Podcast Summary: The Journal – "Ron Howard and Brian Grazer on Longevity in Hollywood"

Release Date: June 1, 2025

Hosts: Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza
Guests: Legendary Director Ron Howard and Producer Brian Grazer
Production: The Wall Street Journal & Gimlet, co-produced by Spotify and The Wall Street Journal

1. Introduction

[00:05] Jessica Mendoza
Jessica Mendoza opens the episode from the Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything festival, highlighting the live recording in front of an audience. She introduces Hollywood reporter Ben Fritz, who engages in a conversation with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, the acclaimed duo behind Imagine Entertainment. Mendoza invites listeners to watch the interview on Spotify.

2. The Partnership of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer

[00:39] Ben Fritz
Ben Fritz sets the stage by detailing the long-standing careers of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer in Hollywood. He notes Howard's beginnings as a child actor in the 1960s and their early collaboration on the 1984 Tom Hanks classic, Splash.

[00:54] Ron Howard
Reflecting on Splash, Howard shares a memorable quote:
"All my life I've been waiting for someone. And when I find her, she's." [00:54]

[01:00] Brian Grazer
Grazer humorously completes Howard's thought:
"She's a fish." [01:00]

[01:13] Ron Howard
Commenting on their work on A Beautiful Mind, Howard emphasizes the artistic process:
"This isn't math. You can't come up with a formula to change the way you experience the world. All I have to do is apply my mind." [01:13]

[03:25] Brian Grazer
Grazer delves into the longevity of their partnership:
"Live from the Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything... Please join me in welcoming Ron Howard and Brian Grazer." [02:20]

3. Sustaining a 40-Year Partnership

[03:25] Brian Grazer
Grazer addresses the rarity of their four-decade-long collaboration:
"Very, very few creative partnerships last that long. Why do you think you've never gotten sick of each other? And why do you think working together still adds value for each of you?" [03:25]

[03:39] Ron Howard
Howard attributes their sustained partnership to mutual trust and aligned creative visions:
"We access on similar taste in terms of what he thinks is quality... it's basically just trust in each other's creative judgment, work ethic." [03:39]

[05:01] Brian Grazer
Grazer emphasizes honesty and understanding between them:
"Do tell each other the truth... we really know how to read the nuances of each other's statements and even body language." [05:01]

4. Navigating Industry Disruptions

[05:51] Brian Grazer
Discussing technological and market disruptions, Grazer inquires about the most and least impactful changes in entertainment:
"Which of those disruptions do you think were sort of the most consequential changes to entertainment? And which ones were kind of blips that didn't matter as much as we may have thought." [05:51]

[06:11] Brian Grazer
He recounts a past panel discussion on emerging technologies:
"It was some new hardware... aren't you just glad we're software?" [06:24]

[06:36] Ron Howard
Howard highlights their adaptability as content providers:
"We're content providers and we make movies and, or television or documentaries... we do all of that and television as well." [06:36]

[07:06] Ron Howard
Reflecting on the evolution of television and film, Howard notes:
"Television pioneered a way of experiencing stories... Once we succeeded at movies, I really wanted to go back to television." [07:06]

5. Embracing and Adapting to Distribution Changes

[08:24] Brian Grazer
Grazer discusses the shift in content distribution and its impact on storytelling:
"Where are people seeing it, how are they seeing it? And that certainly influences us because we have to decide what kind of how to tell a story and how do we expect it to be seen." [08:24]

[08:55] Brian Grazer
He shares his perspective as a filmmaker regarding various viewing platforms:
"As a filmmaker, yes, of course I want the maximum number of people to see it... I'm pretty philosophical about it. I'm pretty... To this date, I'd say I'm agnostic." [08:55]

[09:50] Ron Howard
Howard expresses a practical approach to distribution preferences:
"I don't care how people see it. I don't want to. I can't regulate how people see things." [09:50]

[10:27] Brian Grazer
Discussing the release strategy for Thirteen Lives, Grazer reveals:
"It doesn't top line big stars... I don't know if they'll pay for that movie." [10:30]

[11:32] Ron Howard
Highlighting the importance of momentum in the industry:
"Creativity stagnates if it doesn't have momentum." [11:32]

6. The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Filmmaking

[11:35] Brian Grazer
Introducing the topic of AI, Grazer asks about its current and future role:
"What are you doing with AI right now? And what do you think will be its future for filmmaking and TV production and everything?" [11:35]

[11:59] Ron Howard
Howard discusses the practical uses of AI in production and creative processes:
"We use it in all different forms... I might get an outline of what I would like to see... someone has to have the artistic finesse to write it to actually ignite real emotion in human beings." [11:59]

[13:13] Ron Howard
Addressing concerns about AI and job loss, Howard maintains optimism:
"It can't... Nobody can point to where AI could produce soul or life essence." [13:13]

