Doug Liman behind the camera on The Bourne Identity (2002).

Doug Liman is not afraid to take chances. He's gambled in Hollywood, using his career as collateral, and emerged victorious each time. But Liman's winning streak has nothing to do with luck. His success is owed to a hybrid philosophy of moviemaking comprised of equal parts entrepreneurial spirit and personal interest. Admittedly, he chooses projects with his heart, not always considering the professional ramifications.

Born in New York City, the allure of moviemaking took hold of Liman at a very young age. Like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, the directors he grew up idolizing, he began making short films while still a teenager. When it came time for college, though, he decided to play it safe and attend Brown University, where he earned a degree in European History. His interest in the communicative arts never subsided; Liman co-founded the school's first student-run cable television station, also working as its first station manager. Seeing that the infrastructure was already in place, he proposed partnering with other college stations to form a network that could share programming.

At the same time he was given the go-ahead (and a sizeable grant) to do just that, Liman received word that he had been accepted into the graduate program at USC's School of Cinema. They would not defer his enrollment, but Liman's responsibility to the idea that had originated with him was too great to turn his back on. Forgoing the grad school experience, he stayed on to establish the National Association of College Broadcasters. He did eventually attend USC, "but stopped following the traditional curriculum after one year because it started getting very technical and I already knew the technical."

His first film, the straight-to-video feature Getting In, didn't make much noise. But the extraordinary--and unexpected--success of Swingers, about the nightlife of a group of struggling LA actors, made instant stars of its cast, including Jon Favreau (who also wrote and produced the film), Vince Vaughn and Heather Graham (in a career-changing cameo) and secured Liman's reputation as one of the past decade's most talented young directors. With the door to Hollywood open and a slate of big-budget projects to choose from, Liman quietly declined, opting to make Go, a character-driven ensemble piece, intertwining three stories around a Christmas rave.

This summer Liman is taking on his most ambitious project to date, the $60 million spy thriller, The Bourne Identity. Based on Robert Ludlum's novel and backed by the star power of a who's who of young Hollywood players, including Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Clive Owen and Julia Stiles, the film will put Liman to the test as a director. He doesn't seem concerned. MM spoke with Liman recently about his meteoric rise, his knack for choosing budding talent and taking on The Bourne Identity.

Jennifer Wood (MM): What was the experience of making your first film, Getting In?

Doug Liman (DL): I learned to trust my instincts because when I looked back on the film, the things I was most proud of were the things I had stuck to my guns over. I wouldn't have done anything differently because learning to trust yourself is a process of trial and error.

MM: You have a knack for 'discovering' undiscovered young talent--or at least heightening their visibility. What is your attitude toward casting?

Katie Holmes and Sarah Polley in Go (1999); Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn in Swingers (1996); Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity (2002).

DL: I think of making films as an adventure and I want to work with people who see it that way, so working with new screenwriters and actors is one way of achieving that. Working with Matt Damon, I discovered that it's possible for someone to become a major star and not become jaded to the process; to be as excited by the process as if it had been his first movie. Go was a great experience because even the really seasoned actors like Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf had never worked on a production quite like that one. Go followed my Swingers style of never stopping on the set--keeping the energy going.

MM: Has there been one actor who surprised you in his/her range or ability?

DL: I could never single out a single actor because I've been fortunate to work with some of the greatest talent working today. Matt Damon and Franka Potente come to mind right now because I am reminded on an hourly basis how amazing they are--not just as actors, but as people.

MM: How surprised were you by the enormous success of Swingers?

DL: We obviously were blown away by the reception of Swingers. After all, it was just a resume film.

MM: You must have faced a number of challenges on that film, considering its $250,000 budget. Do you think that true creativity is put to the test when you're working with restraints like that?

DL: I do believe that constraints can help creativity, because it's the natural tendency of filmmakers to be inspired by the movies that came before--and that can lead to imitation. Constraints can force you to find your own voice.

MM: You worked without a DP on both Swingers and Go, opting to get behind the camera yourself. What was it like working with Oliver Wood, the cinematographer on The Bourne Identity?

DL: First of all, I was behind the camera on The Bourne Identity. Oliver was my creative partner in terms of the look and feel and style of the cinematography, but I do my best directing when I am operating the camera. On Go, I learned to trust my gaffer so there was not that much difference. The huge difference is whose name is going on the movie. With Oliver, his name was going to be on Bourne, so he was passionate about how the film looked. On Go and Swingers, there was no other passionate voice, just professionalism.

MM: Does it ever worry you that working as director and DP, there's nowhere for you to hide? That all mistakes come back to you?

DL: I like both styles. It was really comforting to have Oliver.
On the other hand, people who know me know that I don't always seek comfort--I actually like being exposed.

MM: Having so much control over your films, do you think you have a clearer idea than most directors going into the editing room?

DL: I was unrealistic in my expectation that Go and Swingers prepared me for the challenges of The Bourne Identity. Editing for me is the process of learning to trust the editor, because I do go in there with very specific ideas in my head about how my shots should go together.

MM: Today, more than ever, we're seeing a ton of sequels and remakes of older films in theaters. The Bourne Identity was made for television in the late '80s. Did you use this version of the film as a reference at all?

DL: I didn't watch the original. I saw the first 10 minutes and turned off the VCR because I could tell right away that it was
not how I wanted to adapt the book. In general, my attitude is that a director should bring something personal to the movie she or he is making. My assumption was that the target audience for TBI would barely have been born when the TV was made--that they, like me, missed it.

MM: Swingers was made on a budget of $250,000; Go was $6.5 million. TBI's reported budget is $60 million, which is quite a leap in just a few years. In a past interview I read, you talked about the possibility of making a studio movie and there being "too much time and too much money, and I would just be bored." Did you prove yourself wrong?

DL: There is no way TBI--shot in seven countries, having to speak French to be understood by my crew, having to learn how to manage two full crews simultaneously shooting two completely different scenes, working on the script every night--there was nothing boring about this.

MM: Many moviemakers see a clear distinction between 'independent' and 'Hollywood' movies. Having done both, where does your preference lie?

DL: Indie is more fun because you are alone; you are not as dependent on the whims of others. I guess i's more fun for me, because I'm a very self-sufficient guy; I like rolling up my sleeves. But I also like the opportunities that are available when a studio is behind you. I like the collaboration with the studio--I like being challenged by the studio.

MM: After the success of Swingers, you were essentially given the key to Hollywood. Yet rather than take it, you made Go, another fairly small, independent film. Were you nervous that you would be passing up opportunities that would not be presented to you again?

DL: At the end of the day, all of that is just theory. I choose my movies with my heart, not my head. MM