James Gray
James Gray
concept filmmakers property studio system work
The system is not really particularly amenable to filmmakers who write and direct their own work. It's much more about the studio already having a property that has a marketable concept and then hiring the director on board.
audiences best films marion several terrific worked
Unfortunately for critics and audiences alike, I have made several films, and some films with really terrific actors. And I say this at my own peril, but Marion Cotillard is the best actor I've ever worked with.
beauty continue craft work
I think storytelling is a thing of beauty, and also very difficult. It's a craft you have to continue to work at.
amazing attempt best continue coppola directors francis grew kubrick people robert scorsese stanley whose work
Really, what I'm doing is an attempt to continue the best work of the people I adore: Francis Coppola and Scorsese and Robert Altman and Stanley Kubrick and those amazing directors whose work I grew up with and loved.
directly emotional honestly project sounds work
I know this sounds phony, but I don't start out on a project going, 'I'm going to make an emotional work,' you know what I mean? You try to tell the story directly and honestly and with passion.
work
The closer you can get to being personal, the better the work is, or the more interesting the work is.
inherently itself lends love romantic state
The state of being in love is so inherently preposterous. It usually lends itself to romantic comedy. I think we've all been there.
concepts mood narrative personal start
I start with a mood or an idea that comes from a personal place emotionally, and the narrative concepts come much later.
against fan game great hit home jackson kid runs series six three time win yankees
I've been a Yankees fan for a long time. When I was a kid in the mid-'70s, the Yankees were really great. They had Reggie Jackson in '77. I was 8 years old at the time. He hit three home runs to win the World Series in game six against the Dodgers, and I was just hooked.
disservice emotion mean means misused terrible word
The word 'operatic' is often misused to mean over the top, where someone is over-emoting. And that does a terrible disservice because 'operatic' to me means a commitment and a belief to the emotion of the moment that is sincere.
forget material sad truth whatsoever
The sad truth for American actors is that they really have no control whatsoever over the material that they get, or can do, particularly actresses. And if you're over 40 and you're an actress, forget it.
act ego great happen hoping learned love people predict
I've learned that you can never predict what will happen to a film. You can never predict if people will love it, if they'll hate it. It's an act of ego if you're hoping for everyone to love the film and tell you how great you are.
films themes using
There's never really been a tradition of making films about Jewish themes or using Judaism as a constant.
films love money
I would love it if my films made a lot of money, and may I say that 'The Yards' is the only one that's lost money.