No one wants to hear from the producer. He's the guy by the pool with a cigar in his mouth and a couple of lovelies on his arm. But when you're a director, they want to hear what you have to say about everything - the war, the world.

I'm just trying to tell a nice story. Whether you're a writer or a producer, all you want to do is tell a good yarn.

For the good producer, raising capital is about the last thing to worry about. If you're good, the money comes very easily.

As a producer, the most important call you can get is on Saturday morning, when the Friday-night grosses come in. As a director, you want your film to be successful. But your outlook is a bit different. You become very conscious of the reviews.

The thing that's strange about Frank Vincent is that actors of his quality are usually big stars.

Show me a Scorsese film, and I'll show you a movie where he's taken risks. It's just his nature. He's an artist, and artists take risks. He always does what he believes in.