The Producer's Guide: Todd Garner and the Future of Hollywood

The Velvet Steamroller herself, Denise Di Novi, joins Todd to discuss her start in the world of journalism, how she came to produce classic films like Heathers and Little Women, the string of hit movies she made with Tim Burton, how film development has drastically changed since the 80s and 90s, her foray into directing, and how Practical Magic and Catwoman found new audiences thanks to streaming!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes you have to change fields. Literally. Co-founder and CCO of Angel Studios Jeffrey Harmon shares how he took his entrepreneurial spirit from an Idaho potato farm to the digital ad space, fought off a lawsuit from Disney, and pivoted into film and TV production where he helped finance titles like Sound of Freedom, Sketch, Solo Mio, and Young Washington. Jeff shares how he developed the "Pay It Forward" model, Angel's mission statement to amplify light, and what he hopes for Angel Studios in the future.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Todd is joined by 2521's Chris Hammond (President) and Jon Walter (Co-Founder & CEO) to discuss their work and success in producing, financing, and distributing independent films, including their collaboration with Todd on RUNNER (in theaters September 11th).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Veteran producer Brad Fuller returns to the podcast with his son and partner at Platinum Dunes, Cameron Fuller. They discuss why Brad was initially reluctant to work with Cameron, what happened to change his mind, their contrasting generational perspectives, and their outlook on the future of the movie industry.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who is the town listening to? Todd is joined by founding partner of Puck and The Town podcast host Matt Belloni to discuss his start as an entertainment attorney, his award winning journalism at the Hollywood Reporter, the future of the business, and what draws him to cover the biggest stories in the movie industry.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You are invited! Legendary producer David Permut joins Todd to discuss his decades long career in Hollywood INCLUDING helping David Letterman land his first break, producing Richard Pryor: Live in Concert, discovering the script for Face/Off, and how he came to produce the Olivia Wilde directed feature, The Invite.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Veteran entertainment journalist Tatiana Siegel joins Todd to talk about her years at Variety and The Hollywood Reporter in the 2000s, why the industry’s focus shifted toward box office numbers, and why California needed its own version of the Post.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are many avenues to become a producer. Former roommates and Temple Hill Entertainment cofounders Marty Bowen & Wyck Godfrey share their trajectory of their partnership, transitioning from being an agent and a studio exec to taking a chance on a production company, why they value emotional experiences over "being smart," and their sense of optimism about the current state of Hollywood.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Love finds a way! Rebelle Media co-founders Laura Lewis and Amanda Palley join Todd to discuss their love of the rom-coms, why there is currently a void in the romance genre, how women are being underserved at the box office, why Gen Z wants more romantic comedies than previously thought, and why we need more romance writers in Hollywood!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What exactly is happening at the box office right now? Is it a fluke that these small movies are finding big audiences? Or is it a part of a MUCH bigger trend? Scott Stuber stops by to share his experience in the movie industry from his time running film production at Universal, Netflix, and now United Artists, as well as being a massively successful Producer. Plus, Todd and Scott discuss how the current box office trends might actually be part of a historically repetitive 30 year cycle.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In honor of having the #1 and #2 movies in the marketplace right now, we are re-releasing Todd's fascinating discussion with Blumhouse Productions founder & CEO , Jason Blum! They discuss Blum's discovery of Paranormal Activity, why good horror and Sundance films are more similar than you think, working for Harvey Weinstein in the 90s AND MUCH MORE!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So you want to make a movie in paradise with a huge piece of IP? Rideback Co-CEO Jonathan Eirich describes the ups and downs of the entire filmmaking process of the 2025 live-action blockbuster adaptation of Lilo & Stitch, including: the challenges of rebooting a beloved story, losing a big name director, changing courses from streaming to theatrical, casting a five-year-old as the lead during an eight month strike, and shooting with a fully CG main character in the most unpredictable conditions!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes making movies requires the perfect storm of fearlessness. Todd Lieberman joins the show for a deep dive into producing the international blockbuster THE HOUSEMAID! Lieberman shares how he optioned the book (before it was a best-seller), working with Lionsgate to bring it to life, having 32 days to shoot in the New Jersey winter, how he got Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Paul Feig on board, why he had to show up to set in a sling, and competing with Avatar at the box office!