The Business Behind a Blockbuster

Randy Greenberg can remember his first movie experience like it was yesterday. He watched James Bond’s Goldfinger at a drive-in movie theater from the back of his family’s car, imagining that he too was floating down a canal in Venice. It opened his eyes to the power of film and set him on his own winding journey. But the executive producer is concerned that this in-person experience will disappear with the availability of at-home streaming. Greenberg is a Daniels alumnus and accomplished Hollywood executive, working on films like the Meg and Cowboys and Aliens, among many others. He now runs the Greenberg Group and teaches college courses on the business of film. On this episode, Greenberg shares how he picks the projects he works on, the impact of AI on the film industry and why it’s crucial you get off the couch and go to the movie theater. Table of contents • Falling in love with film • Producer vs. Executive Producer vs. Director • Why business school led to a film career • Why the first 10 pages of a script are everything • Managing creative egos on set • AI as both a threat and opportunity in Hollywood production • The business importance of going to the theater • Try it, fail fast, and pivot