My creative partner is a writer, and he's got an executive producing credit on this film. We've made three films together and I would never underestimate the impact of a writer.

What I tried to create was a little of that energy and exuberance. About his film The Idolmaker Hackford stated: "I make films about working-class people; showbusiness is one of those things through which people can get themselves out of the lower rung of society. On July 25 2009 Hackford was elected President of the Directors Guild of America.