No point hanging around...

"It’s a privilege to get to work on something that’s so completely absorbing. It’s terrifying, too. I have to get out of bed every day to make something happen. I wonder if I would have been capable of producing anything if I worked in a more conventional way with a pre-written script, because I’m of the procrastinator class. I could see myself waking up saying things like 'Today I’ll just have a reading day,' 'I think I need to see a movie today,' 'I’ll do the shopping first,' or 'I’ll just make another cup of coffee.' But because of the way I work, once the film goes into rehearsal, I’m out of bed and on site by nine o’clock every single day. There’s no point hanging around. I have to make it work for the actor. And when the project takes off it becomes immensely stimulating. It’s tempting, when the rehearsal process drags on for months, to think we’re doing all this work and have nothing to show for it. But at the end of the day, we create great material. It’s a powerful, gregarious, collaborative process."

Mike Leigh in interview with Believer Magazine (2009)

Not concerned with succeeding...

"When I was living in New York and didn't have a penny to my name, I would walk around the streets and occasionally I would see an alcove or something. And I'd think, that'll be a good spot for me when I'm homeless."

Larry David on life before Seinfeld in interview with bestcomedyonline.com

"I think the only thing that really worked in my favour, is that right from the beginning I really didn't give a f*ck whether or not the show was a success. That's not to say I didn't want to do good work, but I wasn't about to let myself be judged by network standards. When you're not concerned with succeeding, you can work with complete freedom."

Larry David - interview with Laugh Factory Magazine

Do something fun...

“What we worry about is whether or not it’s funny, pure and simple, because if you start worrying about what kids are going to like, then that’s different business. Some other people are in that business but Eugene [Levy] and I try to make each other laugh and do something fun and, you know, hope it works out. I think if you sit at home and start thinking about that then we’re out of our realm.”

Christopher Guest - interview about The Mighty Wind with Inside Out Film

Another new wheeze...

"My pictures are made without script or written directions of any kind. We simply figure out enough story to build sets around, then we pull our gags and 'quick stuff' in the set as we happen on the ideas. After we feel that we've shot enough to make about six pictures, we assemble it, rip out whatever is left of the 'story'--and make one picture out of what's left.

"I dread the day when we won't find another new wheeze to wrap up, when all the gags will have been sprung, when we're stumped for something new. That's what a comedian has to guard against: running out.

"We just wrap up a little hokum. We build up a little story on some sure-fire idea, throw in a dozen gags, if we can think of 'em, and let 'er ride. The scenario we use is written on the correspondence end of a picture post card. If it's lost its no great matter."

Buster Keaton - Six interviews with Buster Keaton in Taylorology