“The whole thing about making films in an organic film on location is that it’s not all about characters, relationships and themes, it’s also about the place and the poetry of place. It’s about the spirit of what you find, the accidents of what you stumble across.”

“The varied landscapes of Los Angeles—the fabrics of the different neighborhoods—this city would be more than just a backdrop in Nightcrawler.”

“I always scout locations first. The apartments, the railway tracks, the cafe, the canal - I figure out the geography of the film.”

“I like to be on location. I like to have input from the real world that is helping to shape what we’re doing.”

“I like to work on location. I feel like it just adds to it. It feels more real for everyone involved if you’re in a real place.”

“Sometimes you remember more about the location where you shot the film than the film itself.”

“Every time you say yes to a film, there’s a certain percentage of your yes that has to do with the director, a certain percentage to do with the story, a certain percentage with the character, the location, etc.”

“Shooting on location and staying away from sets gave the film a naturalistic look and palpable authenticity.”

“Choosing location is integral to the film: in essence, another character.”