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Long-time industry producer Todd Black joins our Todd Garner to discuss the current state of the movie business, how producers can approach streaming, ways to improve the theatrical experience, and whether we should really think of streaming and theatrical as opposing forces.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oscar and Emmy nominated producer and founder of 51 Entertainment LYNETTE HOWELL TAYLOR joins Todd to describe her early days as a producer, why she loves working with actor-directors, how she became president of the Academy, producing the Oscars, the development of new award categories, and the long standing conversation around the PGA mark.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special crossover, Todd Garner sits down with veteran producer and General Meeting podcast host Becky Sloviter to talk about her upcoming film LET'S HAVE KIDS, the tough realities facing the movie business, and why producers and creatives need to keep the faith.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Todd is joined by visionary philanthropic consultant Lindsay Hadley to discuss her amazing work finding mission oriented donors and financing films and TV shows geared towards social change.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can you tell a captivating story in 2 minutes? Todd goes deep with director / producer / creative executive Kay Zhang about the exciting new entertainment sector of vertical microdramas. They'll discuss the exciting work Kay is currently doing, at DramaBox, the future of vertical entertainment, and the great lengths Kay went to in order to shoot her 2021 short film, Mother in the Mist.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer / director / producer Adam Sztykiel joins Todd to talk about his work as a sought after Hollywood script doctor, why the human experience is our most valuable IP, the emotional process of handing things off when making a movie, and how that drove him to write and direct his first feature, Let's Have Kids!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the industry headed in the right direction? Should studios keep investing in development? Are modern films less provocative? Todd is joined by his friend and legendary producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura as they inhabit their 17 year old selves and evaluate the state of the movie industry and discuss learning from public failure, the value of having good taste, why we need more "lunatics" making movies, and why executives need to rely on their young talent.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Todd is joined by leading film industry analyst and data researcher STEPHEN FOLLOWS as they dissect the data on producers per film throughout history. Yes. EVERY MOVIE EVER MADE. They'll discuss the increasing trend of producers per film, who is responsible for this, and dispel the myths of what career producers want from the industry.Check out Stephen's latest article here! And catch more of his work at StephenFollows.comAnd check out the work Todd & co are doing at Producers United! https://producersunited.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From growing up in an Italian immigrant family in Cleveland to producing some of the biggest theatrical and streaming films of all time, Angela Russo-Otstot shares how she and her brothers (Anthony and Joe) broke into Hollywood. They discuss the Russo's sanctity of collaboration, the funny origins of the AGBO name, Angela's work on Extraction with Chris Hemsworth and The Bluff with Karl Urban, and the innovative ways AGBO use technology to forecast how their films look.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Award-winning producer, Hidden Pictures founder, and failed Muppet TODD LIEBERMAN shares why heart and soul is his north star for making movies and TV shows. He'll discuss adapting beloved books and IP like The Housemaid, Beauty and the Beast, Wonder, Voltron, and Robin Hood! PLUS: Todd Lieberman shares how one of the saddest movies of all time inspired him to produce The Fighter AND Todd Garner shares how he got Queen Latifah to do Bringing Down the House!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are brands destined to become the new media studios? Sugar23 Director of Business Development JAMES CRANE joins Todd for a fascinating conversation about brand partnerships in entertainment, authentic integration, and how this avenue for capital is both relatively untapped and exploding. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There's no place like dome! Todd is joined by Hollywood veteran and Head of Sphere Studios CAROLYN BLACKWOOD as they discuss Las Vegas' latest ground breaking hi-tech immersive entertainment arena, SPHERE! Carolyn shares her journey including using "strike zones" to develop films at New Line Cinema, becoming COO of Warner Bros, the extensive R&D used to present The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, and which character she dressed up as on premiere night!