pɚsˈuːɪŋ ɐ kɚɹˈɪɹ ɪn ˈæktɪŋ, hiː ɐtˈɛndᵻd ðə pɚfˈɔːɹmɪŋ ˈɑːɹts pɹˈoʊɡɹæm æt jˈeɪl jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾɪŋ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi nˈaɪn; dˈʊɹɹɪŋ hɪz tˈaɪm ðˈɛɹ, hiː bɪkˌeɪm ˈɪntɹɛstᵻd ɪn dᵻɹˈɛktɪŋ ænd sˈʌbsᵻkwəntli mˈuːvd tə lˌɑːs ˈændʒəlɪs tə stˈʌdi fˈɪlm dᵻɹˈɛktɪŋ.
Pursuing a career in acting, he attended the performing arts program at Yale University, graduating in 1989; during his time there, he became interested in directing and subsequently moved to Los Angeles to study film directing.