I pride myself on doing character-driven movies and, when my movies have worked, it's been because of the right casting and the right character, and it just clicks.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

If you do something that's really original, you discover why everybody else does it the other way, usually. There's a reason cliches exist, 'cause they work.

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.

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.

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.

Dreams of success often get in the way of actual success.

You must live a life of love to live an effective life

No matter how rudely someone treats you, remain kind. Walking away at peace with yourself is worth it.

I love writing. I've always written journals. I loved writing the book on living alone.

Choose clients as you would friends.

I always played hockey, I was always a hockey fan, but I was never bitten by the hockey bug... I never looked into playing it professionally.

The basic rule of storytelling is 'show, don't tell.

If you only talk to a person's head and not their heart people won't listen to you.

Whasthat!" "Um ... those are the toilets.

Public education rests precariously on the skill and virtue of the people at the bottom of the institutional pyramid.