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Todd chats with his dear friend and legendary, decorated songwriter, Diane Warren, about making a documentary about her life and career, why everyone "hated" her during the filming of Con Air, the last-minute hit song she wrote for Coyote Ugly, working with Kesha on her latest song "Dear Me," and why Diane truly hopes to win the Oscar this year for best song after 17 nominations without a win.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cinelytic CEO and cofounder Tobias Queisser and Todd discuss the ways that Cinelytic is using “Utility AI” to alleviate the pain points of studios, executives and financiers. From script synopses, to financial forecasting, to real time analysis for marketing and distribution teams, Todd and Tobias go deep into the overlap between science, finance, and creativity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Award winning producer Janet Yang joins Todd to shares how she defied convention. From growing up as the daughter of immigrants in Queens, to introducing classic American films to China, working with Steven Spielberg on Empire of the Sun, forging a lifelong partnership with Oliver Stone, her fight to bring Joy Luck Club to the silver screen, becoming the first Asian American President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and her push to bring more representation and inclusions to the Academy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

GET OVER HERE and check out Todd's chat with NetherRealm Studios Creative Director ED BOON! From playing arcade games as a kid in Chicago to programming pinball machines, Ed shares his journey in how he helped create and launch the iconic Mortal Kombat franchise. Ed discusses creating the original characters, the innovative game mechanics, which action movies influenced the creation of the game, and the rabid Mortal Kombat community! PLUS: Todd and Ed trade notes on their experience working together on the Mortal Kombat films!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Co-heads of indie financier Black Label Media, Molly Smith and Trent Luckinbill: discuss their work on Sicario, Only the Brave, Die My Love and La La Land; Molly's start at Alcon Entertainment; why they value being genre agnostic; getting ideas from Martin Scorsese's book club; the best time of year to release certain films; and break down WTF it means to be theatrical!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From doing stand-up in Australia to appearing on The Daily Show in the U.S. to starring in global box office hits, Ronny Chieng has done it all! Today, Ronny joins Todd to discuss his transition from law to comedy, his first meeting with Trevor Noah, what bad producing looks like, the overlap between stand-up and film production, and what it takes to succeed in the world of comedy today!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever been arrested on the first day of filming? Proximity Media cofounder and Oscar nominee Sev Ohanian almost was! In this episode, Sev joins Todd to discuss his long-time friendship and partnership with Ryan Coogler, the efforts it took to make Fruitvale Station, collaborating with Marvel Studios, and the journey to creating the blockbuster sensation Sinners. And don't miss the theatrical return of 16 time Oscar nominee, Sinners starting January 22!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you have what it takes to argue with Michael Eisner? From 20 years at Walt Disney to creating her own production company, Kristin Burr has a unique perspective on the studio executive experience as well as managing valuable IP and making movies for the all-important female audience INCLUDING Cruella, Christopher Robin, and Sweet Home Alabama.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Veteran producer / studio executive Michael Ireland shares stories and lessons learned from his time at Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Appian Way, and MTV. Michael shares how he got his start at USC, which big time movie got away from him, advocating to get Free Guy greenlit, and how the role of the studio executive has changed over time.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

87North co-founder and Bullet Train / Atomic Blonde producer Kelly McCormick chats with Todd about her "failed" start in documentaries, how a psychic predicted her Hollywood success, learning from legendary producer Scott Rudin, meeting her husband / filmmaker / partner David Leitch, and helping to bring wider recognition to the stunt community.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, Todd dives deep into the world of entertainment research and strategy with author, podcast host, and Screen Engine/ASI founder & CEO Kevin Goetz!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

