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

Eric Miller's first brush with literary "fame" occurred when his grade school writing assignment about a bloodthirsty executioner's block earned him a trip to the principal's office. Years later, he edited the Bram Stoker Award-nominated anthology Hell Comes To Hollywood and other anthologies, wrote the screenplays for the SyFy Channel hit Ice Spiders among other genre films, and his first novel Whatever Happened to Uncle Ed? was said in part to be "…an effective blend of comedy, heart, and scares that defies expectations..." by Kirkus Reviews. Miller lives in Los Angeles, where he continues to write, make movies, and ignore advice from authority figures.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ How a short story he wrote in the 80s became a finished novel decades later

✅ Mixing genres (and why that can be both your curse and your superpower)

✅ Overcoming rejection and imposter syndrome

✅ The assassin mentality of athletes - and writers

✅ And why it's better to be late than never

📌 Learn more about Eric: https://www.ericmillerwrites.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.

Adam Beechen is an Emmy-nominated writer and producer with over 200 produced episodes across live-action and animation, including MacGyver, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Teen Titans, The Batman, and The Stinky And Dirty Show. A New York Times best-selling author (Batman Beyond: Hush Beyond), he has written comics for DC, Lion Forge, and Darby Pop, including the acclaimed graphic novel Hench, praised by Variety for its "black and comic strangeness." Beyond television, Adam's storytelling spans film, video games, and development for studios like DreamWorks, Starz, and NBC.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ From Journalism to Animation – finding your real creative path

✅ Learning story by reading hundreds of scripts for Aaron Spelling

✅ What comics taught him about character, voice, and visual storytelling

✅ The secret to spotting a great script in the first 10 pages

✅ Why screenwriters get pigeonholed - and what to do about it

📌 Learn more about Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-beechen-b6320411/

📬 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.

Ambika Mathur aka "Amby" is an experienced model, actress, and host who began her career in Los Angeles, CA. Ambika is represented by top agencies in America and Italy. She has walked in prestigious runway shows in NYFW, PFW, LAFW, and appeared as a principal role in international campaigns, including a commercial with Visit Italy that aired in New York Times Square. Ambika currently splits her time between the US and Italy, where she moved for love. Ambika's story has captured the interest of global networks such as CNN, ABC, and Rai. She is currently developing a tv series, and can't wait to see it on screens!

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ Finding purpose after being laid off

✅ Becoming a digital nomad during COVID

✅ How a random Hinge message led to her future husband in Italy.

✅ Turning real life into art - developing two TV series based on her wild story

✅ Why she believes in creating opportunities instead of waiting for them

📌 Learn more about Ambika: https://www.ambika-mathur.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.

10 guests. 10 answers. 1 powerful question: "What's a rule in your industry you don't follow or believe in?"

In this bonus episode, we revisit the answers from the previous 10 guests. The designer who brought mindfulness into the workplace... The screenwriter who follows feeling over formula... The actor who refuses to give in to industry despair... The entrepreneur who doesn't chase sales...

Each voice is different, but the message is the same. There's no single path. No perfect process. No permission required. ⚠️ Warning: This episode may increase your risk tolerance.

00:00 – Intro

00:58 – John S. Couch – Episode 21

01:51 – Andy Guerdat – Episode 22

07:38 – Emily Brundige – Episode 23

12:07 – Guy Toubes – Episode 24

12:29 – Brett Sorem – Episode 25

14:09 – Jane Zhao – Episode 26

14:55 – Andrew Key – Episode 27

16:37 – Chester Stockton – Episode 28

18:33 – Ari Levitch – Episode 29

21:19 – Kate Amundsen – Episode 30

23:56 – Outro

📬 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.

Kate Amundsen is an accomplished American actress. Born and partly raised in Los Angeles, she spent much of her youth in Utah and New Mexico, where she discovered her passion for acting through hero Judy Garland. She has a long list of network credits that include acclaimed TV series such as 9-1-1: LONE STAR and SHAMELESS. Her film work includes the lead role in MOTHER NATURE & THE DOOMSDAY PREPPER (2025) as well as the lead in 408 OP. 1 from director Niki Byrne and the producers of Nickel Boys. She also received critical acclaim for her portrayal as the titular role in DONNA (2022), winning more than two dozen awards at various festivals including BEST ACTRESS.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ How to turn rejection into resilience

✅ What she learned living abroad as a model

✅ Why discomfort is the best teacher

✅ How writing her own show is reshaping how she acts

✅ And why she refuses to give in to despair, even in the age of AI

📌 Learn more about Kate: https://www.kateamundsen.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.

