As a young producer, Brian Grazer never stopped selling a mermaid movie, no matter how many times he was told no. In the end, it was his 1984 hit “Splash” that launched his career.
He wondered whether he should make 2002’s “8 Mile” with Eminem. A dinner conversation with Tom Hanks gave Glazer the confidence to pursue the Oscar-winning film.
The Imagine Entertainment chief shared stories from his early career and thoughts on the future of film and television in a wide-ranging conversation hosted by the Paley Center for Media on February 19 in Beverly Hills as part of the Paley Media Council series. Mary Parent, Chairman of Worldwide Production at Legendary Entertainment, conducted a Q&A with longtime industry insiders. (Parent, a Universal Pictures alum, reminded Glazer that her first Imagine project as a film executive was 1999’s Bowfinger.)
Glaser has enjoyed a 40-year partnership with director Ron Howard at Imagine Entertainment, and credits that longevity to his innate curiosity and desire to learn more about the world.
“This drive of curiosity is what drives a lot of the films, TV shows, and documentaries that I do. It’s this drive of curiosity that drives me to find ways to see myself reflected in every genre, every size, shape, and form,” Glaser told Parents during an evening gathering at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. “So that helped me quite a bit. It just so happens that I wake up every day and want to solve a puzzle. Movies are puzzles. Movies are like puzzles to me, and documentaries are like that. But to me, it’s like an equation. And then you assume a point of view, see if that equation works, and readjust if it doesn’t.”
The fate of a producer rises or falls depending on the strength of the material and the chosen creative partner. After decades of experience, Glaser has developed clear guidelines for himself.
“Can the idea be compressed into one sentence? Is it sexy? Is it provocative? Does it arouse curiosity? Does it energize? And to me, this is usually a character that you can root for because they’re pursuing something noble. There’s a noble goal there,” Glazer concludes, citing titles like 1991’s Backdraft and 8 Mile.
Parents asked Grazer how they are adapting to new technologies and platforms. He spoke candidly about experimenting with AI tools to facilitate brainstorming and pre-visualization development.
“It’s a very, very, very useful tool. It’s essential. It’s very helpful to me because I can collaborate with the AI. I often lie on the couch in my office, or I have it on my phone, on my chest, and we just have long conversations, and we just keep thinking ‘what if’ and building stories,” Glaser said. “And you can test them, you can model them, and it’s just spectacular. And there’s an efficiency with AI, because it’s very good at pre-production. It’s also very good at pre-visualization, which is great and very helpful. The thing I don’t want AI to do, or what anyone wants to do, is replace humans.”
Glaser and Parent compared notes on the big changes in the film and television landscape in recent years, particularly in how creative talent is rewarded for success. Changes in business relationships have taken away the possibility of jackpots that could net writers, directors, actors, producers and others huge payouts if their movies or TV shows become bona fide hits. Today, even pop culture stories aren’t tied to syndication or international licensing revenue. This is because these rights are often paid upfront by the streaming platform. Artists tend to succeed with an element of risk, Glaser argued.
“With streaming, artists are paid a flat salary. Now the salaries can be really high (but) I find it very discouraging. Artists are given the opportunity to do something weirdly special that transcends the art form itself. They’re special people. They like to bet on themselves, because most artists come from a really difficult place of being nobody, and they feel like nobody, and that’s something that doesn’t go away,” Glaser said. “So they want to be special. And to be special, you’re betting on yourself. So you have to walk across that tight high wire. And if you get through it and do well, you get a lot of money and a lot of love and a lot of appreciation. And if you don’t, you fall, but I think that’s kind of fun. That’s what really motivates you.”
