--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't really make movies with an…" description: "\"I don't really make movies with an intention other than asking myself, 'Do I love the character, and do I love the story?'\" — Doug Liman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/doug-liman-2533_character_i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-inten_2025075.jpg" --- # I don't really make movies with an intention other than… ![“I don't really make movies with an intention other than asking myself, 'Do I love the character, and do I love the story?'” quote by Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/doug-liman-2533_character_i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-inten_2025075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/doug-liman-2533_character_i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-inten_2025075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/doug-liman-2533_character_i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-inten_2025075.jpg) > “I don't really make movies with an intention other than asking myself, 'Do I love the character, and do I love the story?'” [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He makes movies only if he loves both the character and the story, prioritizing personal connection over commercial intent. **In simple terms:** Create only when you love the characters and story. Key Takeaway Choose projects that inspire genuine passion. Themes creativity passion authenticity choice Mood motivational reflective Type interview creative When to use this quote - film making - career decisions - personal fulfillment Key Concepts artistic integrity storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What story moves you deeply? - Do you prioritize love over profit? A Different Perspective Commercial pressures can conflict with passion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-love-454143/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Intention Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention-asking-3689343/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-character/) [Make Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-movies/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Movies Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies-intention-2913303/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [Your character is who you are. To understand yourself is to know your character. To love yourself is to love your character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-character-is-who-you-are-to-understand-yourself-is-to-know-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I love the character and if I love the story, and the character requires me to be shirtless, or if it requires me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/if-i-love-the-character-and-if-i-love-the-story-and-the-character/) [Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/) > [“Is your book interesting?' I had already formed the intention of asking her to lend it to me some day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/is-your-book-interesting-i-had-already-formed-the-intention-of-asking/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I love crying. I pick movies to go see with the intention of crying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-benavidez/i-love-crying-i-pick-movies-to-go-see-with-the-intention-of-crying/) [Joseph Benavidez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-benavidez/) > [I have been involved with theatre since I was 13. I never seriously thought I would get into movies though I had every intention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-dutta/i-have-been-involved-with-theatre-since-i-was-13-i-never-seriously/) [Lara Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-dutta/) > [I make movies for me and posterity. I'm more scared of history than I am of the studio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-make-movies-for-me-and-posterity-i-m-more-scared-of-history-than-i/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [We love movies like 'Edge of Tomorrow.' It's why we go to the movies, and it's why we make movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/we-love-movies-like-edge-of-tomorrow-it-s-why-we-go-to-the-movies-and/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I have often played the cute, girl-next-door character, who is in love with the hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranitha-subhash/i-have-often-played-the-cute-girl-next-door-character-who-is-in-love/) [Pranitha Subhash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranitha-subhash/) > [ Meryl \[Streep\] plays the me-ish character. I love Meryl. She's totally wonderful. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/meryl-streep-plays-the-me-ish-character-i-love-meryl-she-s-totally/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [It was nice to see Loki grow as a character, because of the love he found within himself, to see the good points of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-herron/it-was-nice-to-see-loki-grow-as-a-character-because-of-the-love-he/) [Kate Herron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-herron/) > [There is no cure for fictional character love, but the plus side is that it is an entirely benign disease with no bad side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/there-is-no-cure-for-fictional-character-love-but-the-plus-side-is/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The parts that I get to play are not based around the European beauty standards: They're more about character, and I love that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keala-settle/the-parts-that-i-get-to-play-are-not-based-around-the-european-beauty/) [Keala Settle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keala-settle/) > [Love is never to be judge,it is how you display your character along with the love,love never hurts ,its how you display your words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/love-is-never-to-be-judge-it-is-how-you-display-your-character-along/) [Frenchqueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenchqueen/) > [Conscience is the frame of character, and love is the covering for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/conscience-is-the-frame-of-character-and-love-is-the-covering-for-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Even in stories that I like, with a female character that I love deeply, it always feels like there's something that she has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-stevenson/even-in-stories-that-i-like-with-a-female-character-that-i-love/) [Noelle Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-stevenson/) ## More by Doug Liman > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Sometimes rules are there to save your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/sometimes-rules-are-there-to-save-your-life/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/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,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/tv-has-no-choice-but-to-rely-on-character-and-everybody-knows-that-i/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [My older brother took me to Woody Allen double features when I was still teething.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/my-older-brother-took-me-to-woody-allen-double-features-when-i-was/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Flying small airplanes is not like being on airlines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/flying-small-airplanes-is-not-like-being-on-airlines/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Given the kind of filmmaker I am, the kind of experiences I've been trying to give audiences, I was drawn to the potential of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/given-the-kind-of-filmmaker-i-am-the-kind-of-experiences-i-ve-been/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Almost anything can be justified as a style of filmmaking if it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/almost-anything-can-be-justified-as-a-style-of-filmmaking-if-it-works/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [TV is a safe place to develop real characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/tv-is-a-safe-place-to-develop-real-characters/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [The 'Bourne' franchise means the world to me. I love that Universal wants to put one out every two years. Because it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/the-bourne-franchise-means-the-world-to-me-i-love-that-universal/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [When you make a war movie, the other side has to be the enemy. You're making a war movie from the point of view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/when-you-make-a-war-movie-the-other-side-has-to-be-the-enemy-you-re/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [The more real I got on 'The Bourne Identity,' the more interesting it got. So 'Fair Game' was the chance to go a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/the-more-real-i-got-on-the-bourne-identity-the-more-interesting-it/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Amazon may be the only studio that's run by people who come out of making independent movies, real hands-on moviemaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/amazon-may-be-the-only-studio-that-s-run-by-people-who-come-out-of/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/casting-is-everything-i-put-a-huge-amount-of-work-into-casting-and/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [The movie I end up with is the movie I aspired to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/the-movie-i-end-up-with-is-the-movie-i-aspired-to-make/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) [Explore all 162 Doug Liman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't really make movies with an intention other than asking myself, 'Do I love the character, and do I love the story?'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Doug Liman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-intention-other-than-asking-myself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-intention-other-than-asking-myself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/doug-liman-2533_character_i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-inten_2025075.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/doug-liman-2533_character_i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-inten_2025075.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7c/doug-liman-2533_character_i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-inten_2025075.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't really make movies with an intention other than asking myself, 'Do I love the character, and do I…” — Doug Liman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Doug Liman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't really make movies with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-intention-other-than-asking-myself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-don-t-really-make-movies-with-an-intention-other-than-asking-myself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```