For writers and game makers: Danny Bilson, co-writer of The Rocketeer, former EA and THQ executive and Chair of USC Games, on 50 years in film and games.
Danny co-wrote The Rocketeer with Paul De Meo, ran The Flash for CBS in 1990, spent the 2000s running franchises at EA, then became EVP Core Games at THQ. He co-wrote Da 5 Bloods for Spike Lee. He explains why games are the harder craft, why he quit EA mid-project over a Bond game, and why the studios behind his biggest successes never invited him back.
In this conversation:
- How The Rocketeer got made: Dave Stevens' free option and Jim Cameron's tip-off
- Fixing The Sims, and demoing the first Harry Potter game to its author
- THQ, Saints Row III, Darksiders and executives who don't play
- The unannounced AAA extraction shooter he is writing now, and the two things every story needs
Watch the video version with full chapters on YouTube: https://youtu.be/S9X6Ct97UIk
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
3:20 Why sequels dominate film and games
5:17 "They don't want the old voice": locked out of The Flash and The Rocketeer
12:40 How The Rocketeer got made: Jim Cameron's tip and Dave Stevens' free option
25:23 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and the opening weekend that killed it
28:47 A card dropped on a script: EA, fixing The Sims and the franchise years
36:18 Quitting EA over the Goldfinger vs Dr. No game
41:23 Demoing the first Harry Potter game to the author in black and white
46:53 Nightfire, Judi Dench and Viggo's Elvish dictionary
56:14 The THQ years: Saints Row III, uDraw and executives who don't play
1:01:23 The unannounced AAA extraction shooter and the two things every story needs
1:07:42 Da 5 Bloods: Oliver Stone, Spike Lee and the Milius seminar
1:28:22 Write the movie you want to see the most
Connect:
Danny Bilson LinkedIn | USC School of Cinematic Arts
Pete Bell: LinkedIn | Instagram
Purpose Made is hosted by Pete Bell, gaming industry consultant and interviewer of the people who shaped the games, films, and culture you love.
Know someone who's shaped games, film, or culture? Pitch a guest: https://purposemadepodcast.co.uk/guest-pitch
The Daily Digest, daily intelligence for the people shaping the future of franchises: https://www.thedailydigest.co.uk/
Topics Covered: Danny Bilson, The Rocketeer, franchise IP, game development, screenwriting, EA, THQ, Da 5 Bloods and more.
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