Our guest this week is Academy Award winning producer Brian Grazer. He is the co-founder of Imagine Entertainment with Ron Howard. His film credits include A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, 8 Mile, Splash, Backdraft, Liar Liar and The Da Vinci Code; His television productions include Arrested Development, Sports Night, and 24. His 2016 book “A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life” was a New York Times bestseller. His latest book, “Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection,” was released in September.
Grazer notes he prospects for ideas that have not been done before and have an authentic voice. Oftentimes, these are simple ideas that are interesting and empowering. He says his observational strength is to “lead the invention of perspective on subjects that make them cinematic and compelling.”
He explains how eye contact is the tool to be present with others, creating genuine not transactional interest, are all birthed out of human connections and interactions. Grazer has made it a point to meet someone new every month from outside of his field of business. This has led him to have a large network of people in and out of entertainment.
His favorite books are here; A transcript of our conversation is available here.
You can stream/download the full conversation, including the podcast extras on Apple iTunes, Overcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Bloomberg, and Stitcher. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here.
Next week, we speak with Nobel Laureate Robert Shiller, professor of economics at Yale, and author of a new book, Narrative Economics: How Stories Go Viral and Drive Major Economic Events.
Brian Grazer’s Authored Books
A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life by Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman
Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection by Brian Grazer
Brian Grazer’s Favorite Books
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Tao of Jeet Kune Do: New Expanded Edition by Bruce Lee
Books Mentioned by Barry
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