Ari Levitch is a world builder and storyteller for games. He is also half of Mysterious Alchemy, the company that he and his writing partner, Adam Lee, created after working on Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering for almost a decade. Most recently, he served as Narrative Director on the Disney Lorcana trading card game. When he's not working, he's likely watching the Dodgers or conversing with his cat, Pippin.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ How history and castles shaped his love for storytelling

✅ Writing names & flavor text for Magic: The Gathering cards

✅ The rise of D&D and why the 5th edition changed the game

✅ Embracing creative constraints

✅ And why he believes roleplaying games are memory making adventures.

📌 Obojima is the latest RPG project that he's working on with 1985 Games, and you can watch the weekly writer's room here: ⁨https://youtube.com/@obojima?feature=shared

📌 Learn more about what Ari does at Mysterious Alchemy here: https://www.mysteriousalchemy.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.

This bonus episode of The Story Series is brought to you in collaboration with The Pitch Docs, an online platform founded by "Shimmer and Shine" Creator Farnaz Esnaashari that pairs first time show creators with seasoned veterans: https://thepitchdocs.com

Nick Filippi is an Emmy Award-winning story artist, director, and producer with a passion for storytelling. He is best known for directing and producing The Penguins of Madagascar and All Hail King Julien, as well as serving as co-developer, executive producer, and supervising director on Disney's Big Hero 6: The Series. Nick began his career as a story artist, contributing to fan-favorite shows like Kim Possible, Phineas and Ferb, and Wolverine and the X-Men. Most recently, he co-developed and served as supervising producer on the animated Monster High series for Mattel and Nickelodeon.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ How to handle hearing the word "no" in Hollywood

✅ Why strong characters matter more than flashy worlds in a pitch

✅ Common mistakes first-time show creators make, and how to avoid them

✅ The professional habit that's guided him through decades of work

📌 The story doesn't have to end here. If you want to get more time with Nick or other industry professionals, please visit: https://thepitchdocs.com/product/nicholas-filippi/

📬 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.

Chester "Chet" Stockton is an experienced technology professional and author with over three decades of experience in the enterprise software space, having held management, senior solutions engineering, and architectural roles at industry-leading companies such as VMware, Symantec, and Veritas. Chet has spent years providing technical consultation to C-suite individuals as well as mentoring young engineers. Parallel to his impactful tech career, he has dedicated himself to a lifelong passion for athletics, serving as a fitness and track coach committed to mentoring young athletes and fostering community well-being.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ How the IT field evolved from number-crunching to saving lives

✅ Why data has always been "gold" (and why it matters even more now)

✅ The "five-year rule" and how it applies across careers and investing

✅ The personal habits that help balance work, family, and growth

✅ And the rule he broke to build stronger relationships

📌 Learn more about Chester: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chstockton/

📬 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.

Andrew is a husband of 15 years, a father to three boys, and has been in entertainment for 15 years. With numerous credits on network television as well as lead and supporting roles in films, he describes every day on set as the best day ever. Aside from his work as an actor, he really enjoys getting to help build a culture with the cast and crew throughout the duration of any and every shoot. Onward and upward.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ Chasing the dream from Dallas → Miami → Chicago → LA

✅ How fitness kept the lights on while he pursued acting

✅ What it really means to "book the room, not the role."

✅ Landing the lead in "Mother Nature and the Doomsday Prepper" (Amazon, Apple TV).

✅ And the long game mindset every creative needs to build a lasting career.

📌 Learn more about Andrew: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7790291/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

📬 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.

Jane Zhao is a media and marketing strategist with 10+ years of experience driving growth in live streaming and influencer marketing. She has led content strategy, partnerships, and campaign optimization at leading global tech and media platforms, specializing in creator engagement, branded content, and audience monetization.

🎙️In this episode, we explore:

✅ The grind behind live streaming (8 hours a day, 7 days a week)

✅ How creators build communities off-platform for stability and growth

✅ Cultural differences in consumer behavior between China and the U.S.

✅ Witnessing the decline of traditional ad agencies

✅ And why vertical dramas might be the next big wave of storytelling

📌 Learn more about Jane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-z-b540524a/

📬 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.