Home / Authors / Doug Liman Biography

Doug Liman Biography

Film director

Born on July 24, 1965, Doug Liman is a renowned film director known for his intense and visually striking films. His works, including 'Source Code', 'The Bourne Identity', and 'Déjà Vu', are celebrated for their thrilling plots and unique style.

Ifs Way Doe Reason Causes Originals Cliche

Author:Doug Liman

“At the end of the day, it's still a show about guys who ride extremely fast motorcycles for a living.”

Stills Ends Shows Guy The End Of The Day Motorcycle Bikers

Author:Doug Liman

“I'm a character-driven director, and I tend to fall in love with the characters in my movies and TV shows.”

Character Shows Fall Tvs Directors Falling In Love Driven Tv Shows

Author:Doug Liman

“To be a lone filmmaker thousands of miles from home with nobody believing in me, that seems romantic.”

Believe Home Seems Miles Filmmaker Lone

Author:Doug Liman

“I'm very interested in politics, and I feel TV is a more political medium than film.”

Feels Film Political Tvs Mediums

Author:Doug Liman

“I can't impress people with the pedigree of obscure French filmmakers that got me into film. It was Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg. I really thought I wanted to make dumb action movies.”

People I Can Action Wanted Film Dumb Filmmaker Impress Obscure Action Movie Pedigree

Author:Doug Liman

“I go into a movie sort of saying what it's not going to be.”

Author: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.”

People Ifs Thinking Want Character Action Dark Situation Dangerous Smart Definitions Hardest Endeavor Sequence Alleys Smart People Action Movie Cinematic Dangerous Situations Dark Alleys

Author:Doug Liman

“Casting is everything. I put a huge amount of work into casting, and consistently across my career, I am most proud of my bold choices I made in casting.”

Made Choices Careers Huge Amount Proud Consistently Casting

Author:Doug Liman

“The movie I end up with is the movie I aspired to make.”

Ends

Author:Doug Liman

“I realize I am contradictory: I have an independent filmmaker's sensibility and a Hollywood director's short-attention span.”

Realizing Attention Directors Hollywood Independent Filmmaker Sensibility Contradictory Attention Span Short Attention Spans

Author:Doug Liman

“It's no secret that my process is a little bit loose and can be a little bit infuriating to a studio if they don't know what they're signing up for.”

Ifs Knows Littles Bits Process Secret Little Bit Studios Signing Infuriating Signing Up

Author:Doug Liman

“I think when the United States of America put a man on the moon in 1969, that was one of the greatest accomplishments mankind has ever done.”

Thinking Men States Done America United United States Mankind Moon Accomplishment United States Of America Greatest Accomplishment

Author:Doug Liman

“It turns out that it's easier to do politics in a movie. People really don't want it in their TV.”

People Want Turns Tvs Easier

Author:Doug Liman

“I make movies for me and posterity. I'm more scared of history than I am of the studio.”

Scared Studios Posterity

Author:Doug Liman

“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.”

Way Ends Treats Track My Way Therapy Interviews Session Diaries

Author:Doug Liman

“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.”

Sound Pay Identity Foundation Bills Phones Shooting Mantras Bourne Bourne Identity

Author:Doug Liman

“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.”

Stories Type Discipline Insane Pace Efficiency Telling Stories

Author:Doug Liman

“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.”

World Way Stills Done Film Views Feet Style Independent Productions Point Of View Shooting Independent Film Jumpers

Author:Doug Liman

“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.”

Style Identity Shooting Paris Permit Damon Bourne Bourne Identity Sneaking Around

Author:Doug Liman

“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.”

People Heart Stories Shows Stuff Studios Seats Trailers

Author:Doug Liman

“I started my career wanting to make a 'James Bond' movie, and I couldn't get hired! I made 'The Bourne Identity,' and ultimately the impact of that film was that it changed the 'James Bond' franchise.”

Made Film Careers Identity Changed Impact Bourne Bond Movie James Bond Movie Bourne Identity

Author:Doug Liman

“In movies, you can basically buy the audience into the theater. If you spend enough money on visual effects, even if you are lacking in story and character, you might still pull it off.”

Ifs Stills Enough Character Stories Might Audience Effects Theater Visuals Lacking Visual Effects

Author:Doug Liman

“TV has no choice, but to rely on character, and everybody knows that. I love working in it. It's such a big canvas where, if you're successful, you go on for years.”

Ifs Knows Years Character Bigs Choices Successful Tvs Goes On Rely Canvas

Author:Doug Liman

“Once I'm in the editing room, forget about what I intended to shoot. I take a cold, hard look at what I really did shoot, and then I edit that because, if you try to edit what you intended and you missed somewhere, that will show up.”

Ifs Trying Looks Hard Shows Forget Rooms Cold Editing Edits

Author:Doug Liman

About the Author

Born: July 24, 1965
Known for: Film director
Quotes: 25

Books & Sources

Similar Authors

Robert LudlumBrowse related quotes
Donnie YenBrowse related quotes
Ava DuVernayBrowse related quotes
Matthew BourneBrowse related quotes
Billy Bob ThorntonBrowse related quotes
Chika AnaduBrowse related quotes
Martin ScorseseBrowse related quotes
Steven SpielbergBrowse related quotes
Christopher NolanBrowse related quotes
Rob LettermanBrowse related quotes

Doug Liman Biography

Related Quotes