We’re looking forward to introducing you to Max Berlin. Check out our conversation below.
Max, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Who are you learning from right now?
I’m learning from my peers, every single day. When I build a music or sound team for a film/media project, I have to surrender to the idea that I can’t do everything and don’t know everything. This is when a talented team comes in: not only to bring their expertise and skillset, but moreover their creative perspective. I’m exceptionally grateful to work alongside my peers and fellow artists; every project completed is another lesson I get to carry on to the next.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I write music with a specialty in collaborating with other types of media. This includes film and TV–but I also have a deep interest in the media that will define my generation, like social media and immersive live performance. Everything from modern dance to 15-second TikToks to entire film scores performed live-to-picture!
Something I’ve tried to bring into my work from the start is a sense of openness and a belief in infinite creative possibilities. While often times I’ve felt that jumping around from medium to medium signifies a lack of focus, I am realizing more and more that the ability to diversify myself as a musician is an investment into the future of creative careers. What I bring to the table is a wide range of skills and interests that are all backed by real experience and a commitment to excellent work.
My knack for composing across the media spectrum hit a new milestone last year, when I made my network TV debut as the composer for the comedy-satire The Warehouse Phase (2025), now streaming on NBC/Peacock. This project grew out of my work in social media and eventually translated into bona fide television–which to me is such a testament to the evolving entertainment industry and its new wells for creativity.
Moreover, I’ve since built a brand-new post-production studio with the amazing folks I worked alongside with in The Warehouse Phase. Our music and sound studio, Hitchhiker Sound, is a one-stop sound-shop for filmmakers, producers, and creatives of all shapes and sizes. Original music and sound design, mixing/mastering, engineering, re-recording, the list goes on! We have an incredible team in Santa Monica are thrilled to open our doors to our growing client base.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The notion that artistic work is not work, and should not be treated as such. I grew up as a jazz piano player in Detroit, MI, and so many folks often told me how passion is a valuable personal asset. But that’s not the same as decent compensation. As artists, we have to train ourselves to look out for those pedaling “exposure” or “investment” in lieu of valuing your time. Passion or love for what you do is not an excuse to undermine yourself.
Los Angeles is a living example of the power of the creative economy and the working artists that make it happen. In the heat of AI, nationally defunded arts, and a zeitgeist of uncertainty, I understand now more than ever that arts and artists deserve the same type of investment as any successful enterprise. The world needs human art, and the people who make it deserve to thrive.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
A defining wound? Crippling perfectionism is probably up there. Perfect is the enemy of good. Moreover, good exists, GREAT exists, but perfect does not. Making something perfect had made me make less, enjoy the creative act less, and in some cases, made things worse.
Healing perfectionist thinking is a daily struggle, but these days I focus on fun. Taking fun seriously. Creativity should come from a place of play, like a kid in art class. If I’m going to compose, even on a deadline, I have to bring an element of fun into the process. Pining for glory or external validation is not fun. But writing music should be!
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Building our team, our facilities, and our community at Hitchhiker Sound has really enforced my values as I build my career. As Hollywood shifts and struggles with the evolving intersection of tech and entertainment, I’m really proud to be at the helm of an independent collective of creatives. We are here to service the entertainment and media industry in all the forms it takes–from studio, to independent, to wildly experimental. I think our model is one that will persist and thrive in the creative economy of the future, especially because we champion independent and self-published art. I’ve been using the word “hub” a lot. Los Angeles deserves more creative hubs that aren’t gatekept by old ways of thinking.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes! In my first years of working in the film music industry, I was often the cog in an impressive machine of huge Hollywood music departments. I started working on the movies I had always dreamed of. Yet, although I learned a great amount from these experiences and attribute so much to my bosses, coworkers, and peers, I simply had to lead myself. I told myself in this stage of my career, I wanted to work for Max Berlin Music and be completely on my own clock. And yes, being your own boss can take a tremendous amount of discipline, organization, and tedium; however, the freedom I have to determine my own ceiling is the gift that keeps on giving. The lessons I’ve learned as an artist and business-owner alike I would not trade for the greatest W2 that Hollywood could offer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://maxberlinmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themaxberlin/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/maxberlin?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=1bc1969c-0145-418c-bc43-378f838bd40c
Image Credits
Jack Weiss
