- I'm not a sensitive new age guy. I'm just a wuss.
- [when asked to describe himself in one word] Ambiguous.
- [on dancing] Anything that doesn't involve two left feet, forget it.
- I don't just want to be somebody. I want to be me.
- The thing that makes me angrier than anything else about the present state of the Australian film industry isn't just the overall lack of proper funding, and the large number of bad films and dearth of good ones that come out each year as a result of that. What really makes me furious is the apathy of so many Australians in regards to that industry, whether they happen to work in it or not. These days, it's fashionable to go around proclaiming that you're proud to be an Australian, that you're proud of all things Aussie - except, it seems, for the Aussie film industry. Apparently, it's patriotic to wrap yourself in the Australian flag and chant "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, oi, oi!", but then go to the cinema, point at one of the posters on the wall, and say "Ewww, I don't wanna see that - it's Australian!". How does that figure? If you're an Aussie filmmaker whose goal is to make it big in Hollywood, as opposed to here, all fine and dandy. Go for it. But what if you're one of those filmmakers who wants to actually make good, respectable, memorable films about Australian people and themes, without having to pander to the sort of ignorance about our country and culture that seems to pervade so much of Hollywood? I'm not saying that to be anti-American, or anti-anything. I'm saying it to try and be pro-Australian, as well as pro-cinema. And I really hope that more people, whether they're Australian or not, feel the same way.
- We all want to be successful and make our mark on the world, and Lord knows I'm no different. There probably aren't any exceptions to that rule. And I think it's good to strive, to give it all you've got, to do your very best to get to where you want to go and achieve your hopes and dreams. It's the only way you're ever going to get there. But I also don't think it's healthy when people are so obsessed with achieving success that they forget about all the little things that make life worth living and enjoying, like having someone special in your life, and letting them know how special they are to you. Isn't that also what life should sometimes be about? I think it is.
- I like to think I'd be prime nerd material if I wasn't so sexy.
- It's been my experience that introverts are most often the people with something to say that's really worth listening to.
- Laziness is the number-one cause of itself.
- Virtue may very well be its own reward, but, most times, a hug, a kiss, or even just a simple "thanks" can't go too far wrong, either.
- [on sex before marriage] I don't doubt that abstinence is the right way to go for a lot of people. But for just as many, I'd argue that life begins at contraception.
- Sometimes, it seems like everybody wants to be an Aussie... except maybe for us Aussies. And except maybe for the New Zealanders, too.
- [when asked if he would like to work in Hollywood] Sure I would. But I'd still rather be the guy who makes it fashionable to like - and watch - Australian films again.
- Out of all the things that can go wrong in life, there's nothing worse than being picked on. Pure and simple, bullies are the worst thing to ever happen to this world.
- An optimist hangs their washing out to dry when it's raining. A pessimist doesn't even bother to wash their clothes.
- When I finished my first screenplay, I showed it to a friend of mine, who said he couldn't imagine going through the process of writing one himself for fear of never having it produced. Fair enough, I used to feel that way myself, but I just can't think like that anymore. For so long, I put off writing the things I wanted to write for that very reason, and it didn't get me anywhere. Now, I'm writing screenplays, and it feels damn good, whether or not they get made. I guess what I'm saying is, you can't let the fear be stronger than the hope.
- [on politics] I'd never make it in that game. I have values.
- I do some of my best writing on the toilet - it helps me get rid of the crap.
- I would love to see the Australian film industry really get back on its feet. Even more so, I would love to be a part of that happening.
- [when asked why he likes to dress in black] Because I don't own any white clothes. Next question?
- [on what film genres he would not want to work in] I'd draw the line at either religion or porn. And I definitely wouldn't do religious porn.
- Opinions are like arseholes - everybody has one. And is one, every once in a while.
- For a little while when I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronomer. I'd stare up at the night sky, either when I was outside, or even from my bedroom window, and I'd just sit there and wonder about anything that came to mind. It was the time when I would be free to just think, think about anything at all. I really wish now that I could remember even half of what went through my mind back on nights like those, and the way that it made me feel. And I'm sure that those thoughts and feelings were at least part of what made me take such an interest in the night sky, as well as the sheer dazzling beauty of it all. But then I thought about it for a bit, and I realized that, while there may be a whole heap of stories that those stars, planets and galaxies have to tell, I wasn't the one to tell those stories. If other astronomers want to take up that challenge, then let them go for it. I'd rather make up some of my own.
- [on conflict] If you kill your enemies, you'll create more of them. Very simple. Conflict is sometimes inevitable, but dialogue is better than war.
- Diplomacy is the art of letting someone have it your way. Honesty is the art of telling them to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.
- [on the use of words like "geek" or "nerd"] I prefer the term "intellectual badass", myself.
- Any argument for reality or cynicism must be balanced with a healthy dose of idealism.
- There are times I'm tempted to think Monday mornings should be against the law.
- There's no greater weapon against oppression than the arts.
- I've been told by some that you've got to watch the ground that you're walking on to know where you're going. But the problem with looking down all the time, with keeping your nose so close to the grindstone, is that you miss all the beauty around you.
- For me, film school was less about learning new things about the craft, and more about making contacts with others in the industry.
- Smart people learn from their mistakes. Smarter ones learn from the mistakes others make.
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