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

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, I've gathered answers to the question I ask every guest. The responses are surprising, deeply human and reminders that rule breaking isn't always reckless… sometimes it's requisite to carving out a path that's uniquely yours. Whether you're new to the podcast or have been following since the beginning, this compilation offers a glimpse into the mindset of artists, outsiders, and originals who do things differently.

Here are the rules the first ten guests dared to break.

00:00 – Intro

00:59 – Ryan Pyle – (Don't Ask For Permission - Episode #1)

03:32 – Joey Clift – (Comedy With Meaning - Episode #2)

05:08 – Caroline Trujillo – (Engineering is Universal - Episode #3)

07:12 – Mike Ott – (A Filmmaker Plays Himself - Episode #4)

08:32 – Agnes Lee – (14 Million Views Later - Episode #5)

09:55 – Paul Falcone – (Leading With Humanity - Episode #6)

11:28 – Ron Mita – (A Screenwriter's Journey - Episode #7)

13:55 – Viri Maldonado – (The Gift of Intentionality - Episode #8)

14:57 – Marisa Balkus - (Culture Misfit - Episode #9)

17:09 – Jeffrey Fleishman - (Two Lives of a Storyteller - Episode #10)

Jeffrey Fleishman is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, novelist, and former senior writer for the Los Angeles Times. He previously served as the paper's foreign and national editor, and was bureau chief in Cairo and Berlin. A longtime foreign correspondent, Fleishman also reported from Rome for the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is the author of five novels, including My Detective and Good Night, Forever, blending his journalistic eye with a deep love for noir and literary fiction.

Learn more about Jeffrey: https://tinyurl.com/3ut67se9

Marisa Balkus is a seasoned producer and executive specializing in anime, adult animation, and IP adaptations. She began her career at New Regency Productions, contributing to acclaimed films like The Revenant and Ad Astra. In 2017, she joined Crunchyroll to oversee original series and co-productions across Japan and the U.S. Most recently, she served on Netflix's Adult Animation team, focusing on gaming adaptations such as Arcane, Devil May Cry, and Tomb Raider. Marisa now runs Culture Misfit, a consulting and producing firm focused on anime, adult animation, and bringing bold IP-driven stories to life.

Learn more about Marisa: https://www.culturemisfit.com

Viri Maldonado is a multi-hyphenate creative, luxury gifting expert, and former TV producer based in Los Angeles. Raised in the San Fernando Valley, Viri built a career behind the scenes in television, but after years in entertainment, made a creative pivot into luxury retail, where she found her niche in high-end gifting. Today, Viri runs a blog devoted to intentional, beautifully curated gift-giving and is the founder of an upcoming line of luxury gift bags and birthday cards designed to be as meaningful as the gifts themselves. With each chapter of her journey, Viri proves that creativity isn't linear—and that you can build a rich, multi-passionate life on your own terms.

Learn more about Viri: https://www.virigoodthings.com

Ron Mita is a veteran screenwriter whose films have earned over $530 million worldwide. His credits include the animated feature Robots (20th Century Fox), S.W.A.T. starring Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell (Columbia Pictures), Sniper II (Tri-Star), and 24 Hours to Live starring Ethan Hawke. Since selling his first screenplay to Columbia Pictures in 1993, Ron has worked with top studios including Universal, Sony, HBO, TNT, Warner Brothers, DreamWorks, and CBS. He holds a Master's in screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University and currently teaches writing and filmmaking at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California.

Learn More About Ron: https://www.canyons.edu/academics/onlineeducation/ol/mea-108-scriptwritingfundamentals-ronaldmita.php

Paul Falcone is a bestselling author and workplace leadership expert with decades of HR executive experience at top organizations like Nickelodeon, Paramount, and NBCUniversal. As the principal of Paul Falcone Workplace Leadership Consulting, he helps companies of all sizes strengthen leadership through keynote speaking, executive coaching, and custom training programs. A longtime SHRM columnist and HarperCollins author, Paul specializes in performance management, leadership communication, and ethics—bringing practical, engaging strategies that empower teams across the employee lifecycle. Learn more about Paul: https://www.paulfalconehr.com/

Agnes Lee is a self-published children's book author from Riverside County, California who turned a dream into a viral reality. While preparing for law school admissions, she took a bold detour in August 2024 to pursue storytelling—something that had always been close to her heart. That leap paid off when a single TikTok video went viral, racking up over 14 million views and propelling her debut book to an instant sellout. Since then, Agnes has captured the attention of readers and media alike, with features in The New York Post, Newsweek, and outlets around the world.

Learn more about Agnes: bookedwithoney.com

Mike Ott studied at the California Institute of the Arts where he received his MFA in Film/Video. Mike's films (Littlerock, Kid Icarus, Pearlblossom Hwy) have won numerous awards, including an Audience Award at AFI Fest, Gotham Award and an Independent Spirit Award. His new film McVeigh is available in theaters and on demand. He lives part time between Los Angeles and Berlin with his wife Isolda.

Learn more about Mike: https://www.newavesx.com

Caroline Trujillo is a senior electronics technician driven by a passion for innovation and problem-solving. Based in Los Angeles, she has gained hands-on experience in Aerospace, Military/Defense, and Medical industries, working with organizations like Tesla and NASA's JPL. Raised between Southern California and Arizona, her curiosity and determination led her to pursue engineering, and she is currently balancing her career with mechanical engineering studies at California State University of Northridge. With aspirations to break into aviation, Caroline is dedicated to pushing boundaries in a male-dominated field and inspiring others to make the world a better place.

Learn more about Caroline: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jojo/

Joey Clift is a Los Angeles-based comedian, TV writer, director, Emmy-nominated producer, and enrolled member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. Joey attended college to become a local TV weather person because as a kid he didn't see any Native American comedians on television, and that made him believe he wasn't allowed to work in comedy. Since then he has learned that this is not true – and his comedy style reflects that. Joey's work has been featured in The Washington Post, CNN, Pitchfork, NPR, Dead Meat, and Comedy Central.

Learn more about Joey: www.JoeyClift.com