As far as pacing the shoot is concerned, I know when I've got it. I don't think there's any reason to take ten takes unless you need them.
People want to know why I do this, why I write such gross stuff. I like to tell them I have the heart of a small boy... and I keep it in a jar on my desk.
So I think that if I do feel more freedom right now in my career, it's not so much because I have less at stake but more a sense that I've learned more.