The Story Series Podcast with Brandon Violette (For Writers Who Break The Rules)

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• The creative evolution that became "We've Been Here the Whole Time!".

• Balancing humor with serious subjects.

• Meaningful comedy vs absurd comedy (and why both work).

• And the DIY reality of launching and promoting his first book.

RESOURCES:

• Joey Clift's Book

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Bryan O'Connell is an experienced Creative Executive who has worked in animation production, development, and programming for television, streaming, theme parks, and feature films with a demonstrated history of working with high profile franchises for Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel, and many more. He is currently Vice President of Children's Television at The Jim Henson Company.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• What belongs in your pitch bible (and what doesn't).

• Why your personal connection to an original idea matters (a lot).

• What writers often misunderstand about executives.

• And carrying Jim Henson's legacy forward without simply repeating the past.

RESOURCES:

• Watch "Wowsabout!"

• Watch "Monster Dance"

• The Jim Henson Company

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Michael Weiss is a WGA screenwriter with an extensive career writing for Hollywood studios. He has over a dozen produced films to his credit, including Journey to the Center of the Earth starring Brendan Fraser and sequels to franchises like The Scorpion King, Jarhead and The Butterfly Effect. He has taught writing at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program, where he received its Distinguished Instructor award, as well as at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film & Media Arts.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Individual hero arcs versus relationship arcs.

• The supporting character as a witness to the hero's transformation.

• How unresolved relationships can help you get past page 60.

• And why an interesting protagonist doesn't have to be sympathetic.

RESOURCES:

• Buy Michael's New Book

• Michael Weiss' Website

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Julian Malagon is an Emmy-winning entertainment executive and producer whose career spans television, animation, and digital media. He has held creative leadership roles at Sony Pictures Television and Netflix, developing content for global audiences. Today, through Tower Collective, he works with creators and studios to develop ambitious projects and build stronger connections between storytelling and audience.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Winning an Emmy and wanting something different.

• Making an unexpected pivot into animation.

• Building relationships without being transactional.

• And how executives sell your project internally.

RESOURCES:

• Julian Malagon

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Stephie Theodora is an award-winning Greek-Canadian screenwriter and creator whose work has shaped more than 150 episodes of television for some of the world's leading studios across North America and Europe, including Disney, BBC, and Warner Bros. She is currently developing a live-action comedy series with Shaftesbury and an animated preschool series with Boat Rocker Media. Known for her sharp comedic voice and emotionally rich storytelling, Stephie creates bold, character-driven worlds that span comedy, animation, and genre for audiences of all ages.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Building a writing career outside of Los Angeles.

• Why she develops a brand-new TV pitch every year.

• How 150 cold emails led to 20 meetings and 2 show sales.

• And using TV markets to build relationships with buyers.

RESOURCES:

• Stephie Theodora

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Travis Braun is the writer of One Night Only. He became the first screenwriter in the history of The Black List to top the annual survey of most-liked unproduced screenplays in two consecutive years, with Bad Boy in 2023 and One Night Only in 2024. On the television side, Braun is also the creator of Disney's Fast Layne, T.O.T.S., Pupstruction and Cars: Lightning Racers.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• How Travis uses emotional truth as his script's North Star.

• Why he threw out 60 pages of "One Night Only" before starting again.

• What building stories around a creative restriction unlocks.

• And why you should write what you feel, not what you know.

RESOURCES:

• Travis Braun

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Matt William Knowles is a dramatic actor whose career spans American and Chinese cinema. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and Beijing Film Academy - where he became the first non-Asian graduate in the school's history - he brings classical technique and cross-cultural depth to every role.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Building an acting career in China.

• Starring in China's first $100 million film "Asura".

• What happened when the film disappeared after three days.

• And the perils of letting other people define your success.

RESOURCES:

• Matt William Knowles

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Alex Zamm is a writer, director, producer and songwriter who has spent his career telling stories across film and television. His credits include Woody Woodpecker (Universal), Under Wraps 1 & 2 (Disney+), A Christmas Prince (Netflix), and Little Rascals Save the Day (Universal). He directed and co-executive produced season three of Amazon/MGM's The Baxters and has directed numerous television series. His work has been recognized by the Cannes and Sundance film festivals and by the WGA.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Why curiosity is essential to sustaining a creative career.

• Why tone and tempo are the hardest things for a screenwriter to get right.

• Writing where the energy is instead of working linearly.

• And how a story's North Star guides every scene and creative decision.

RESOURCES:

• Alex Zamm on IMDB

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Chris Gilligan is the creator and executive producer of Disney Jr.'s RoboGobo. A 35-year veteran of film, television and animation, Gilligan served as executive producer and director of Disney Jr.'s fairytale-inspired animated series Goldie & Bear. His other credits include James and the Giant Peach, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Frankenweenie, and Marvel's Spidey and his Amazing Friends.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Why creative careers are never straight lines.

• Adapting storytelling instincts across mediums.

• Developing characters more deeply than the audience will ever see.

• And why you shouldn't treat every "no" as the final rejection.

RESOURCES:

• Chris Gilligan

BECOME A BETTER STORYTELLER ✏️💥

Join my free weekly newsletter, The Rule Breaker's Dispatch, for writing insights from my conversations with screenwriters, showrunners and industry executives.

👉 Sign up at StorySeriesPodcast.com

Lorna Withrington is a highly established and approachable Executive Producer and Development Executive specializing in acquisitions and creative development of animated content with leading global brand appeal. She has developed content for global and regional broadcast platforms such as Netflix, Apple, Nickelodeon, Disney, CBBC, Sky and Cartoon Network/Cartoonito.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• How executives champion projects inside a company.

• Why the twist can be the thing that gets a project over the line.

• How executives choose writers for specific projects.

• And why writers should know their creative "happy place".

RESOURCES:

• Lorna Withrington

FIND YOUR VOICE ✏️💥

I put together a free guide called The Rule Breaker's Guide to Finding Your Creative Voice. A brutally honest roadmap built from the lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs I've collected as a professional writer.

👉 Get it for free at StorySeriesPodcast.com

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