--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When J.J. [Abrams] called Lisa [Joy] and…" description: "\"When J.J. [Abrams] called Lisa [Joy] and myself, he pitched us this idea of, what if we turn the structure around and started with the hosts. For us, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/jonathan-nolan-6754_abram_when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myse_2937196.jpg" --- # When J.J. \[Abrams\] called Lisa \[Joy\] and myself, he… ![“When J.J. [Abrams] called Lisa [Joy] and myself, he pitched us this idea of, what if we turn the structure around and started with the hosts. For us, that gave us a way to play with everything that we're interested in, all at once. It's the ultimate playground for us because we deal with questions…” quote by Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/jonathan-nolan-6754_abram_when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myse_2937196.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/jonathan-nolan-6754_abram_when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myse_2937196.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/jonathan-nolan-6754_abram_when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myse_2937196.jpg) > “When J.J. \[Abrams\] called Lisa \[Joy\] and myself, he pitched us this idea of, what if we turn the structure around and started with the hosts. For us, that gave us a way to play with everything that we're interested in, all at once. It's the ultimate playground for us because we deal with questions about artificial intelligence, which is something I've long been fascinated by, but also human intelligence, or the lack thereof, human behavior, and interactive, immersive storytelling.” [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative projects can invert traditional structures to explore multiple interests simultaneously. **In simple terms:** Flipping formats lets ideas interconnect. Key Takeaway Experiment with unconventional formats. Themes creativity media storytelling Mood curious analytical Type inspirational strategic When to use this quote - podcast production - AI research - team brainstorming Key Concepts structure innovation Questions to Reflect On - Which format best serves your core idea? - How to balance depth and breadth? A Different Perspective Risk of losing focus when mixing too many topics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abram/) [Artificial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artificial/) [Artificial intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artificial-intelligence/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Behavior Interactive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-interactive-4360438/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Fascinated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascinated/) [Host](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/host/) [Human behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-behavior/) [Human intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-intelligence/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Idea Turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-turn-4360440/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Interactive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interactive/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Playgrounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playgrounds/) [Questions Artificial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions-artificial-4360437/) [Started Hosts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-hosts-4360439/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [What if](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-if/) ## Related quotes > [JJ Abrams is definitely a guy that when he calls, you want to answer. He's incredibly focused. When he was shooting the pilot on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-garcia/jj-abrams-is-definitely-a-guy-that-when-he-calls-you-want-to-answer/) [Jorge Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-garcia/) > [Abram, having failed in Genesis 13, comes through with flying colors in this battle of faith because he aligns himself with God, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ligon-duncan/abram-having-failed-in-genesis-13-comes-through-with-flying-colors-in/) [Ligon Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ligon-duncan/) > [“If you find that you're going through hell, keep moving. You will get to the end eventually.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-brouillette/if-you-find-that-you-re-going-through-hell-keep-moving-you-will-get/) [Kimberly Brouillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-brouillette/) > [Abrams's Advice: When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dickson/abrams-s-advice-when-eating-an-elephant-take-one-bite-at-a-time/) [Paul Dickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dickson/) > [When I first learned about Abrams and saw the types of books they were making, I knew I wanted my books to be published…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-kinney/when-i-first-learned-about-abrams-and-saw-the-types-of-books-they/) [Jeff Kinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-kinney/) > [I'm afraid the workings of J.J. Abrams' mind falls outside the predictive capacity of any coherent theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-garrett-lisi/i-m-afraid-the-workings-of-j-j-abrams-mind-falls-outside-the/) [Antony Garrett Lisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-garrett-lisi/) > [I would love to work with Guillermo del Toro and J.J. Abrams. I think they are creative geniuses that are constantly producing great work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-gubelmann/i-would-love-to-work-with-guillermo-del-toro-and-j-j-abrams-i-think/) [Fiona Gubelmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-gubelmann/) > [ J.J. Abrams and Jonah Nolan and Lisa Joy, who are brilliant people, so I knew it \[Westworld\] was going to be amazing. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-rachel-wood/j-j-abrams-and-jonah-nolan-and-lisa-joy-who-are-brilliant-people-so-i/) [Evan Rachel Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-rachel-wood/) > [I was, throughout school, in the theater program. Through elementary school, junior high, high school, and then J.J. Abrams, my closest friend in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-grunberg/i-was-throughout-school-in-the-theater-program-through-elementary/) [Greg Grunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-grunberg/) > [O father Abram, what these Christians are, Whose own hard dealing teaches them suspect The thoughts of others!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-father-abram-what-these-christians-are-whose-own-hard-dealing/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The telling of stories, like singing and praying, would seem to be an almost ceremonial act, an ancient and necessary mode of speech that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-abram/the-telling-of-stories-like-singing-and-praying-would-seem-to-be-an/) [David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-abram/) > [Only as the written text began to speak would the voices of the forest, and of the river, begin to fade. And only then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-abram/only-as-the-written-text-began-to-speak-would-the-voices-of-the/) [David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-abram/) > [I work with people like Spielberg and Abrams all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-basso/i-work-with-people-like-spielberg-and-abrams-all-the-time/) [Gabriel Basso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-basso/) > [Because of 'Lost,' particularly, J.J. Abrams's fans are all over his stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-eldard/because-of-lost-particularly-j-j-abrams-s-fans-are-all-over-his-stuff/) [Ron Eldard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-eldard/) > [Quality. That's the first word, the one word that comes to mind when I think of the books published by Abrams. In a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/quality-that-s-the-first-word-the-one-word-that-comes-to-mind-when-i/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) ## More by Jonathan Nolan > [TV is, as I'm discovering now, a marathon. You have to keep going and going and going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/tv-is-as-i-m-discovering-now-a-marathon-you-have-to-keep-going-and/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [You know, we certainly have a great budget on the show, but the expansions to world of the show really arise because, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/you-know-we-certainly-have-a-great-budget-on-the-show-but-the/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [“Time is theft, isn't that what they say? And time eventually convinces most of us that forgiveness is a virtue. Conveniently, cowardice and forgiveness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/time-is-theft-isn-t-that-what-they-say-and-time-eventually-convinces/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [We are the only instrument for understanding the universe. We have to ground it in human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/we-are-the-only-instrument-for-understanding-the-universe-we-have-to/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [“You will be late for your own funeral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/you-will-be-late-for-your-own-funeral/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [“If time and fear aren’t enough to dissuade people from their revenge, then there’s always authority, softly shaking its head and saying, 'We understand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/if-time-and-fear-aren-t-enough-to-dissuade-people-from-their-revenge/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [You're different. You're more perfect. Time is three things for most people, but for you, for us, just one. A singularity. One moment. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/you-re-different-you-re-more-perfect-time-is-three-things-for-most/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [Television is very different than working on film. With films, you get to develop a set of characters, and then, at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/television-is-very-different-than-working-on-film-with-films-you-get/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [Every man is a mob, a chain gang of idiots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/every-man-is-a-mob-a-chain-gang-of-idiots/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [You'd have a quality insurance department, where they're making sure there aren't any glitches or weird things, and that the guests have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/you-d-have-a-quality-insurance-department-where-they-re-making-sure/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [Time is an absurdity. An abstraction. The only thing that matters is this moment. This moment a million times over. You have to trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/time-is-an-absurdity-an-abstraction-the-only-thing-that-matters-is/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [I believe we should be good custodians of the Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/i-believe-we-should-be-good-custodians-of-the-earth/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [Wormholes are a gravitational phenomena. Or imaginary gravitational phenomena, as the case may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/wormholes-are-a-gravitational-phenomena-or-imaginary-gravitational/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [ We're gonna play a little bit of a game here \[Person of Interest movie\]. Greg and I felt like we had responsibility when we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/we-re-gonna-play-a-little-bit-of-a-game-here-person-of-interest-movie/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [It can be easy for an actor to go "Well I really have to do a lot" and then just saying "I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/it-can-be-easy-for-an-actor-to-go-well-i-really-have-to-do-a-lot-and/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) [Explore