Getting creative: A conversation with comedy TV producer Simmy Kustanowitz

At most firms we talk to, creativity seems to be in short supply. One of the most difficult and elusive aspects of developing effective thought leadership, for example, is creating a distinctive point of view. But companies don’t want to have to rely on agencies for creativity—they want to get better at it themselves.

So we thought it was time to feature our colleague Simmy Kustanowitz, founder of creative consultancy Clock Tower Innovation. As an Emmy-nominated TV producer and 20-year veteran in the entertainment industry, Simmy’s livelihood has depended on being creative on the spot. His insights on the creative development process are refreshing—and surprising.

Jove: Is “creative process” a contradiction in terms? How can there be something so rational and linear as a process when it comes to creativity?

Simmy Kustanowitz: No, it’s actually not a contradiction. I’m a very big believer in creative guardrails. That if you set up the right frameworks and guardrails, you allow creativity to flow.

I'll use the analogy of a playground. It’s a creative space for kids. But nobody looks at a playground and says, “there's too much structure.”

That’s because you need the structure of slides and swings and jungle gyms to let their imaginations run wild. That's where rules come in. I've developed what I call Four Rules to Think By, frameworks that can be used to approach brainstorming and different ways to think. It's not putting creativity in a box. It's just drawing the outlines for the creative process.

The beautiful thing about creativity in general is that it's not a straight line. It's the scenic route. And often, where you think you're going is not where you end up. And where you end up is far more exciting than where you thought you were going.

But you need to set some rules first in order to give your brain the freedom to generate creative ideas.

I've been in conference rooms with people who don't view their businesses as creative. And when I introduce these rules and guardrails into our creative brainstorming sessions, I see their faces light up, I hear them talking about their business in ways that they never did before. And it's all because of these simple guardrails. They’re freeing, not paralyzing.

J: What are your Four Rules?

SK: Embracing time limits and thinking of time in a new way. Approaching numbers differently – like relying on quotas, for example. Using lists to give color to seemingly dull information. And leaning into repetition—finding something that works and then repeating it over and over again. They’re all frameworks and guardrails.

simmy kustanowitz, clock tower innovation

In terms of what we normally think of as creativity, these rules might seem counterintuitive. They involve embracing elements of the creative process that may have negative associations, but are actually very helpful.

What I've learned throughout my career is that there are ways to harness these elements and use them to your advantage, taking your creativity to a higher level. People want to think differently and free their minds. All they have to do is approach things in a slightly different way. The Four Rules help people do that.

J: Tell us about time limits.

SK: This is learning to embrace the notion of a ticking clock.

It may seem counterintuitive, because we think the creative process depends on having all the time in the world. But I’ve learned working in live television that limits are incredibly important to the creative process.

By embracing the ticking clock, you eliminate a lot of paralysis by analysis. You don't have time to sit and think about an idea over and over and over again—you have to just go with it. And often, trusting your instincts under the pressure of the clock actually takes creative to really interesting places.

So think of a time limit as an asset and not something to fear. One of my favorite quotes is from Lorne Michaels, executive producer of SNL: “We don't go on because we're ready. We go on because it's 11:30.”

J: Time constraints are almost a necessary ingredient to the creative process?

SK: Absolutely. Incredibly important. So are numbered lists of ideas.

Challenge yourself to come up with 10 ideas in 30 minutes. Approaching the creative process with that mentality trains your brain to think more efficiently. It can be surprisingly effective for people in all industries.

J: Some people will have no problem producing 10 ideas in 20 seconds, while many others will freeze up under that pressure. How do you help the person who freezes? 

SK: I start with a technique to get people comfortable with how long a minute is.

I show a clip from a commencement speech delivered by Mister Rogers, where he pauses for 60 seconds so the graduates can think for a full minute about somebody who means something to them.

When you watch the clip, that minute feels like 10 minutes. And you realize how long a minute actually is. Time is an amazing thing.

If you take that deep breath before you start brainstorming and train your brain to embrace time as opposed to fearing it, it’ll take your brainstorming to pretty amazing places.

So much of what I teach starts with that deep breath. It’s about simplicity and reassuring ourselves that we're going to figure this out.

J: How can teams get past that tough initial period when they’re facing the proverbial blank page? Or when they’re stuck on an incredibly dry topic? 

SK: That’s where lists help. There is no subject too dry to make interesting. Any industry can be made colorful and compelling, can even be made extraordinary with the right creative approach.

And one key to making something special out of something very mundane is to make laundry lists.

We rely heavily on lists on another show I produce, Impractical Jokers—an unscripted, hidden camera comedy show that takes place grocery stores in malls.

When the writers are brainstorming ideas for new segments, we’ll they’ll just brainstorm laundry lists of boring locations. The list may start with “dentist office,” “airport,” “funeral home,” “convenience store.” 

But once you have a laundry list to work from, inspiration often follows. You go down the list. Dentist office—well, that's interesting… we could do this thing or that thing in a dentist office. Suddenly you're jumping onto a new branch of that tree and it's far more interesting than it seemed at first.  

J: It gives you that first push from the resting position?  

SK: Yes. From a boring list can come something very magical. 

J: You’re a creative “fixer.” What does that mean, how useful a skill is it, and how can someone inside a firm cultivate that skill?  

SK: A creative fixer is someone who can quickly take a holistic view of a creative situation, efficiently identify the problem areas, and then calmly and effectively find solutions.

It’s like many other situations in life, and certainly in business: remaining calm is far and away the better way to go.

Just like in the business world, there is often big money at stake in these creative challenges we deal with. I find that taking a deep breath, thinking calmly and rationally and approaching creative in a relaxed, focused, and efficient way is incredibly important.

We’ll post the second half of our interview on creativity with Simmy Kustanowitz after Thanksgiving. If you’d like to reach Simmy, contact us or email him at simmy at clocktowerinnovation dot com.