I like to work my camera as if it were a musical instrument. Mike Figgis More Quotes by Mike Figgis More Quotes From Mike Figgis The world is an infinitely fascinating, tragic and humorous place. Mike Figgis tragic humorous world There's nothing quite like the idea of failing spectacularly to excite a film maker Mike Figgis failing film ideas I made my first film on 16mm. Then I began using 35mm.Then I began working in Hollywood. And I began to really understand how films were made by professionals. I have to say I wasn't very impressed. Mike Figgis hollywood film firsts I never had any urge or desire to do like a big spectacular movie with thousands and thousands of extras. I'd rather watch paint drying. But put me in a room with three people having a hard time, like a character situation, and then you're into a really intense portraiture kind of concept. Mike Figgis hard-times character people There's a sadness to the human condition that I think music is good for. It gives a counterpoint to the visual beauty, and adds depth to pictures that they wouldn't have if the music wasn't there. Mike Figgis sadness giving thinking When I do the music, I make the musicians listen to what's happening in the film. That way they treat the dialogue as if it was a singer. Mike Figgis singers musician way I'm a huge fan of world cinema, because each country uses cinema in a very individual way. Mike Figgis cinema fans country Obviously, I try to make the films work for an audience. That's the main point of making a film, and in retrospect, one can see that certain films, let's say Leaving Las Vegas, demonstrated its own success. Mike Figgis vegas leaving trying I play piano and trumpet. I studied classical guitar. Mike Figgis piano guitar play Then I became interested in drama, and almost by accident, I drifted into film. Mike Figgis accidents film drama In discussing the process with the actors, I made it clear to them that they could improvise but that the sum total of their improvisation needed to impart certain plot points, and schematic material. Mike Figgis plot actors made The power of sound to put an audience in a certain psychological state is vastly undervalued. And the more you know about music and harmony, the more you can do with that. Mike Figgis harmony psychological sound It's difficult working with very rich actors, because inevitably they become a little spoilt, and the managers and agents tend to control things more than is healthy. Mike Figgis agents healthy actors In a way, the history of jazz's development is a small mirror of classical music's development through the centuries. Now jazz is a living form of original music, while classical music has gotten to the end of its cycle in terms of exploring its form. Mike Figgis development mirrors way I started using film as part of live theatre performance - what used to be called performance art - and I became intrigued by film. Mike Figgis live-theatre film art I might have a guitar or a piano on set to play something for the actors. Mike Figgis piano guitar play I would certainly say that films like Time Code and the Loss of Sexual Innocence were far more rewarding to me in terms of being able to move forward as a filmmaker. Mike Figgis lost-friendship loss moving I've spent my life hearing people trying to apologize for music. Mike Figgis apology trying people The function of camera movement is to assist the storytelling. That's all it is. It cannot be there just to demonstrate itself. Mike Figgis storytelling cameras movement I had no plans to be a director. Mike Figgis plans directors
