Michael Pitt

I'm going to write films, star in films, direct films. Write records. Perform live.

If I cared what people think about my career, I would have not done - just look at my work. Don't look at me; look at what I've done.

I have fun making films. I love making films. It's the only thing I know how to do. And I do it well.

If you saw me trying to do laundry or something, well, I'm not really equipped to do anything else.

I don't choose characters with the intention of working something out in my personal life.

When I make movies, I have a lot of respect for my audience. I think my audience is smart. If there's a way to be entertained and get things out - real things, not stupid moral crap - that's the best.

What I've learned - after working for, I guess, some time now - is when you're approaching a relationship like that, like, any working relationship, it's good to be open. To know that someone might have a different way of doing things and listen to them. And hopefully, you come to a common understanding.

You always have nerves. And it's important to respect your nerves and your doubts. And then you have to ultimately overcome them.

Your experiences are what made you what you are today. So when tragedy happens in people's lives, and things are left unsaid, it can be very unsettling. The lack of closure can linger.

I'm a closeted nerd. I studied Richard Dawkins. I watched every lecture. He's sort of the leading scientific atheist of our time. He's very provocative. His whole thing is science over spirituality.

Writers, directors often can get too precious with their words.

I do feel like I'm spiritual, without getting too personal.

Every movie that I've picked, from my first film on, has been considered by everyone to be 'career suicide.' And I have an amazing life. I have an amazing career. I work with artists. But I'm not making 'Spider-Man.'

Brooklyn is definitely the only place to live in the New York area. I love Brooklyn. Go Brooklyn!

What I'm trying to do is to make films - 'I Origins' is one of them - with the new generation of filmmakers. I want to support that.

I think people can just make things now. It's kind of what happened with the music industry. Before, a band couldn't afford to go into a nice studio, or if they were going to go into a nice studio, they had to record twenty-five songs in two days. That's not a healthy workflow for anyone.

When you look into someone's eyes, it may be like your connection to self. Two intuitive people, at the right moment, at the right time, could know they're in love at that moment.

I get really into research. I know people say that, but I'm really into research.

I don't believe Wikipedia about anything. I don't go there for anything but keywords.

Scientists have this stigma of being guys or women in white lab coats with no sense of humor, no passion, devoid of all emotion, and that has been the complete opposite of the scientists I've met.

I don't really have hobbies. I paint. I write. I direct videos. I take photos. I'm a creative person. A normal day for me is doing all of those things. Sometimes I stay up until 5 A.M. writing a song because I make music. It's the same with writing.

Film is a collaborative art form. If you're not being collaborative, you probably shouldn't be working in film. You don't do it on your own. People who understand that, cultivate that, get the best results.

All directors are different. Certainly, the directors that I respond to the most are guys that figure it out by doing it, not by thinking or studying. Also, the kind of actor that I think I am - I learned about theater doing theater, not studying theater. I think that traditional school can be great, but also it can stifle original thought.

You develop a voice and a process that's unique to yourself.

A kid now can practically record a song or edit a short film on his way to school. I think that will produce, perhaps, more less-interesting things - or you'll have to search more to find the interesting things. But I also think it's exciting.