Obviously you have a responsibility - one would like to think there is such a thing as ethics in filmmaking. George Hickenlooper More Quotes by George Hickenlooper More Quotes From George Hickenlooper I always say be humble but be firm. Humility and openness are the key to success without compromising your beliefs. George Hickenlooper keys humility humble Theres something unique about the United States, a sense of individual rights and freedoms, and a sense of social and civic responsibility that we contributed to so much of the world. We lost that mission in the 1980s and 1990s, when we entered a gilded age, and the culture of individualism became a culture of avarice. George Hickenlooper unique responsibility rights I love the grandiosity of Hollywood movies, and even in independents, I love the canvas you can tell your story on. I love fiction filmmaking, you really feel like you're creating something. George Hickenlooper creating movie hollywood The promise of celebrity is a transcendental human state of existence. It's not real. We do know the fact that celebrities as mortal beings exist and if you are looking for love by being famous or being around the famous - ultimately that goes away. George Hickenlooper real facts promise I think that narrative, fiction filmmaking is the culmination of several art forms: theater, art history, architecture. Whereas doc filmmaking is more pure cinema, like cinema verite is film in its purest form. George Hickenlooper movie art thinking Most people, 95% of people, are good people. Its the 5% who get seduced by power. George Hickenlooper good-people people Im very strongly in favor of the auteur theory. George Hickenlooper auteurs auteur-theory favors The arc of the celebrity phenomenon ultimately is: everything turns to dust and everything does go away. George Hickenlooper going-away dust doe Im fascinated by failure, and Im fascinated by finality. Shakespeares historical plays are more universal than his comedies because they relate to the finality of life. Without finality, life would not be beautiful. George Hickenlooper historical play beautiful Generally in my films like Hearts of Darkness or Picture This, I try not to make myself a presence in the film. George Hickenlooper darkness heart trying Narrative, fiction filmmaking is the culmination of several art forms: theater, art history, architecture. Whereas doc filmmaking is more pure cinema, like cinema verité is film in its purest form. You're taking random images and creating meaning out of random images, telling a story, getting meaning, capturing something that's real, that's really happening, and render this celluloid sculpture of this real thing. That's what really separates the power of doc filmmaking from fiction. George Hickenlooper creating real art At times doc filmmaking feels more rewarding creatively. Because you are creating something out of pure cinema - instead of narrative cinema, where you've got a script and a cast and you build from your foundation, whereas in documentary, you're building out of chaos. George Hickenlooper documentaries foundation creating Docs are more exhausting because of the physical labor that's required. Feature filmmaking is more exhausting because of politics and the bullshit. You get to the point of rolling film and until you lock picture it's one political game after another. They're both struggles for survival. They are two different worlds. George Hickenlooper struggle games two As a filmmaker I find it much more rewarding to work with actors who are classically trained. It's about the work and only the work. George Hickenlooper find more only work Kelly Preston is a remarkable human being and a great dramatic actress. It was a privilege as a director to tap into this part of her. Rarely do I make a kind of spiritual connection with my cast. Kelly was a wonderful exception. She is truly very special and I adore her. George Hickenlooper human-being great special spiritual I was very inspired by Les Blank's film 'Burden of Dreams.' I think what's unique about his film and the two I've made is that they're close examinations of filmmakers and how their own emotional experiences reflect in the material they're rendering, and vice versa - how that material sometimes colors their own lives. George Hickenlooper dreams colors unique sometimes There's been a vacuum with movies that people can relate to. There's been a paucity of dramas that people can relate to. I think audiences are clamoring to connect - particularly after 9/11 - with things that are genuine and real and I think documentaries are filling that need. George Hickenlooper movies think real people Simon Monjack had nothing to do with 'Factory Girl.' He filed a frivolous lawsuit against us... making bogus claims that we had stolen his script. He held us literally to hostage and we were forced to settle with him as he held our production over a barrel. George Hickenlooper us over nothing girl
