The Insiders
Episode 3
The Black List with Founder & CEO Franklin Leonard
The Black List, how it was founded, and how it continues to develop are discussed with founder and CEO Franklin Leonard who explains the difference between studios and production companies along with the idea of mixing creativity with business. Leonard also talks about working with Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio, and at Universal and building an infrastructure that will allow for great projects to get made, in this episode of The Insiders hosted by Sebastian Twardosz.
Episode Breakdown
EPISODE BREAKDOWN:
00:01 Welcome to The Insiders.
00:10 Introducing Franklin Leonard.
00:30 Harvard, social studies, math, politics, and working as a business analyst.
06:00 Transitioning into Hollywood and taking a pay cut to work in the film industry.
12:00 Paramount, becoming a creative executive, finding and developing scripts, and working for Leonardo DiCaprio.
15:30 Developing a criteria for and creating the Black List.
22:10 Mirage Enterprises, and working with Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella.
24:50 Universal, working at a studio vs. a production company, and risk assessment.
28:50 Metrics of the Black List scripts, and working for Will Smith at Overbrook Entertainment.
35:10 The success of scripts that have been on the annual list and the role of the Black List.
37:30 Creating an efficient database for screenplays.
42:30 Success stories, what’s next for the Black List
48:50 Finding success as a writer through ambition, and what makes a good script?
55:00 Thanks and goodbye.
Guest Bio
Franklin Leonard is the founder of the Black List, the yearly publication highlighting Hollywood’s most popular unproduced screenplays and the startup birthed to continue its mission. Over 225 Black List scripts have been produced as feature films earning more than 175 Academy Award nominations including three of the last six Best Pictures and seven of the last fourteen screenwriting Oscars. Franklin has worked in development at Universal Pictures and the production companies of Will Smith, Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella, Leonardo DiCaprio, and John Goldwyn. Since 2010, he has been named one of Hollywood Reporter’s 35 Under 35, Black Enterprise magazine’s “40 Emerging Leaders for Our Future,” AOL Black Voices “30 Black Hollywood Game Changers,” the Wrap’s “12 Innovators Who Are Changing Hollywood,” and Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business.”
Additional Links
ADD’L LINKS:
http://thelip.tv/show/the-insiders/
More Full Episodes of The Insiders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBZOb-X9Bew&list=PLjk3H0GXhhGfdpMud9LKPglOOF-Xmq_gm&index=2
The Insiders Short Clips Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-JLqjwlw0Q&list=PLjk3H0GXhhGe9WCjQi0OOm8XgE6g0mlDf&index=2
The Lip News playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQt-K7bpRc4&list=PLjk3H0GXhhGcjJDo6cQBCQprDMQyUQY3r&index=1
CRIME TIME clips playlist -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVLDAymqhfc&list=PLjk3H0GXhhGeC9DbpSnIvd2i9BHh2dBvv&index=1
BYOD (Bring Your Own Doc) Highlight Videos-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw5WsTkHxns&index=1&list=PLjk3H0GXhhGeu2DCf6Ouo7hTsA5QB2MAL
MEDIA MAYHEM short videos playlist -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdgz5clsbdg&list=PLjk3H0GXhhGcz4un-zws5sMlCLk3NNjDP&index=1
Hosts
Comments