Director Steven Soderbergh is no stranger to the whistleblower film. In 2000 his Erin Brockovich was a critical hit and secured Julia Roberts' place in Oscar speech history.

The Informant!, Soderbergh's latest film, is about another real-life whistleblower, Mark Whitacre, but the tone of this film could not differ more from that of Brockovich.

Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) was recruited by the FBI in 1992 to spy on his company, Archer Daniel Midland (ADM), which was suspected of price-fixing. But while working undercover Whitacre began to act strangely and was eventually discovered to have embezzled millions of dollars while working with the bureau on the case.

Whereas Brockovich's story was treated very much as dramatic triumph over the evil corporation, Whitacre's is treated comedically.

According to the film's screenwriter, Scott Z. Burns, comedic treatment of the scandal was always the obvious approach.

"We had a whistleblower story and we were looking for another way into the character," he explained.

"There are things that happen in the story that I don't think fit comfortably into anything but a comedy."

And here, said Soderbergh, it is not some evil corporation that is the film's antagonist, but rather Whitacre himself.

"All of the pressure that is being brought to bear on him in the film is created by him, so that I thought was an interesting set-up," he said.

The film is set in the '90s and has gotten attention for its detailed recreation of the decade's style, high-waisted pants and all.

"I was actually surprised," Damon laughed when asked about his less-than-debonair Whitacre get-ups.

"It's weird to make a period piece, for me, about a time I remember really well. I remember walking into the first wardrobe fitting going 'what are they going to do with the clothes; I mean the clothes are just like they are now.' I walked in and I was like 'oh my God!' I forgot."

Melanie Lynskey, who plays Whitacre's wife Ginger, joked that it wasn't her acting, but rather her wig that did her work for her. Damon added that if Oscar history says anything, the fact that he gained weight and sported a truly ridiculous wig for the role means that he'll walk away with a best actor statuette for sure (Charlize Theron in Monster, anyone?).

Producer Gregory Jacobs said that, apart from wigs and weight-gain, what makes the film work is that Soderbergh is a director in constant flux.

"Steven never repeats himself," Jacobs explained.

"Every job is a new and interesting challenge."

Scott Bakula, who plays FBI special agent Brian Shepard in the film, adds that it's due to the simple fact that Soderbergh knows what he wants.

"Steven works in such an unusual way compared to the directors I've worked with in the business in that he wants to be there, working hard, and not beat it to death," he said.

"He's interested in fresh, he's interested in almost rehearsal-type takes. He knows what he wants. Most directors shoot everything and figure it out later. "

Damon, who has collaborated with Soderbergh on several projects, and who is a filmmaker himself, said it's essential that Soderbergh's actors be prepared when they arrive on set. He is famous for his super-fast production of films, fulfilling most production roles himself, and often refuses to let actors take a second take.

"Anytime you make a movie it's a lie in the sense that it's a representation of life; it's not life," Soderbergh explained.

"So your goal is to try and represent it as accurately as possible. What I've found through a lot of trial and error, is that if you can create an environment in which the actor isn't loaded down with a lot of philosophy and you've given them practical things to do and there's a sense that we may only get to do this once... Because in life we don't get retakes."

The Informant! premieres at the festival tonight at the Visa Screening Room at 06:00 pm and will screen again for the public tomorrow and Tuesday, Sept. 15.