a16z Podcast: For the Billions of Creatives Out There

Mar 16, 2019

Guest

Brian Koppelman

Guest

Marc Andreessen

Brian Koppelman, co-showrunner of 'Billions' and writer behind classics like 'Rounders,' joins Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz. They dive into the art of showrunning and its parallels with leading startups, emphasizing the importance of creative ownership and managing relationships. Koppelman shares insights into navigating creative challenges in film and TV, while Andreessen discusses the evolving dynamics of storytelling in the digital age. They also touch on the benefits of meditation for clarity and emotional balance in the creative process.

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ANECDOTE

Rounders' Journey

Brian Koppelman and David Levien's first project, Rounders, faced initial rejection but gained a cult following.
Despite not being a box office hit, it sparked passionate discussions years later, proving the value of personal creative bets.

ADVICE

Value of Unsolicited Work

Reject the adage "never write for free."
Prioritize doing the work and trusting that rewards will follow, even if delayed, over immediate payment.

ADVICE

Intrinsic Motivation over External Validation

Focus on the intrinsic rewards of creative work itself.
Find what truly motivates you and pursue it rigorously, rather than solely focusing on external validation.

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with Brian Koppelman (@briankoppelman), Marc Andreessen (@pmarca), and Sonal Chokshi (@smc90)

The writer-showrunner is a relatively new phenomenon in TV, as opposed to film, which is still a director-driven enterprise. But what does it mean, as both a creative and a leader, to “showrun” something, whether a TV show… or a startup? Turns out, there are a lot of parallels with the rise of the showrunner and the rise of founder-CEOs, all working (or partnering) within legacy systems. But in the day to day details, really “owning” and showunning something — while also having others participate in it and help bring it to life — involves doing the work, both inside and out.

This special, almost-crossover episode of the a16z Podcast features Billions co-showrunner Brian Koppelman — who also co-wrote movies such as Rounders and Ocean’s 13 with his longtime creative partner David Levien — in conversation with Marc Andreessen (and Sonal Chokshi). The discussion covers everything from managing up — when it comes to executives or investors sharing their “notes” aka “feedback” on your work — to managing down, with one’s team; to managing one’s partners (or co-founders)… and especially managing yourself. How to tame those irrational emotions, that ego?

Ultimately, though, it’s all about unlocking creativity, whether in writing, coding, or other art forms. Because something surprising happened: Instead of TV going the way of music à la Napster with the advent of the internet, we’re seeing the exact opposite — a new era of “visual literature”, a “Golden Age” of television and art. Are artists apprenticing from other artists virtually, learning and figuring out the craft (with some help from the internet, mobile, TV)? And if we really are seeing “the creative explosion of all time”, what does it take to explode our own creativity in our work, to better run the shows of our lives? All this and more in this episode of the a16z Podcast… as well as some Billions behind-the-scenes (and light spoilers, alerted within!) towards the end.