[14:34] Brian Grazer
Grazer reflects on the changing economic landscape, referencing past successes and current challenges:
"Those were pretty good credit." [14:34]

7. Evolving Economics of Imagine Entertainment

[15:10] Ron Howard
Howard shares insights into Imagine Entertainment's current production slate:
"We're now currently in production on five movies... it produces real money." [15:10]

[15:34] Brian Grazer
Grazer elaborates on the company's diversification and collaboration with brands:
"We're dealing with brand narratives and themes within and... It's broadened what we're capable of doing." [15:34]

[16:23] Ron Howard
Howard highlights their talent-spotting prowess and ongoing projects:
"We like to do things with... working with young and diverse talent like Sydney Sweeney." [16:23]

8. Big Tech's Influence on Hollywood

[18:06] Brian Grazer
Transitioning to the impact of big tech, Grazer discusses partnerships with streaming giants:
"Anybody that comes in and fuels the market is a plus for a company like ours." [18:06]

[18:32] Ron Howard
Howard emphasizes the importance of aligning stories with the right distribution platforms:
"It's about aligning the appropriate story with the right home, the right partnership creatively and from a business standpoint as well." [18:32]

9. Future of Imagine Entertainment

[19:53] Brian Grazer
Grazer addresses future plans, including outside investments and the potential legacy of Imagine Entertainment:
"We want to just grow Imagine. And so we're having a great time." [19:53]

[20:15] Brian Grazer & Ron Howard
In a lighthearted exchange, they confirm that Imagine Entertainment is not for sale:
"Not today." [21:45]

10. Audience Q&A: Lightning Round

[21:37] Brian Grazer
Grazer initiates a rapid-fire Q&A with audience questions.

• YouTube and TikTok: Good or Bad?

  [21:56] Ron Howard:
  "YouTube's amazing."
  [21:59]

• Most Unfairly Maligned Project

  [22:09] Ron Howard:
  "There's so many." [22:09]

• Reviving or Rebooting a Project

  [22:34] Ron Howard:
  "I like the idea of doing Sports Night again today... we're doing the Burbs as a TV series." [22:34]

Audience Questions:

1. Caroline Koster from Brooklyn:
   "We are so polarized in America right now... what stories do you have that could help bring people together?" [22:56]

   Brian Grazer:
   "There's conflict in that, and in conflict, there's drama and entertainment value... we're all more alike than we are different." [23:23]

2. Hannah Darley from Cambridge:
   "How do you strike the heart note with your audience and resonate deeply in your storytelling?" [23:57]

   Ron Howard:
   "I try to have a story that I think will be relatable... There's the external part of a story, and then there's the internal part. The internal part is... the heartbeat or the soul of what that is." [24:26]

   Brian Grazer:
   "I choose the idea with my own heart and mind and belief... always searching for that relationship, that connection." [25:08]

Conclusion

[25:56] Brian Grazer
Grazer wraps up the discussion, expressing gratitude to Ron Howard and Brian Grazer for their insights. Both guests reciprocate the thanks, highlighting the engaging and enjoyable conversation.

[26:04] Ron Howard & Brian Grazer
Final remarks of appreciation and farewell.
"Fun." [26:04]

[26:09] Jessica Mendoza
Mendoza concludes the episode, thanking Kelly Clark and the audience, and inviting listeners to join the next episode.
"See you tomorrow." [26:09]

Key Takeaways:

• Longevity of Partnership: Trust, aligned creative visions, and mutual respect have sustained Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's 40-year collaboration.

• Adaptability to Disruptions: Imagine Entertainment has navigated numerous industry changes by embracing new technologies and distribution methods while maintaining a focus on storytelling.

• Artificial Intelligence in Filmmaking: AI is utilized for production efficiencies and creative brainstorming, but the essence and soul of storytelling remain irreplaceable by technology.

• Economic Evolution: The shift from lucrative DVD revenues to diversified income streams, including branded content and strategic partnerships, has redefined Imagine Entertainment's business model.

• Big Tech's Role: Collaborations with streaming giants have been beneficial, allowing Imagine to align stories with appropriate platforms and reach broader audiences.

• Future Outlook: Imagine Entertainment aims to continue growing, fostering new talent, and maintaining its legacy beyond the current leadership.

Notable Quotes:

• Ron Howard on Trust:
  "It's basically just trust in each other's creative judgment, work ethic." [03:39]

• Brian Grazer on Storytelling and Conflict:
  "We're all more alike than we are different." [23:52]

• Ron Howard on AI's Limitations:
  "Nobody can point to where AI could produce soul or life essence." [13:23]

This episode offers an in-depth exploration of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's enduring partnership, their strategic navigation through an evolving entertainment landscape, and their perspectives on emerging technologies and industry challenges. Their insights provide valuable lessons for aspiring filmmakers, producers, and anyone interested in the dynamics of Hollywood's ever-changing ecosystem.