The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker: 20 Conversations with the New Generation of Filmmakers

Entertainment writer and TV producer Horowitz encountered "diverse voices" when he asked 22 contemporary filmmakers about their aspirations, influences, contradictory methods and problem-solving approaches for this probing collection. For Monster , Patty Jenkins wanted to explore how a normal person could become "a feral animal." Acclaimed for Girlfight , Karyn Kusama believes "there's a way to take those kind of social realist dramas and do something lyrical with them." Discussion topics range from filmmaker fears to technological advances. Alone in his apartment, the reclusive Kerry Conran created a film on his Mac that was so innovative he soon found himself on a set directing Gwyneth Paltrow (in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow ). Yet French-born Michel Gondry, lauded for the mental gymnastics of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , feels digital effects inhibit performance. Other subjects include Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men ), Kevin Smith (Clerks ) and Jon Favreau (Zathura ). Childhood backgrounds are a constant theme, as are dreams. As Conran puts it, "We've finally come to a time in our history where you can create what you see in your imagination, what you dream." Photos. (Feb.)