A little studying though, and it turns out this guy is quite the name in the field of animation, and is responsible for a good number of the most popular anime films known today. Considering every big movie he's done has scored beyond seven starts with IMDb, I guess he knows a thing or two about how to put out quality work.
-Give a message with deeper meaning, and practice in film making what you preach. Miyazaki has some strong opinions on society, and through his works they can be understood to variable degrees. His general idea is right: When you make a statement, make one that really means something. Not constricted by our current culture and habits and technology. Something that can transcend ages of understanding. And once you have that statement, be sure to make it present in your story. It doesn't need to be the main focus. In fact a hinted undertone is all you really need.
-Don't do what you can't do. Simple enough right? If you're not comfortable with playing guitar in front of a live audience, playing an entire show will likely not turn out pretty. Same with movies. Every artist has their limits and ultimate points to where their skillsets can take them. Animation isn't exactly a forgiving medium, and won't become any easier as you get older. This is why teamwork is also an important element to focus on. If you can't work with others, good luck trying to get any animation out within a reasonable amount of time, let alone look good.
-Old methods don't go away. We love using the latest of anything. It's our nature. If something is better and improved, it's time to toss away the old. Not so in making movies. This kind of art requires a balance of understanding if you want to make some good work. Now, hand drawing and coloring every single frame is probably not the most efficient task, so use of software and tools to help the process is of course a helpful alternative. However, it's not a good idea to entirely rely on new tech as a crutch. When you have skill in either method, your work will benefit from it, and a good blend can produce incredibly attractive results.
I find all of Miyazaki's points agreeable more or less, although I personally don't find a strong message lying under the main plot as important as stressed. Just my way of thinking though, I always like to focus on what's going on at the moment.
Once again though, we've got more testimony here that animation is one serious medium of film, and really does deserve a bit more attention and respect, which is seriously lacking in the United States. Hopefully we'll see some change in that.
So, are there any other big name animators to hear from in their experience? I'm sure there's quite a few more tips to learn.
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