Sidney Lumet

If I don't have a script I adore, I do one I like. If I don't have one I like, I do one that has an actor I like or that presents some technical challenge.

Everything becomes creative if the person doing the job is

There's no such thing as a small part. There are just small actors.

Suffice to say that the theme (the WHAT of the movie) is going to determine the style (the HOW of the movie).