Let the cut tell the story. Otherwise you have not got dramatic action, you've got narration.

Films have degenerated to their original operation as carnival amusement - they offer not drama but thrills.

The Oscars demonstrate the will of the people to control and judge those they have elected to stand above them (much, perhaps, as in bygone days, an election celebrated the same).

Every scene should be able to answer three questions: "Who wants what from whom? What happens if they don't get it? Why now?"

When the three branches of government have failed to represent the citizenry and the mass of the media has failed to represent the citizenry, then the citizenry better represent the citizenry.

Forget narrative, backstory, characterisation, exposition, all of that. Just make the audience want to know what happens next.

It is the writer’s job to make the play interesting. It is the actor’s job to make the performance truthful.

Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.

We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.

People may or may not say what they mean... but they always say something designed to get what they want.

Being a writer in Hollywood is like going to Hitler's Eagle Nest with a great idea for a bar mitzvah.

Never apologize for burning too brightly or collapsing into yourself every night. That is how galaxies are made.

The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.

Nature exists for man to exploit for his own ends, while the end of man himself is nothing else but to serve God, to be grateful to Him, and to worship Him alone.

There is little less trouble in governing a private family than a whole kingdom.

The popular gospel of this day, is the laughing-stock of Hell; it dare neither damn the sinner, nor sanctify the saint.

Nobody wants a unitary voice of authority any more.

Akismet started on a $70 dollar-a-month server. Anyone can scrape together $70.

I have a phenomenal memory. I remember every single thing that anybody said to me, ever did to me, who was nice to me and who was not nice to me.

We are all born into the world with nothing. Everything we acquire after that is profit.

Never explain, never complain.