Bill Forsyth

“I always feel that if you can't be universal, you can't be anything. You have to be local to be universal.”

“I think humor is a very serious thing. It's a way of dealing with the world.”

“I'm not a proper anything. I'm not a proper film director. I'm not a proper writer. I'm just a guy who gets an idea and tries to do something with it.”

“I don't do 'concept' movies. I'm not a 'concept' guy. My films are just about people, and the camera happens to be there.”

“The whole point of making a film is to be a bit of a charlatan. You're trying to create a world that people will believe in.”

“I like characters who are on the edge of things, who are not quite in the mainstream.”

“I've never been able to get a film made that I can actually watch. I'm always too embarrassed by it.”

“I think all my films are about people who are slightly lost.”

“For me, the camera is a tool to observe people. I'm not interested in fancy shots.”