I realize I am contradictory: I have an independent filmmaker's sensibility and a Hollywood director's short-attention span. Doug Liman More Quotes by Doug Liman More Quotes From Doug Liman I think making a great action movie is one of the hardest cinematic endeavors. By definition, smart characters avoid action. Smart people don't go down dark alleys, but if you're making an action movie and you want to have an action sequence, somehow you have to get that character into that dangerous situation. Doug Liman smart dark character That's why 'The Bourne Identity' has that sort of shaky style, because for the most part, Matt Damon and I were sneaking around Paris and shooting where we didn't have permits. Doug Liman sneaking-around paris style At the end of the day, it's still a show about guys who ride extremely fast motorcycles for a living. Doug Liman motorcycle the-end-of-the-day guy You can find truly original pieces of writing, but they're original because you go, "Who would have even have thought of that?," or, "Why would anyone ever want to go see that?" Doug Liman pieces want writing When I was shooting 'The Bourne Identity,' I had a mantra: 'How come you never see James Bond pay a phone bill?' It sounds trite, but it became the foundation of that franchise. Doug Liman shooting phones identity I had just come off doing a lot of commercials when I did Go, so a part of the fast pace and efficiency comes from the discipline I had to learn from telling stories in 25-second increments, and that type of discipline is insane. Doug Liman discipline insane pace From a production point of view, I still have one foot firmly planted in the independent film world, and much of the shooting on 'Jumper' was done 'Swingers'-style because that was the only way we could afford to do it. Doug Liman independent views feet For big Hollywood movies, I'm on the more character-driven side of the equation. So, TV is a natural place for me to be because you've got no choice, but to be character-driven. Doug Liman choices sides character In particular, I'm drawn to the stories that have big, high concepts and real characters at their heart. And I love where those two worlds meet, and 'Edge of Tomorrow' is the perfect canvas to explore that. Doug Liman real heart character When I'm working on a film, I think about how it will play with a tiny audience of friends whose opinions I respect, basically a 40-bloc radius from my apartment in Manhattan. Doug Liman manhattan play thinking What I really found was that the one similarity between Covert Affairs and Fair Game is a deep love and admiration and fascination with the home life of a spy. Doug Liman deep-love games home My own personal process with movies is to develop the characters with the actors and, when I've done that properly, you can't imagine anyone else, but that actor, playing that part. Doug Liman actors done character The thing about TV is it's a meritocracy. I love that aspect of it - and I've had shows that have gone on the air and been canceled. I've seen the good and the bad of it. Doug Liman tvs gone air The beating heart of your story that's not what shows up in a trailer. The other stuff is what shows up in a trailer, because that's what gets people in to the seats, and that's how studios make their money. Doug Liman stories heart people I probably shouldn't treat interviews as therapy sessions, but I don't keep a diary, so these end up being my way of keeping track of where I'm at and letting it all out. Doug Liman track diaries way Obviously, anyone who has seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith knows that husband and wife married spies is something that I find particularly interesting. Doug Liman wife husband interesting I make movies for me and posterity. I'm more scared of history than I am of the studio. Doug Liman posterity scared studios It turns out that it's easier to do politics in a movie. People really don't want it in their TV. Doug Liman tvs want people To be a lone filmmaker thousands of miles from home with nobody believing in me, that seems romantic. Doug Liman miles home believe There are actors who just bring an enormous amount of empathy. They just have that"it" that makes you want to follow them and root for them. Doug Liman empathy actors roots
