It's hard to think of yourself as a brand, especially when I have four daughters who kick my butt early in the morning every day before I go to work.

I think I took my eye off the ball. From about 2005,2006,2007, I was out of it. I thought I could oversee movies and have it done for me, so to speak.

I've been involved with violent movies, and then I've also said at a certain point, 'I can't take it anymore. Please cut it.' You know, you've got to respect the filmmaker, and it's a really tough issue.

We didn't care if we were well-liked as long as the movies were good. We served the movie - that was our master at Miramax. In our second incarnation, the movie is still the master but we're getting the same results in more subtle ways.

When we talk about Oscars, it's almost as a symbol of excellence, and the American public and the worldwide public accept that symbol. So, a movie like 'The Artist' that costs $14 million, has to go out and compete with movies that cost $140 million. How does David deal with Goliath?

Last year, when 'Black Swan,' 'True Grit' and 'King's Speech' all grossed over $100 million, it gave studios and independent financiers the confidence to make daring movies and not do the same old you-know-what.

My movies are important on an economic basis, on an artistic basis.

When people ask me what makes movies great, it's the material.

All my movies got screwed up because of my personality.

Over the years with movies, I've given directors notes.