all 97 Jonathan Nolan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) ## More Abram quotes > [JJ Abrams is definitely a guy that when he calls, you want to answer. He's incredibly focused. When he was shooting the pilot on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-garcia/jj-abrams-is-definitely-a-guy-that-when-he-calls-you-want-to-answer/) [Jorge Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-garcia/) > [Because of 'Lost,' particularly, J.J. Abrams's fans are all over his stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-eldard/because-of-lost-particularly-j-j-abrams-s-fans-are-all-over-his-stuff/) [Ron Eldard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-eldard/) > [I work with people like Spielberg and Abrams all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-basso/i-work-with-people-like-spielberg-and-abrams-all-the-time/) [Gabriel Basso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-basso/) > [Only as the written text began to speak would the voices of the forest, and of the river, begin to fade. And only then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-abram/only-as-the-written-text-began-to-speak-would-the-voices-of-the/) [David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-abram/) > [The telling of stories, like singing and praying, would seem to be an almost ceremonial act, an ancient and necessary mode of speech that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-abram/the-telling-of-stories-like-singing-and-praying-would-seem-to-be-an/) [David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-abram/) > [O father Abram, what these Christians are, Whose own hard dealing teaches them suspect The thoughts of others!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-father-abram-what-these-christians-are-whose-own-hard-dealing/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I was, throughout school, in the theater program. Through elementary school, junior high, high school, and then J.J. Abrams, my closest friend in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-grunberg/i-was-throughout-school-in-the-theater-program-through-elementary/) [Greg Grunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-grunberg/) > [ J.J. Abrams and Jonah Nolan and Lisa Joy, who are brilliant people, so I knew it \[Westworld\] was going to be amazing. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-rachel-wood/j-j-abrams-and-jonah-nolan-and-lisa-joy-who-are-brilliant-people-so-i/) [Evan Rachel Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-rachel-wood/) > [I would love to work with Guillermo del Toro and J.J. Abrams. I think they are creative geniuses that are constantly producing great work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-gubelmann/i-would-love-to-work-with-guillermo-del-toro-and-j-j-abrams-i-think/) [Fiona Gubelmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-gubelmann/) > [I'm afraid the workings of J.J. Abrams' mind falls outside the predictive capacity of any coherent theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-garrett-lisi/i-m-afraid-the-workings-of-j-j-abrams-mind-falls-outside-the/) [Antony Garrett Lisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-garrett-lisi/) > [When I first learned about Abrams and saw the types of books they were making, I knew I wanted my books to be published…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-kinney/when-i-first-learned-about-abrams-and-saw-the-types-of-books-they/) [Jeff Kinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-kinney/) > [Abrams's Advice: When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dickson/abrams-s-advice-when-eating-an-elephant-take-one-bite-at-a-time/) [Paul Dickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dickson/) > [“If you find that you're going through hell, keep moving. You will get to the end eventually.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-brouillette/if-you-find-that-you-re-going-through-hell-keep-moving-you-will-get/) [Kimberly Brouillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-brouillette/) > [Abram, having failed in Genesis 13, comes through with flying colors in this battle of faith because he aligns himself with God, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ligon-duncan/abram-having-failed-in-genesis-13-comes-through-with-flying-colors-in/) [Ligon Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ligon-duncan/) > [Quality. That's the first word, the one word that comes to mind when I think of the books published by Abrams. In a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/quality-that-s-the-first-word-the-one-word-that-comes-to-mind-when-i/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) [Browse all 26 Abram quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abram/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When J.J. [Abrams] called Lisa [Joy] and myself, he pitched us this idea of, what if we turn the structure around and started with the hosts. For us, that gave us a way to play with everything that we're interested in, all at once. It's the ultimate playground for us because we deal with questions about artificial intelligence, which is something I've long been fascinated by, but also human intelligence, or the lack thereof, human behavior, and interactive, immersive storytelling.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Nolan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myself-he-pitched-us-this-idea-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abram" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myself-he-pitched-us-this-idea-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/jonathan-nolan-6754_abram_when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myse_2937196.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/jonathan-nolan-6754_abram_when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myse_2937196.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/jonathan-nolan-6754_abram_when-j-j-abrams-called-lisa-joy-and-myse_2937196.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When J.J. 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