Perfectly Mentored with Jason Portnoy EP70: Doug Ellin: The Mind Behind Entourage Talks Creativity and Criticism
Who's sitting behind the camera on your favorite shows? The Internet is obsessed with actors, but there's a wealth of information, imagination and valuable insight locked in the creative minds responsible for your latest binge-watch.
Doug Ellin is an American screenwriter and film and TV director best known for creating the HBO series Entourage. Ellin also served as executive producer, director, head writer and supporting actor for the series, and wrote, directed and produced its 2015 film adaptation.
On this episode of the Perfectly Mentored Podcast, Doug and Jason jam on the evolution of Entourage into an incredible hit show, how the reaction to art changes as society does, and the impact of streaming services and social media on a screenwriter's work.
Topics Covered:
- Who is Doug Ellin? [00:15]
- How did you get started in film and TV? [00:56]
- Did you like the idea of Entourage from the beginning? [03:02]
- Does perfectionism play a part in writing a hit show? [05:32]
- How did you assemble the Entourage cast? [07:15]
- When did you know the show would be a hit? [11:06]
- You said writing Entourage was like torture - why? [11:54]
- Do you watch the finished show? [12:47]
- Would Entourage ever get made if it were pitched today? [13:47]
- What are your thoughts on the way culture is changing and what currently offends people? [17:20]
- Were you nervous about the Entourage movie being made? [18:27]
- Does criticism ever get to you, and do you read reviews? [19:53]
- Is it easier to write jokes than to tell them? [20:56]
- What inspired your focus on the characters as you wrote? [21:33]
- How long was it before you got big stars to do cameos on the show and who was the most surprising? [22:56]
- Who goes out and makes the endorsement deals for products that show up on Entourage? How is that handled? [24:18]
- What was the process like for getting U2 to make an appearance? [26:00]
- How do you stay creative after years and years of writing? [28:09]
- What is life like post-Entourage? [28:47]
- How has pitching changed in the age of streaming? [30:13]
- Why do you think movie actors are flocking to TV now instead of the reverse? [33:17]
- How is social media changing the game and influencing our idea of celebrity? [34:24]
- What's next for you? [36:00]
Connect with Doug Ellin
Connect with Jason Portnoy
Like the episode? Come visit us on Apple Podcasts - don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! We appreciate your feedback and would love for you to help spread the word!