Episode 010 Brian Koppelman

Summary

• Brian Koppelman is a writer, director, and producer of mostly films and some television.
• He has worked on films such as Rounders, Solitary Man, RunAway Jury, Oceans Thirteen, and The Illusionist.
• He also has a podcast on Grantland called “The Moment with Brian Koppelman.”
• Brian and Tim Ferriss first met before Tim started writing The 4Hour Body.
• Brian does not fit into one role, but instead threads the needle between writing, producing, and directing.
• Brian believes that what unifies his journey is always leading with his curiosity or obsession or fascination.
• Brian and his partner, David Levien, wrote the screenplay for Rounders, which was rejected by every single agency in town.
• Brian was inspired to write the screenplay for Rounders after becoming a degenerate card player and seeing the way people spoke and looked in a poker club.
• He and David met for two hours every morning, except Sundays, to write the screenplay.
• Brian Koppelman and David Levien wrote the screenplay for Rounders in two hours a day in a storage room
• They read books about poker and collected data from poker clubs to inform their writing
• They faced rejection from experts but learned to evaluate the reasons for rejection dispassionately
• They got a manager, Seth, who had sold one TV movie and was starting out in the business
• Seth got the script to a producer who gave it to someone at Miramax
• David refused to let them option it and instead made them commit to buying it for a large sum of money
• Miramax agreed and Brian and David were in business
• They worked together by outlining the story and telling it to each other
• Dave and Brian Koppelman created the movie Rounders by inventing characters and outlining every scene of the movie.
• They had a rule to stick to the outline unless they had a better idea, and they would talk it out and type it out together.
• Brian Koppelman wrote the movie Solitary Man alone, but Dave and Brian directed it together.
• They became producers by having the central idea for a movie or connecting people to one another, such as with The Illusionist.
• They acquired the short story for free, then attached actors and financial partners to make the movie.
• Despite the movie testing as high as it could and being loved by the crowds, it was rejected by every studio.
• Executives often take comfort in decisions that can't get them fired, so they pass on movies that are more risky.
• Hollywood is often trying to remake what was successful today, but this is a disruptive technology and not always successful.
• Brian Koppelman and his partner used passion and enthusiasm to get an option for a short story for free for a year and a half.
• They also had a “no shop” agreement with a floor and ceiling of percentages of the shooting budget of the film.
• Rejection can be a signal that the product is not good, but it is important to do a dispassionate evaluation to determine if the rejection is valid.
• It is a fine line between delusion and belief, and successful artists often have the same narrative.
• Brian Koppelman and Tim Ferriss discuss the power of believing in something and how it can lead to success.
• Brian recounts his experience of working with Tracy Chapman and how he was able to recognize her potential despite the experts' doubts.
• Tim shares his experience of having The 4Hour Workweek rejected 27 times before it was bought for a song.
• Brian advises Tim to write a screenplay for The 4Hour Workweek and take the risk of writing it on spec in order to have leverage and increase the chances of it being made.
• Writing an excellent screenplay is the first step to getting a movie made.
• Risking time and ego is all that is necessary to get a movie made.
• To become good at the craft, watch movies multiple times and take notes.
• Script Notes podcast by Craig Mazin and John August is a helpful resource.
• Tony Gilroy's screenplay for Michael Clayton and Paddy Chayefsky's Network are great to read.
• Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire is a great example of unconventional storytelling.
• Brian Koppelman and Tim Ferriss discuss the importance of storytelling and the need for discipline and routine in order to be successful.
• Brian Koppelman suggests free writing in the morning, based on the Morning Pages by Julia Cameron in the Artist’s Way.
• Tim Ferriss explains his own morning practice of journaling his plans for the day and observing himself as a mindfulness practice.
• Brian Koppelman states that of the 100 people he has given the book to, 7 have had books, movies, or TV shows made out of their work.
• Brian Koppelman emphasizes that creating every day is still a struggle and requires a practice to help forget the fear.
• Brian Koppelman suggests people learn more about him on Twitter @briankoppelman and his podcast The Moment with Brian Koppelman.