$4 billion in global box office and 18 Golden Globe nominations later, Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy chat with Todd about studio leadership, betting on filmmakers, franchise building, and the future of theatrical cinema. PLUS: Their best memories on set from Garden State and Captain Phillips!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oscar winning producer / writer / director / actor and Smokehouse Pictures co-founder Grant Heslov discusses his lifelong friendship with George Clooney - actors, managers, and investors being labeled as producers - the ONE film he ever received sole producer credit on - and the need to make producing credit more valuable. PLUS: Todd shares stories about O Brother Where Art Thou and George Clooney on the set of Batman & Robin!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Actor / comedian / influencer KING BACH shares how he parlayed making viral online videos into starring in hit films and TV series. PLUS, how he's used audience data to inform his career strategy, how the movie studios value “social media,” will AI eventually replace actors, and the value in studying EVERY part of the filmmaking process!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you transform the cultural landscape? Just ask the legendary Stacey Sher! In this episode, Todd chats with Stacey about getting her start in music videos (specifically the "We're Not Gonna Take It" music video), founding Jersey Films with Danny DeVito and Michael Shamberg, producing the likes of Pulp Fiction, The Fisher King, and Gattaca, the importance of community, doing what's best for your movie, and the importance of taking big swings as a Producer.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Producer / consultant / data researcher STEPHEN FOLLOWS joins Todd for an in depth conversation about the correlation between the quality and profitability of movies and how many producers "worked" on them.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Find an artist you trust and jump off the building with them. In our ongoing exploration of faith over fear, legendary agent and WME Senior Partner Robert Newman joins Todd to talk about how he came to represent the likes of Danny Boyle, Alfonso Cuaron, Guillermo del Toro, Baz Luhrmann, and M Night Shyamalan, what informs his taste, and the path forward is for producers in the industry.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In honor of AFM this week, we want to celebrate independent cinema by releasing three episodes with expert filmmakers and storytellers.Veteran indie producer Tom Butterfield joins Todd to discuss the ins and outs of international filmmaking including sales, distribution, global markets, government rebates, financiers (and who you should actually trust), and how the world is changing.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In honor of AFM this week, we want to celebrate independent cinema by releasing three episodes with expert filmmakers and storytellers.Sometimes you have to believe in the little green chutes of possibility. Mockingbird Pictures partners Bonnie Curtis & Julie Lynn share what brought them together, Julie's career as an independent producer, Bonnie's time working with Steven Spielberg, how they struck an overall deal with Skydance Media, AND an incredible Best Day on Set story about the making of Saving Private Ryan!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In honor of AFM this week, we want to celebrate independent cinema by releasing three episodes with expert filmmakers and storytellers.What is your ministry as a filmmaker? Stephen Love shares his inspiring and entrepreneurial journey from farm life in South Carolina, making short films as a kid, the support he got from Spike Lee while at Morehouse College, getting into USC's Peter Stark producing program, walking the red carpet with Nas, and all the hustle along the way.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tim Burton doesn't do TV... or so everyone said. So Al Gough and Miles Millar used their entrepreneurial producing skills and proved everyone wrong! Today Al and Miles share their journey from USC to becoming show-runner producers on Smallville, to the twists and turns of acquiring The Addams Family IP and creating the hit Netflix show, WEDNESDAY! PLUS: Why all eight episodes in a season HAVE to be good and the importance of finding your voice to create your own projects!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oscar winning producer of Everything Everywhere All At Once JONATHAN WANG joins Todd to address the challenges posed by AI to the movie industry, the differences between what it promises to do and what it can do, and the path forward for producers and storytellers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the quest for billion dollar profits ruining Hollywood? Beloved friend of the podcast Billy Ray returns to discuss the economic climate of Hollywood INCLUDING the aftermath of the strikes, studio consolidations, and the potential threats posed by AI.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Todd Save America! HE'S BACK! And ready to tackle the big issues facing the modern movie industry. Today, our veteran guide Todd Garner is joined by AFI Discipline Head and producer of It Follows and I'll See You In My Dreams, REBECCA GREEN, to address the age old question... what exactly does a producer DO?!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we proudly launch Strike Talk with Billy Ray and Todd Garner, a weekly podcast dedicated to dissecting the issues that caused talks to break off between the WGA and the AMPT.  Learn more here: https://deadline.com/2023/05/strike-talk-podcast-billy-ray-todd-garner-deadline-week-1-1235356688/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.