"My father died prematurely at the age of 52 when I was 24, and it is a recurring regret that he never lived to see me succeed beyond university and drama."

"Ensure that your script is watertight. If it's not on the page, it will never magically appear on the screen."

"I am drawn to writing and directing as it is most like the feeling I had when I was a teenager with my puppet theatre. You are more in control of everything and involved in every aspect of production, so more challenged and fulfilled."

"Never give up. You only get one life. Go for it!"

"Proving yourself in a field where the casualty rate is so notoriously high is an ongoing challenge."

"Always have an answer - even if you change your mind five minutes later."

"Anthony Hopkins says you just keep acting. Do it all the time and eventually it will happen. He got his break, after all, by taking a role nobody else wanted. A cannibal!"

"Time and time again I was told that I would never make the film on time and never make it on budget. That kind of criticism tends to turn me into a great big motor of efficiency."