A Curious Mind: The Secret to Fueling Creativity and Creating a Bigger Life
Award-winning producer, creative visionary, and New York Times bestselling author Brian Grazer provides a brilliantly entertaining and eye-opening exploration of curiosity and the life-changing effects it can have on our lives and work.
Working his way up from a Warner Brother's law clerk to become a Hollywood mogul, Grazer reveals how curiosity has been the “secret” that fueled his rise, and how all of us can channel its power. Drawing on a lifetime of what Grazer calls his “curiosity conversations” with some of the most interesting people in the world-- including spies, royals, scientists, politicians, Nobel laureates, and artists-- Grazer provides a blueprint for how we can awaken our own curiosity and use it as a superpower that fuels innovation, disruptive thinking, creativity, team-building, and leadership. A skilled storyteller known for his charisma, Grazer's talk is chock-full of riveting personal anecdotes and provides actionable lessons for audiences of every industry.
Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection
Legendary Hollywood producer Brian Grazer takes audiences on a captivating journey around the world and behind the scenes of some of his most iconic movies and television shows, to reveal the life-changing ways we can connect with one another.
Much of Grazer's success comes from his ability to establish genuine connections with almost anyone. In this engaging conversation, he breaks down just how much in-person encounters have revolutionized his life—and how they have the power to change yours. With his flair for intriguing stories, Grazer reveals what he’s learned through interactions with people like Bill Gates, Taraji P. Henson, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Eminem, Prince, Spike Lee, and the Afghani rapper activist Sonita: that the secret to a bigger life lies in personal connection. In a world where our attention is too often focused downward at our devices, Grazer argues that we are missing an essential piece of the human experience. Only when we are face to face, able to look one another in the eyes, can we form the kinds of connections that expand our world views, deepen our self-awareness, and ultimately lead to our greatest achievements and most meaningful moments.
Leading Through Times of Disruption
How can we cultivate a culture of creativity, dexterity, and collaboration amid rapidly-changing times? Hollywood legend and creative visionary Brian Grazer decodes the keys to groundbreaking, innovative leadership, particularly in times of disruption. Drawing on first-hand experience working at the highest possible levels of the entertainment industry for over 30 years as every aspect of the business-- from production, to distribution-- has been disrupted, Grazer provides illuminating lessons on what it takes to lead boldly, fuel creativity, and stay culturally relevant. Infusing his remarks with brilliantly entertaining stories from his Academy and Emmy Award-winning shows and films, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at building a prolific production company, Imagine Entertainment, from the ground up, Grazer leaves audiences emboldened and with the tools they need to excel, no matter what lies around the corner.
Brian Grazer provides bold inspiration on how to lead through times of disruption
How can we cultivate a culture of creativity, dexterity, and collaboration amid rapidly-changing times? Hollywood legend and creative visionary BRIAN GRAZER decodes the keys to groundbreaking, innovative leadership, in times of uncertainty and disruption.
Behind iconic films and shows including A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Splash, 24, and Arrested Development (just to name a few), Grazer's work has been nominated for 43 Oscars and 195 Emmys. Named to TIME’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” Grazer is also the co-founder of Imagine Entertainment, which he grew, along with longtime friend and business partner Ron Howard, into one of Hollywood's most prolific and successful production companies. Heralded as a creative visionary and described by Russel Crowe in TIME as "a modern-age hunter-gatherer of information," Grazer is renowned for his uncanny prescience, curiosity, and innovative insight.
Drawing on first-hand experience working at the highest possible levels of the entertainment industry for over 30 years as every aspect of the business-- from production, to distribution-- has been disrupted, Grazer provides illuminating lessons on what it takes to lead boldly, fuel creativity, and stay culturally relevant. The #1 New York Times bestselling author of, A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life, which reveals why curiosity is our superpower and how all of us can channel it to lead bigger and more rewarding lives, as well as Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection, on the transformative power of genuine human connection, Grazer's remarks are infused with eye-opening research and empowering personal anecdotes.
Sought-out to speak everywhere from Google to Goldman Sachs, SXSW to the Aspen Institute, Grazer has helped everyone from parents to CEOs to artists to young graduates hone the mindset, philosophy, and skills needed to thrive in turbulent times. With a unique flair for telling fascinating stories, and decades of experience, Grazer leaves audiences emboldened and with the tools they need to excel, no matter what lies around the corner. His reviews from past engagements include: "Brian was absolutely incredible. Definitely a highlight of the day." (Solstice)
Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Grammy award-winning producer and New York Times bestselling author Brian Grazer has been making movies and television programs for over 30 years. His films and television shows have been nominated for 43 Oscars® and 195 Emmys and he won the Best Picture Oscar for A Beautiful Mind.
In addition to A Beautiful Mind, Grazer produced the films Pavarotti, American Gangster, 8 Mile, Liar Liar, Parenthood and Splash and the television series Empire, 24, Arrested Development and Friday Night Lights just to name a few. He also produced the documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years, which was a global hit both commercially and critically having won multiple awards including the 2017 Grammy for Best Music Film, two Emmy awards, and the Critics’ Choice award for Best Documentary.
Brian also produced several film projects including the New York Times bestseller Hillbilly Elegy; Tick, Tick…Boom!, directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda; Curious George, based on the beloved children’s character; Friday Night Lights, a biopic about Gucci Mane; as well as the documentary Rebuilding Paradise.
On the television side, Grazer is currently producing Wu-Tang: An American Saga with THE RZA and Alex Tse for Hulu, Swagger with Kevin Durant for Apple, Filthy Rich with Tate Taylor for FOX, Why Women Kill with Marc Cherry for CBS All Access, and the third installment of Genius about the legendary “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, with Clive Davis and NatGeo. The Genius anthology series is a critical success for Natgeo with Genius: Einstein garnering ten Emmy nominations in season one. The series’ second season, Genius: Picasso, received seven Emmy nominations, as well as multiple Golden Globe, Critics Choice and SAG nominations and awards.
Grazer has been honored by numerous organizations and was named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.” His book, A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life was a New York Times bestseller. Grazer’s second book Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection was released in September 2019.
Grazer met his longtime friend and business partner Ron Howard in the early 1980’s and embarked on what is now one of the longest running partnerships in Hollywood. Their collaboration began in 1985 with the hit comedies Night Shift and Splash, and in 1986 the two founded Imagine Entertainment, which they continue to run together as chairmen.