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Filmmaker Alan Rudolph still sees himself as a Hollywood outsider, but does not regard this as a problem. Indeed, he does not even try to establish contact with Hollywood studios any more. The aim of his most recent film, 'Afterglow,' is to encourage the viewers to feel something about the characters, but also something about themselves. In this way, it goes against the trend for films to replace the viewers' sense of identity with their own version of it.

Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai does not feel that he really has links with other Hong Kong filmmakers. He always works alone, and does not necessarily want his films to have commercial value. His characters are often involved in violence, and this may make his films appear to be Asian pulp. However, he is very drawn to the routines of modern life, and his films go against cinematic conventions. He enjoys autonomy, and works as much from spontaneity as from script.

Filmmaker Gus Van Sant admits that his films are metaphorical with regard to his own life. He feels that his films have always been extremely risky, but that they all have a solid story. They are honest stories about life, and are not necessarily optimistic. He has always stood slightly outside the Hollywood mainstream, with distributors not being certain that his films would make money. However, he is now gaining more respect, and may gain the Best Director award at the 1998 Oscars for the film 'Good Will Hunting.'

Human beings generally swing between gentleness and violence and seriousness and humour, according to Japanese writer-director Takeshi Kitano. He now regards film-making as his main profession, although he is also involved in television game shows, chat shows and nature programmes, has published two novels and is a regular newspaper columnist and sports commentator. He regards his latest film, 'Hana-Bi,' as the end of his violent film years.

Magazines are very star-driven, and this makes them reluctant to step out of line or be critical, according to filmmaker Nick Broomfield. He encountered considerable opposition to his documentary film 'Kurt and Courtney,' which was initially a biopic of pop icon Kurt Cobain. Following action by lawyers acting for Courtney Love, Cobain's widow, the film became much more controversial. He strongly believes in cutting the film together to show the very process of documenting the subject.

Attempting to catch the style of the American preacher for the film 'The Apostle' was very interesting, according to actor and filmmaker Robert Duvall, who wrote, directed, financed and acted in the film. Playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote Jr generated support for the film, and Duvall's Sonny can be seen as a direct descendant of his previous work with Foote. Duvall, a Christian Scientist, hoped that the film would be accepted by both the secular and the religious communities.

The film 'TwentyFourSeven' is a celebration of the people who would normally be alienated from society, according to filmmaker Shane Meadows. He is keen to give screen time to people who are usually overlooked. He puts a great deal of his personal experience into his work, and does not give much attention to commercial issues. He has written a Western called 'Birdhill,' and also plans to film 'A Room for Romeo Brass,' which looks at three different lives and time periods.

The New Zealand Film Commission has played a key role in encouraging filmmaking talent in New Zealand, according to filmmaker Scott Reynolds, whose first film is the low budget serial killer film 'The Ugly.' The Film Commission was brave to support this film, as it does not deal with New Zealand culture. The New Zealand film industry is not sufficiently diverse, according to filmmaker Lee Tamahori, whose first film was the urban Maori drama 'Once Were Warriors.' His most recent film is 'The Edge.'