I was aware of Cassavetes self financing his films of course for many years. I started watching Cassavetes’s movies probably around the same time as I was — 1980, when I was 16 years old, I learned how to drive, and one of the very first films I went to see when I learned how to drive, was Eraserhead at The Nuart. And that was when all of these great revival houses, which are — very few of them are around now. But I would go see all of these interesting films. I was studying acting professionally. I started in a professional acting class at age 15. So, I would go see any of the kinds of films that seemed like they would be pertinent for acting. ((My Diet)) I can’t remember which Cassavetes film I saw first, but I saw them projected — maybe it was the New Beverly, which is still there. I think Quentin Tarantino owns the building now. But that might have been the revival house where I saw it, or it might have been at the Fox Venice, which is now unfortunately a thrift market or flee market or something. ((Stole This Knowledge))

I was aware that there were actors that funded their own films. And of course Orson Wells was doing it later in his career as well. So, it was something I knew of. I wasn’t necessarily thinking about it.