by

Tim Ferriss

Brian Koppelman on Making Art, Francis Ford Coppola, Building Momentum, and More (#424)

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Brian Koppelman

“A lot of growing up is learning to shift the responsibility from the other to the self.”

– Brian Koppelman

Brian Koppelman (@briankoppelman) is a screenwriter, novelist, director, producer, and host of The Moment podcast. Prior to his hit show Billions, which he co-created and executive produced (and co-wrote on spec), he was best known as the co-writer of Rounders and Ocean’s Thirteen, as well as a producer of The Illusionist and The Lucky Ones. He has also directed films, such as Solitary Man, starring Michael Douglas.

Please enjoy! 

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can find the transcript of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

#424: Brian Koppelman on Making Art, Francis Ford Coppola, Building Momentum, and More

This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was named best overall mattress of 2026 by Forbes, Wired, and Sleepopolis; best mattress for couples by Oprah Daily; and one of the most trusted brands of 2026 by USA Today. With Helix, there’s a specific mattress to meet each and every body’s unique comfort needs. Just take their quiz—only two minutes to complete—that matches your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you. They have a 10-year warranty, and you get to try it out for a hundred nights, risk-free. They’ll even pick it up from you if you don’t love it. And now, Helix is offering listeners 20% off sitewide for a limited time at HelixSleep.com/Tim.

This episode is also brought to you by “5-Bullet Friday,” my very own email newsletter, which every Friday features five bullet points of cool things I’ve found that week, including apps, books, documentaries, gadgets, albums, articles, TV shows, new hacks or tricks, and—of course—all sorts of weird stuff I’ve dug up from around the world. 

It’s free, it’s always going to be free, and you can subscribe now at tim.blog/friday.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear Brian Koppelman’s first time on the show? Listen to our conversation in which we explore how he got started, how he handles rejection, his big breaks, creative process, and much more:

#10: Brian Koppelman, co-writer/producer of Rounders, Ocean's Thirteen, The Illusionist, etc.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

  • Connect with Brian Koppelman:

Website | Podcast | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

SHOW NOTES

  • As lifelong learners, Brian and I have tried to help each other maintain momentum, not inertia, in our individual voyages of personal growth. A lot of it has to do with learning to take feedback with a professional — not personal — mindset. [04:32]
  • Brian admits he doesn’t always take feedback constructively in the moment. Here’s the question you should really ask someone when they solicit your feedback. [11:53]
  • When given honest feedback that prompts an emotional response, how does Brian keep from saying something he might later regret? [17:16]
  • We all get stuck at some point. Here’s how Brian got unstuck from one of his own struggles that may be familiar to many of us. [24:02]
  • Why it’s never a mistake to tell people to be careful with opioids — even if they have no history of addiction. [33:15]
  • To maintain the positive momentum of his own behavioral change, Brian checks in weekly with a supportive professional. What does this look like? [37:01]
  • Why Brian is glad he started his weight loss regimen 10 weeks ago rather than in the middle of self-quarantining. [41:40]
  • What led to Brian making an effort to close the gap between his public and private life, and how does he put this in practice? [43:48]
  • What is The Royale, and how can visiting theroyalebk.com help feed hungry people in New York? [48:24]
  • Is having a blue verification checkmark on Twitter really all it’s cracked up to be? [53:38]
  • Brian has always been proactive in using his craft as a vehicle for expanding his circle of friends and his circle of influences. Here’s how we became friends and the free-range serendipity that happened as a result. [54:38]
  • Brian’s favorite books and movies that showcase the messiness of the artistic process. [1:03:46]
  • Brian talks about the monologue he wrote for Vincent D’Onofrio, how it came about, the process surrounding it, and what it supports. [1:10:08]
  • When writing, how does Brian compose his first drafts? What does he tend to notice and refine on further drafts? [1:20:18]
  • COVID talk and final thoughts. [1:22:33]

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