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

Born in Toronto, Canada, Ryan Pyle spent his early years close to home. After obtaining a degree in International Politics from the University of Toronto in 2001, Ryan realized a life long dream and traveled to China on an exploratory mission. In 2002 Ryan moved to China permanently and in 2004 Ryan became a regular contributor to the New York Times. In 2009 Ryan was listed by PDN Magazine as one of the 30 emerging photographers in the world. In 2010 Ryan began working full time on television and documentary film production and has produced and presented several large multi-episode television series for major broadcasters in the USA, Canada, UK, Asia, China and continental Europe.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• The hidden cost of post-production on "Tough Rides: China".

• Owning your IP by self-financing (and why that matters long term).

• Selling to Travel Channel UK and launching the franchise.

• And why young creatives should leave expensive cities to find their voice.

RESOURCES:

• Watch Part 1

• Ryan's Website

WANT MORE? ✏️💥

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

CONNECT:

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

• YouTube

Born in Toronto, Canada, Ryan Pyle spent his early years close to home. After obtaining a degree in International Politics from the University of Toronto in 2001, Ryan realized a life long dream and traveled to China on an exploratory mission. In 2002 Ryan moved to China permanently and in 2004 Ryan became a regular contributor to the New York Times. In 2009 Ryan was listed by PDN Magazine as one of the 30 emerging photographers in the world. In 2010 Ryan began working full time on television and documentary film production and has produced and presented several large multi-episode television series for major broadcasters in the USA, Canada, UK, Asia, China and continental Europe.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Circumnavigating China on motorcycles, and making it into a TV series.

• Self-funding and guerrilla production.

• Turning a personal crossroads into a large-scale creative risk.

• And why commitment matters more than clarity at the start.

RESOURCES:

• Ryan's Website

• Ryan's Previous Episode

WANT MORE? ✏️💥

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

CONNECT:

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

• YouTube

After interviewing dozens of professional screenwriters, show creators, and executives, the same mistakes, and insights, about pitching kept coming up again and again. In this episode, I distill those conversations into three practical takeaways you can apply today to your next pitch, whether it's a TV show, Film, or Limited Series.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• 3 strategies to improve your next Film / TV pitch

• The most common pitching mistake writers don't realize they're making.

• How to make your pitch feel personal (without oversharing).

• And why the best pitches feel like campfire stories.

EPISODES REFERENCED:

• Ron Mita's Episode

• Emily Brundige's Episode

• Marisa Balkus' Episode

• Nick Fillipi's Episode

WANT MORE? ✏️💥

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

CONNECT:

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

• YouTube

Goldie Chan, dubbed the "Oprah of LinkedIn," is an innovative LinkedIn Top Voice, author of Personal Branding for Introverts and the founder of Warm Robots, an award-winning agency. A Forbes alum and global keynote speaker, she helps Fortune 500s and creatives build lasting community and culture through brand storytelling. Known for her warmth and strategy, Goldie's work spans brand campaigns, Archie comics, and cozy product experiences. She lives in sunny Los Angeles with her very happy plants.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• The super powers that all introverts have.

• How to set boundaries that protect your creative energy.

• What to do to start building a brand (hint: you already have one).

• And the unexpected career benefits that come from a personal brand.

RESOURCES:

• Goldie's Website

• Buy Goldie's Book

WANT MORE? ✏️💥

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

CONNECT:

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

• YouTube

Beth Mosch is an emerging writer and producer focused on showcasing female-centered, LGBTQ, and athlete-driven narratives. She graduated from USC's School of Cinematic Arts with a degree in Film & Television Production and a focus on 3D animation and has worked on productions for Netflix, Sony Pictures, WBTV, and NEON. While running a social media marketing business, she continues to write and independently produce narrative projects.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• What it really takes to break into animation.

• How to overcome writer's block. Hint: There is no such thing.

• The right way to network and get your script read.

• And why finishing projects matters more than perfecting them.

RESOURCES:

• Beth's LinkedIn

WANT MORE? ✏️💥

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

CONNECT:

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

• YouTube

A screenwriter for animated children's series, most notably Blue's Clues & You Nursery Rhymes and Barnyard Daycare at Nickelodeon, Hilary Van Hoose is also a journalist who has written for such magazines as Animation and Script. Growing up a PWD and multi-heritage homeschooler in Northern California and Hawaii, Hilary briefly studied to be a pastry chef before attending UC Santa Cruz to study abroad in France and get her BA in film, then earning an MFA in film and television production from USC. She has received accolades from Women in Animation, Children's Media Association, 1IN4 Coalition, Disability Belongs and more.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

• Why the most underrepresented diversity in media is disability.

