Sam Mendes' Advice To Young Directors

Director Sam Mendes, who won an oscar for American Beauty and recently directed the latest Bond film Spectre, was honored at the BAFTA Britannia Awards in Los Angeles on Friday. When asked what advice he would give to new directors, he had the following to say as reprinted by The Hollywood Reporter:

1. "Get in touch with your inner 12-year-old. He or she was an interesting kid."

2. "You can only ever point the camera at one thing at a time."

3. "You are playing roulette with someone else’s money. If you are going to bet it all on black, you need to be able to 

explain why."

4. "Making an action sequence is only interesting when you’re in the cutting room. Up until then, it is literally the most tedious thing you will ever do."

5. "On the day, be prepared — but also be prepared to make shit up."

6. "When you’re choosing for collaborators, do not listen to the people who tell you, “Yes, but I’ve never done a big movie.” If they are any good, they will learn — just like I did."

7. "You need to learn to tune out the white noise. You can not please everyone."

8. "Tarantino, Spielberg, Nolan, Scorsese, Greengrass, J.J. and Paul Thomas Anderson all still shoot on film. There is a reason."

9. "You’re trying to surf the big wave, so be prepared to be wiped out — but when you catch it, it feels like nothing else."

10. "When you get excited, don’t be afraid to leap out of your chair and sing the Bond theme."