With the release of his new movie, "Jersey Girl," director and writer Kevin Smith has grown up a bit, and for the time being, ventured away from Jay and Silent Bob. In a conversation with students from across the country, Smith shared his thoughts on the new movie, as well as some insight into the status of "The Green Hornet" movie, which he is set to direct.

Q: "Jersey Girl" is different from what you usually do; were you worried that you might lose your core group of fans?

A: I figured I might lose some of the 13 -, 14-year-old boys who were big Jay and Silent Bob fans. I knew there was a certain section that won't dig it because nobody is running around going "cocksmoker" and "snoogins," but I felt pretty good about everyone else.

Q: How has your recent family life inspired you to make "Jersey Girl"?

A: Each movie kind of acts as a snapshot of what's going on in my life or going on in my head at any given point when I make the flick. So I got married and I had a kid and obviously that was on my mind at the time.

Q: What kind of experience was making "Jersey Girl" compared to other films?

A: I certainly couldn't smoke as much on set as I usually do because there was a 7-year-old kid around. I also couldn't swear as much as I usually do.

Q: Why did you decide to end the Jay and Silent Bob saga?

A: It was twofold: I really wanted to see if I could make a movie that stood on its own. "Clerks" is the only movie I made that didn't lean on a movie that had come before it. I wanted to see if I could work without a net.

The other part of it was that (Jason) Mewes was just so knee- deep in heroin and OxyContin post-"Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" that I reached a breaking point where I said, "I can't do it anymore." But the good news is Mewes has cleaned up. (On) April 6, it will be a year since he's done drugs or even drank ÷ which is kind of huge.

Q: Are you intimidated with filming "The Green Hornet"?

A: Absolutely, it's a bigger movie than I've ever done before. It's a tent-pole movie for Miramax, so they want it to do really well and kick off a franchise. So it's definitely a little scary. But nothing worthwhile is easy, right?

Q: Who do you have in mind for the Green Hornet and Kato?

A: For the Green Hornet, it's too early to say. For Kato, I'm kind of leaning towards Jet Li. But the movie is structured in such a way that there might be room for more than one Kato.

Q: What is something that you know now that you wish you knew then that would have made it easier when starting out as an independent filmmaker?

A: It's kind of lame advice, but don't try to figure out what's marketable. Don't try to figure out what's commercial; just make the movie you want to make because chances are it's going to be interesting because it's your voice. Nobody else can tell your story.

Q: What are your thoughts on "Jersey Girl" being the first movie using your name as a selling point?

A: I don't feel comfortable doing that. For me, a film is a collective effort by a bunch of people on the crew and cast to pull the story together. It's a real collaborative medium. I was more upset that they marketed it as a "new comedy." It's funny, but I don't know that I'd necessarily call it a comedy.

Q: Do you ever plan to make a serious drama that could be Oscar-caliber?

A: I'm never going to make an awards movie. That shit's nice to win, but I'm not the kind of guy they give it to. I like making the movies that I like to make. If something winds up being liked by the Academy, great. In terms of making a drama, I don't know if I have it in me. I'm still too much of a chicken shit to make a movie where I don't rely on humor a little bit.