There's a troublesome spot for filmmakers now a days. It was very important for us to construct the financing so independently, so protectively, so that we were in a sense, untouchable. When Ebert opened the floor for the directors to ask questions of each other, a silence covered the seven cineastes. His partner replied in the affirmative, resulting in much laughter from the audience. But film schools usually aren't good about teaching working with actors and knowing or caring about human behavior.
Technique comes later.
A discussion about the MPAA rating system brought out animated comments from the veteran directors. And they never tell you it's the sex. We had to take some frames out, here and there, but it is still the film I wanted to make. I just think it's hypocritical of Jack Valenti to keep saying they view sex and violence the same way. I like ' Saving Private Ryan ' very much, especially the first hour, but if that's not an NC-17 film than I don't know what is.