• The on-screen tropes that need to stop.

• How Sci-Fi lets creators tackle disability narratives thoughtfully.

• And practical steps we can all take for a more accessible industry.

RESOURCES:

• Hilary's Screenwriting • Hilary's Journalism

• Her Article that inspired our conversation.

• Ask JAN: Job Accommodation Network

• Geena Davis Institute's Analysis of Disability Representation • WGA's Inclusion & Equity Report

WANT MORE? ✏️💥

Make sure to get my free guide: "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

CONNECT:

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

• YouTube

A short update about how the podcast is evolving and why the next chapter is all about storytelling, writing, and breaking the right rules. ✏️💥

Plus, a free download to kick things off:

"The Rule Breaker's Guide To Finding Your Creative Voice". A brutally honest roadmap built from the lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs I've collected along my journey as a professional writer.

--> It's available for free at: StorySeriesPodcast.com.

Brian Delate is a Vietnam Veteran, actor, writer, and director whose life and work bridge trauma, creativity, and transformation. After serving in Vietnam ('69–'70), Brian rebuilt himself through education, acting, and writing, eventually training at The Actor's Studio under icons like Ellen Burstyn, Harvey Keitel, and Al Pacino. His film and television career includes roles in The Shawshank Redemption, The Truman Show, Lisa Kudrow's The Comeback, and more. Brian is the creator of the acclaimed play Memorial Day, inspired by his own experiences with PTSD, healing, and redemption. Today, he continues to write, perform, and mentor veterans in the power of story.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ The looming fear of the draft and the illusion that Vietnam "wouldn't last"

✅ The push-pull of boredom and terror during war

✅ The Snoopy monologue that changed his life and launched a career

✅ Studying at The Actor's Studio: Advice from Ellen Burstyn and Norman Mailer

✅ And what it was like returning to Vietnam decades later with his hit play

📌 Learn more about Brian: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0216507

📬 Have you signed up for the newsletter yet? Each week I share reflections, favorite moments, and what stuck with me from the latest episode: https://www.storyseriespodcast.com

🎥 Prefer to watch this episode? Catch it on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bviolette?feature=shared

🔔 Like what you hear? Subscribe to The Story Series Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

Peter Gaffney is an Emmy-winning writer, producer and story editor of animated television, ranging from Rugrats to The Simpsons. He is the co-creator of Nickelodeon's Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ What the iconic Rugrats taught him about creative freedom

✅ Why his approach to writing comedy hasn't changed since the '90s

✅ How meditation saved his work

✅ His honest take on AI: the danger and the opportunity

✅ And why the rule he breaks is simple: stop asking for permission

📌 Learn more about Peter: https://tinyurl.com/4z8pea47

📬 Have you signed up for the newsletter yet? Each week I share reflections, favorite moments, and what stuck with me from the latest episode: https://www.storyseriespodcast.com

🎥 Prefer to watch this episode? Catch it on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bviolette?feature=shared

🔔 Like what you hear? Subscribe to The Story Series Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

Emmy nominee and NYT Bestselling author Elise Allen has written for all ages, preschool to adult. She developed/showran Princess Power; other TV credits include Dinosaur Train, Sid the Science Kid, and The Lion Guard. In features, she wrote The Pout Pout Fish, plus fifteen animated Barbie movies. Books include the Elixir series (with Hilary Duff), and Gabby Duran and the Unsittables, now a Disney + show. In the digital world, she wrote for Paris and Pups, and co-created The Monty Pickle Show. Elise is dedicated to telling unique character stories that entertain while sharing messages of kindness, inclusivity, and joy.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ Building Princess Power around the idea that "Princess is a verb"

✅ The challenge of crossing from animation to live action

✅ Creating messy, human characters in kids' stories

✅ Why worldbuilding includes the team behind the show

✅ And the rule she breaks in every pitch room

📌 Learn more about Elise: https://www.eliseallen.com/

📬 Have you signed up for the newsletter yet? Each week I share reflections, favorite moments, and what stuck with me from the latest episode: https://www.storyseriespodcast.com

🎥 Prefer to watch this episode? Catch it on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bviolette?feature=shared

🔔 Like what you hear? Subscribe to The Story Series Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.