I wish I could. It would be easier.

Daniel Espinosa

passion would-be wish

I have no idea how to start doing something that doesn't connect with me or my soul, somehow.

Daniel Espinosa

my-soul soul ideas

I want to challenge my cinematography and my editing.

Daniel Espinosa

challenge cinematography editing want

When you're 16, the top of the world is directing a gangster movie.

Daniel Espinosa

gangster top you world

When we think back at our youth, we always remember the feeling of freedom... that you actually believe in the world. Even if it goes well for you in life, you can never attain that freedom in your imagination of what you think life could be. We are tainted.

Daniel Espinosa

you freedom imagination life

Gangster movies are the inheritor of the Greek tragedy: it's the only genre where the audience will be disappointed if there's not a tragic ending.

Daniel Espinosa

ending gangster movies will

I did two movies that were arthouse movies; they were critically successful but made no money at all... but after making those movies, I thought, 'I wouldn't watch my own movies when I was 16, and my buddies where I came from wouldn't watch my movies, because they were boring.'

Daniel Espinosa

movies thought my-own money

It's really hard to get a coffee with someone. I have to call my agent, my agent calls their agent, their agent calls their manager, the manager calls back, the actor sends someone to the manager... then you get, 'Yeah, yeah, I'd love to have dinner at six,' and all I wanted was coffee! It can take, like, six days to get coffee.

Daniel Espinosa

you dinner coffee love

For me, it's important that the script is good. Then a good director will want to make it.

Daniel Espinosa

will good me important

I looked at early movies with Robert Redford, and I like how Robert, even though he had that automatic charisma and was a very verbal person, he always played those more silent characters and played within the scene and never overacted.

Daniel Espinosa

person movies never always

I made this Swedish movie called 'Snabba Cash,' or 'Easy Money,' and it was shown at the Berlin Film Festival. A lot of American studios, agents, and people like that saw it there and liked it.

Daniel Espinosa

like money easy people

I always loved when James Stewart did roles that were not so dialogue-based, like 'Vertigo.'

Daniel Espinosa

did loved like always

I have severe claustrophobia, and I panic if I'm more than six feet above ground.

Daniel Espinosa

ground more panic feet

Creating stuff is hard. But, if that terrifies you, you will just be numb, and you better just stay at home and watch TV and do something else. Move into the woods and live with the trees.

Daniel Espinosa

live better you home

I grew up in different parts of Africa. I grew up in Mozambique and places like that. I've been in South Africa many times.

Daniel Espinosa

places africa like different

I run a fast pace on my sets, man. I like the energy of the scene to be the energy on the set. I think it affects the actors, and I think it affects the crew. There's that sensation like you're really shooting it for real, like in a documentary.

Daniel Espinosa

think you man energy