“I love working with the same group of people because you build up a shorthand. Other directors like to move around but for me it’s all about the conversations you have. If you find people you click with then it makes this job, which is hard, much easier. Your work also gets better because of the shorthand you build up.”

“90% of the job is casting both the actors and the crew and putting together a group of unbelievably talented people who can do the stuff you can’t do. I think of directing as being a good bus driver who gets all the right people on the bus, makes sure the bus stops at the right stops, that everyone has a nice ride and we all get off at the other end.”

Born to Indian and German parents, Tucker grew up in Thailand and Hong Kong, where he attended English schools, which gave him a sense of Englishness which he eventually indulged by moving there at the age of 18.  He failed to get into university, so applied to drama school but did not stay long.  He worked at various jobs, including selling advertising, and eventually went to Harrow Film School.  His first job in the media business was as a researcher on TV, but he then moved into the BBC’s trainee producer program where he learnt to do everyting.  Eventually he started producing documentaries with Andy Paterson, with whom he still works.  He made his first film with his own resources - Saint-Ex, about the author of The Little Prince.  It would be three years before Hilary and Jackie - during which time he made commercials.  He now has his own production company, working with the same team of people most of the time.  Prior to And When Did You Last See Your Father? he was due to make The Golden Compass, but left after differences with the producers. 

Both of the quotes are from the interview with  Hope Dickson Leach in Screen Daily.com