Steven Spielberg

He uses powerful flashlights in dark scenes (Jurassic Park (1993); Il mondo perduto - Jurassic Park (1997) and E.T. - L'extra-terrestre (1982)). The outline of the beam is often made visible through dust, mist, or fog.
He frequently uses music by John Williams.
He often shows shooting stars (Lo squalo (1975)).
He often shows performers staring, usually at something off-camera.
He often uses images of the sun (I predatori dell'arca perduta (1981), Il colore viola (1985), L'impero del sole (1987), Salvate il soldato Ryan (1998)).

He once screened Lawrence d'Arabia (1962) with director David Lean, who gave Spielberg a "live director's commentary", as Spielberg put it. Spielberg said that it was one of the best moments of his life, learning from a true master. Consequently, Spielberg stated that it helped him make better pictures and that commentary directly influenced every movie he has made since.
When asked what are the films he's made he would like to be remembered for, he said E.T. - L'extra-terrestre (1982) and Schindler's List (1993).
He is a fan of video games and says that their development is intriguing to him.
He was directing a childbirth scene when he received a call that Amy Irving was giving birth to their son Max Spielberg.
When Spielberg received his undergraduate degree (about 35 years after he had first entered college), the orchestra played the theme from the "Indiana Jones" series of films as he walked up to and across the stage.

I think that the Internet is going to effect the most profound change on the entertainment industries combined. And we're all gonna be tuning into the most popular Internet show in the world, which will be coming from some place in Des Moines. We're all gonna lose our jobs. We're all gonna be on the Internet trying to find an audience.
Once a month the sky falls on my head, I come to and I see another movie I want to make.
[on winning the Best Director Oscar for Salvate il soldato Ryan (1998)]: Am I allowed to say I really wanted this?
Before I go off and direct a movie I always look at 4 films. They tend to be: I sette samurai (1954), Lawrence d'Arabia (1962), La vita è meravigliosa (1946) and Sentieri selvaggi (1956).
[on friend Joan Crawford]: She is five feet four, but she looks six feet on the screen. In a two-shot with anyone, even Gable, (Clark Gable), your eyes fix on her. She is imperious, yet with a childlike sparkle. She is haughty, yet tender. She has no great range as an actress, yet within the range she can perform better than any of her contemporaries.