WAIM Podcast #021 - Matt Berenson - Part Two

Last week, my guest Matt Berenson and I dove deep into the heroes in his book,  Secret Stars, the Greatest Underdogs Of The Rock n Roll Era. From Elliott Smith to Nick Drake to our beloved Guided By Voices, we spent the better part of an hour waxing poetic on the genius of these under-appreciated icons. 

In this episode, we take a look at Matt’s career as a film producer. From his huge hit Daddy Day Care to prestige work like Place Beyond The Pines, Berenson has seen the ups and downs of a fickle industry. 

We talk about how he arrived at this point of his career, and what it even takes to be a producer in the first place. Matt shares the necessity of risk taking in entertainment, and how it’s becoming increasingly more difficult for artists to participate in the financial successes of their own work. 

The theme of our entire conversation is buttoned beautifully in the final chapter of our chat where we discuss the English singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock and revered filmmaker Martin Scorcese as artists who have continued to make great work late into their respective careers. Some might even say, their best work. 

These are the filmmakers, writers and musicians that call out to Matt Berenson, and to me as well. The most fascinating artists are the ones who never run out of new things to tell us and new ways to convey the message. Perhaps that’s the secret to being a secret star. 

Enjoy.

Cheers,
Matty C