18 Quotes by Steve James

Words can't describe how I feel right now. This is one of the greatest feelings in the world.

One of the differences between real documentaries and reality television, besides the artificial construct of reality television, is that the people who are recruited to be on those shows, and the people who are interested in going on those shows, basically want to be famous. Or maybe they can win a million dollars or something.

I am deeply honored to be making 'Life Itself,' a documentary on the life of Roger Ebert, and to have had the full cooperation and enthusiasm of Roger and his wife, Chaz.

From a young age, I wanted to play in the NBA. Oh well... It was when I was a senior in college that I fell for film, but even then, it wasn't documentaries. It wasn't until I ended up in graduate school at Southern Illinois University that I really discovered documentaries and thought that maybe that would be my calling.

For most of my films, I've had to go out and start shooting before I could get the rest of the funding. That was the case with 'Hoop Dreams,' 'Stevie' and 'The Interrupters:' We started them quietly out of Kartemquin Films, only really going to funders once we had something to show and a firm idea of what the film might be.

He has been known to frequently donate them to fundraisers. In the last few years, this one-man cottage industry has raised and donated $65,000 to a scholarship fund to a Methodist seminary in Moscow that trains new ministers.

I think when people go into something for the right reasons, you're going to get a better film; you're going to get more intimacy and a stronger foundation of trust.

Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel first championed my film, 'Hoop Dreams,' which was essential to its success. Roger remained a great supporter of my work throughout my career, and I'll never forget him tweeting about 'The Interrupters' right before its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011.

Representing the church, he has traveled to many countries in Europe, as well as Kenya, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Singapore, China, Haiti, Belize, Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Israel and Russia. He and his wife have been dedicated to helping needy people everywhere.