It was in Austin that I had the idea for 'Days of Heaven.' I found myself alone for a summer in the town I had left as a high school student. There were those green, undulating hills, and this very beautiful river, the Colorado. The place is inspired and inspiring.

I have trouble working off things that are too preconceived, like storyboards.

I was not a good teacher; I didn't have the sort of edge one should have on the students, so I decided to do something else.

There's a good many pictures I'd like to make; we'll see how many I'll be allowed to make.

I just kept making social mistakes in my career.

As long as I stay consistent as my career goes, I'm good with it.

Life is very cyclical. And my career has been very-high-very-low, very-high-very-low, and I think it'll probably keep on rolling that way.

Sometimes I get really down on myself for not having the exact career I want, but it's ok as long as you know what you want and you're going towards that. Accept it's going to be a different path than you thought in the first place.