Sam Taylor-Johnson
Sam Taylor-Johnson
Samantha Louise "Sam" Taylor-Johnson OBEis an English filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. Her directorial feature film debut came in 2009 with Nowhere Boy, a film based on the childhood experiences of the Beatles songwriter and singer John Lennon. She is one of a group of artists known as the Young British Artists...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionDirector
Date of Birth4 March 1967
mind taught
My mum has always been quite free-spirited, and she has taught me a lot. I think that is probably why I have the sort of mind that I do.
georgia hard quite trying undo
When I was out in Georgia doing photographs, I found myself trying to undo my own sense of composition. I'd think, 'Why do I want to take it like this? Is it because I want to take a beautiful picture?' It's quite hard to try and undo it.
When I decide I want something, I go in like an Exocet missile.
I was always interested in film, but I never knew how to go about becoming a filmmaker.
moved
I was living with my stepfather for a while, and then I moved out and went and lived on my own in Hastings-by-the-Sea from about 16.
interests journeys life particular
I think the whole of people's psychology and where they are in life interests me, and the decisions you make that take you on particular journeys to different places.
artwork cross filmmaking films great precedent
I think, for me, Julian Schnabel set a great precedent in being able to cross over so successfully. I feel like his artwork is kind of big, grand, and bombastic, yet the films that he makes are very beautifully sensitive, and I just feel that his filmmaking sensibility is very different from his artwork.
bad boom quite stepfather
My stepfather was quite into opera, but he'd play it when he was in a bad mood, so you'd hear this boom through the floor, Wagner, and you'd feel nervous.
My mum told me once I was a Hindu.
beatle exposed lennon mom playing quite
My parents were Beatle fans, but my mom was especially a Lennon fan, so I was exposed to him more. I remember her playing 'Double Fantasy' quite often.
biggest face fearless fears hospital work
My biggest fears aren't with my work. My biggest fears are walking through hospital doors. Once you can face that, being fearless about your work is easy.
Just because you've faced your own mortality, it doesn't make it any less frightening.
I was determined to have a spotless house when I grew up.
The pictures I make come from every blink of my lashes.