Gus Van Sant Actors Quotations

I'd come into filmmaking as a painter so, for me, making 'Good Will Hunting' was experimental because I didn't know how to do it.

I'm usually trying to react to what the actors are coming up with. And then the environment, and then the story.

If a movie isn't released, it's one thing, but if you know it will be, it's nice to have closure and see it come out.

My department is to get actors to do stuff.

Even when you're making a movie about life, death is a presence, and I guess it's part of my dramatic viewpoint. I'm not sure why exactly.

A lot of times, you're not necessarily off the page because you haven't been able to take the time to prepare a character. It's very easy to find even great actors reading it more like a reading. Things aren't really coming alive yet, even though you know they will.