Meet Matt Ferrucci | Filmmaker & Podcast Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Ferrucci and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Honestly? The biggest factor behind my success—or whatever this ride has turned into—has been learning how to be a self-starter. As an indie filmmaker, you’re basically running your own scrappy startup. You’re the CEO, CTO, head of marketing, branding, social—you’re the entire org chart. And 99% of the time, the only person you’re answering to is yourself, which can be both a blessing and a curse. But I’ve kept pushing. I’ve tried my best to stay adaptable as the industry shifts while still holding on to the reasons I got into this in the first place.

I’ve always believed in staying curious. I think that’s one of the key tenets of being an artist. The moment you think you’ve got it all figured out is the moment your work starts to get lazy. Hubris is dangerous. Curiosity keeps you sharp. And momentum is real—if you keep moving, keep creating, the next opportunity tends to show up.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started out as an actor after graduating from USC. I spent about 15 years working on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., General Hospital, and even got directed by Al Pacino in Wilde Salome, which was as surreal and cool as it sounds. But acting made me realize how little control you have over the final product. I wanted something closer to a meritocracy—where the effort you put in had a more direct impact on the result.

I was always the actor hanging around video village, asking the director questions, talking to the camera team, trying to understand the bigger picture. That curiosity led me to writing, directing, producing, and editing my own work. I taught myself how to use cameras, lenses, edit, color correct, do sound design—all of it. When people ask how I learned, I tell them I graduated from YouTube University. The tools are all out there if you want them.

I started making my own projects, which eventually led to working on the Comedy Central sketch show Triptank—a crash course in directing, writing, and delivering under pressure. Then I co-wrote and directed Companion, based on my writing partner’s experience as a sober companion for the rich and infamous. We self-funded the short, and it ended up winning festivals and getting us pitch meetings with HBO and Showtime. That only happened because we bet on ourselves and made it first.

I don’t think it’s ever easy as an artist—and even when it looks like success, it’s still not easy. But if it was easy, it’d probably be boring. I mean, who wants to skip straight to the credits? As they say, it’s the journey, not the destination. My path isn’t all that uncommon for a creative, but what’s helped me most is the ability to adapt and evolve with what the industry throws at you. You also need a kind of ridiculous—maybe even slightly delusional—belief in yourself to survive in the creative arts. But if you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else? That belief, mixed with finding the fun in the grind, is how I’ve lasted.

During the writers’ strike, I started a podcast with my buddy Paul Ruehl called Beat LA. It’s a Bay Area sports and pop culture show, and we had no idea what we were doing at first. But we treated it like a creative startup—studied formats, figured out how to use TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to build a real audience. Now we’ve passed a million views, brought on sponsors, and built a community. It’s become an incredible creative outlet and opened the door to even more projects.

Right now, I have a short film I directed called The Ninth that’s having a great run on the festival circuit. It stars Lauren Cantell—an insanely talented actress who also wrote it. At first, I didn’t want to do it. I told myself all the reasons not to direct another short: I’ve done it already, what’s the point, blah blah blah. But the truth is, it was just fear. Which brings me to one of my favorite quotes: “Everything you want is sitting on the other side of fear.” That one really hit me. If something scares me, it probably means I should do it. I said yes to the project, and I’m so glad I did. I’m proud of it. I know it’s a success because I felt that fear—and I let it push me, not stop me.

So yeah, that’s been the journey: stay curious, adapt, create your own momentum, and don’t wait for someone else to give you the green light. Bet on yourself. Every time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh wow, another great question. I was born and raised in San Francisco, where Mark Twain supposedly said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” So when friends visit me from up north, I give them what they came for—sunshine. The weather. The L.A. experience. And since I’m a filmmaker, I’ll give you the filmmaker’s tour.

People love to trash talk the so-called “tourist traps,” but honestly? Some of them are iconic for a reason. I always start with Griffith Park—hike up to the Observatory, take in the view, and soak in a little Rebel Without a Cause nostalgia. Then we head downtown, still one of my favorite underrated parts of L.A. It still feels like a hidden gem. I’d hit the Bradbury Building, The Last Bookstore, and Union Station—locations from Blade Runner, Seven, L.A. Confidential—you’re literally walking through film history. Then grab a pastrami sandwich at Langer’s Deli, one of the best in the city.

We’d also have to hit Universal Studios. The tram tour was one of the first things that made me fall in love with movies as a kid. It’s pure movie magic, and if you’re a film nerd, it still hits.

And of course, we’d cap it off with a game: Chavez Ravine to root against the Dodgers, or Crypto Arena to boo the Lakers. I’m from San Francisco—hating L.A. teams is basically a birthright.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Great question. I think most of us charge ahead in life with tunnel vision, chasing the next thing, and forget to look back at who got us to the starting line. For me, it’s easy: Mom. She was a single parent who somehow made it all happen — supported every wild dream, every twist and turn, even when I decided to pursue the wonderfully unstable life of an artist. I fell in love with film during the Universal Studios tram tour as a kid — and made her ride it so many times, I’m pretty sure she still hears the Jaws music in her sleep. So shoutout to mom: She’s the real MVP. Without her, I’m probably not answering this question — or I’m answering it from my job at the DMV.

Website: https://www.matt-ferrucci.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt_ferrucci/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattferrucci/

Twitter: https://x.com/Matt_Ferrucci

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOW4XhoTU1EWwS-u_scu50Q

Other: The Beat LA Podcast
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOW4XhoTU1EWwS-u_scu50Q
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beat-la/id1708767753