Biographie

[on the ending of The Darkness Within (2009)] I've always been a fan of 'less-is-more', especially when it comes to these types of flicks. The sequence was always intended to be shot and edited the way it's seen. My idea was to try and show just enough so that the audience could understand what was being revealed, but also to leave the rest as vague as possible so that their own sick, depraved, maniacal imaginations could fill in the gaps. I honestly believe it is true that what they (the audience) can create in their own minds is always far, far worse than anything that can be shown on screen.

[on filmmaking influences of past and present] Scorsese is bar-none my all time favorite director. Kubrick, as well, is maybe one of the most prolific voices in film history. I think that guys like David Fincher and Christopher Nolan are way out in front leading us into a new era. Michel Gondry is completely out of his mind, as is Robert Rodriguez. Mark Romanek's 'One Hour Photo' is one of the best directed film's I've seen in the past decade. Sam Raimi, The Coens, Spike Lee, Paul Thomas Anderson, Guy Ritchie, John Carpenter, Darren Aronofsky have all been incredibly influential to me. This is really a list that could quite possibly go on forever.

[on independent film] 'Independent film' has evolved into is a completely different beast altogether than what it was when I was first learning about it. I always considered movies like 'Clerks', 'Slacker' & 'Stranger Than Paradise' to be touchstones of what true independent cinema was. The directors were like guitarists in a garage band. They were outsiders who came out of nowhere and made movies with minuscule amounts of money and cast actors you'd never heard of.

George Carlin is absolutely one of my biggest heroes, not just as a comedian but also as a writer. His comedy had such a sharp sense of purpose and he was a man who truly loved language.

There is a school of filmmaking that exists that assumes everyone in the audience is an idiot. This is why so many movies feel like they are grabbing you by the hand and leading you to their conclusion. I think it's exactly the opposite. I think movie audiences are so sophisticated and aware now that to simply remain one step ahead of them as a filmmaker is actually really difficult and challenging.