Spike Lee

Any time you talk about the look of the film, it's not just the director and the director of photography. You have to include the costume designer and the production designer.

Since the days of slavery, if you were a good singer or dancer, it was your job to perform for the master after dinner.

I always give the example, if you turn on the radio today, black radio, Lenny Kravitz is not black. Bob Marley wasn't black: in the beginning, only white college stations played Bob Marley.

A lot of times you get credit for stuff in your movies you didn't intend to be there.

I think my work shows that I love women. I understand where these types of criticisms are coming from because black people have been so dogged out in the media, they're just extra sensitive.

My cousin Malcolm Lee is also a filmmaker.

I live in New York City, the stories of my films take place in New York; I'm a New York filmmaker.

Everything I do is always scrutinised. But that's all I'll say about that.

All directors are storytellers, so the motivation was to tell the story I wanted to tell. That's what I love.

Violence is a part of America. I don't want to single out rap music. Let's be honest. America's the most violent country in the history of the world, that's just the way it is. We're all affected by it.

I am a hybrid. I do independent films and also do Hollywood films - I love them both.

First of all, what in this world does not revolve around money? But money is a big part of film, unlike a lot of other art forms.

'Do the Right Thing' was like the first film where I really felt comfortable working with actors.

I'm riding my man Obama. I think he's a visionary. Actually, Barack told me the first date he took Michelle to was 'Do the Right Thing.' I said, Thank God I made it. Otherwise you would have taken her to 'Soul Man.' Michelle would have been like 'What's wrong with this brother?'

I'm blessed, I can afford to send my children to private school.

'Red Hook Summer' is another chapter in my chronicles of Brooklyn.

We grew up in a very creative environment and were exposed to the arts at a very young age, so it's not a surprise that all of us are in some form of the arts.

I'm just trying to tell a good story and make thought-provoking, entertaining films. I just try and draw upon the great culture we have as a people, from music, novels, the streets.

'25th Hour,' like a lot of my films, takes place in New York City. I've been very fortunate to make films in the city that I live. I mean, it's great going home at night instead of being on location.

I think that anyone who lives in New York, who's lived here, who's spent any time here, knows that it's basically a love-hate relationship, you might say. Even though I still think it's the greatest city in the world and I wouldn't live anywhere else, there're still things about it one doesn't like. The love far outweighs the negative.