Ep 023 - Thomas Verdi on *When Becoming a Filmmaker Also Required Becoming an Entrepreneur*

Ep 027 - Brooke Berman on *A Playwright Walks Into a Bar*

Brooke Berman [https://substack.com/profile/22341517-brooke-berman] is an award-winning playwright, filmmaker, and author of three books, including a memoir, No Place Like Home [https://www.amazon.com/No-Place-Like-Home-Apartments/dp/0307588424]. Her plays have been produced all over the world and include Hunting and Gathering, Smashing (which she adapted for Natalie Portman), Out of the Water, Sam & Lucy, and more. Her most recent work is Ramona at Midlife [https://www.ramonaatmidlife.com/], which is now streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Fandango. In Episode #027 of NonDē Uprising, Brooke looks back at her journey as a playwright and offers playful yet practical advice like understanding how a dumpster fire gives a person room to grow, making a movie with friends is better than chasing movie stars, and why saying “I don’t know” can be the most convincing statement you utter. Get full access to The Big Break at nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe [https://nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Ep 026 - Diana Cherry on *Truth (Can Be) Stranger Than Fiction*

Diana Cherry [https://substack.com/profile/95471528-diana-cherry] is a writer, producer, and activist who writes the Substack I’m Thinking of Mending Things [https://imthinkingofmendingthings.substack.com/]. She is the managing editor and producer for the upcoming The Who We Are Project [https://www.thewhoweareproject.org/], a documentary travel series that will uncover hidden histories of oppression, resistance, and resilience in the United States, focusing on the history of anti-Black racism. In Episode #026 of NonDē Uprising, Diana talks about why truth can be stranger and more impactful than fiction. She dissects O Brother, Where Art Thou and argues it is a Black movie, a little-known Eric Larsson nonfiction book whose big reveal feels so crazy (yet is true), and breaks down why adaptations like Little Women pull in the author’s personal experience to drive the narrative. Get full access to The Big Break at nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe [https://nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Ep 025 - Ari Gold on *Brother Verses Brother*

Count on Ari Gold [https://substack.com/profile/6697986-ari-gold] to always take the non-traditional path or make what seems straightforward a bit more interesting. Ari’s most recent film, Brother Verses Brother [https://www.arigoldfilms.com/brother-verses-brother], was executive produced by Francis Ford Coppola and premiered to rave reviews at SXSW. It’s a one-shot musical odyssey and a companion to Ari’s first book of poetry, Father Verses Sons [https://www.arigoldfilms.com/poems]. Ari’s work has screened at hundreds of other festivals and has won best film at SXSW twice. He’s now in post-production for his fourth feature film, Helicopter [https://www.arigoldfilms.com/heli]. In Episode #025 of NonDē Uprising, Ari talks about the surreal honor it is to have your hero be your mentor, the power of shooting a movie without permits or paperwork, and why shooting entirely in one shot was more than a gimmick. Get full access to The Big Break at nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe [https://nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Ep 024 - Sandra Lehner on *Why I Left Film for Marketing and What I Didn't Expect to Learn*

Sandra Lehner [https://substack.com/profile/185123682-sandra-lehner] is considered the TV Futurist [https://tvfuturist.substack.com/] on Substack for her uncanny ability to understand where Gen Z gathers for their cultural diet. A former marketer for films, she now works with the people who create content to understand how Gen Z consumes content and strategically think about the media landscape. In Episode #024 of NonDē Uprising, Sandra untangles why she thought she left film for marketing and what she realized in her new career. She explains why mainstream culture doesn’t exist any more, demographics don’t hold as much value as they once did, and how a European soccer YouTube show altered her thoughts on what makes content successful. Get full access to The Big Break at nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe [https://nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Ep 023 - Thomas Verdi on *When Becoming a Filmmaker Also Required Becoming an Entrepreneur*

Thomas Verdi [https://substack.com/profile/23774235-thomas-verdi] is a film director currently in pre-production on his feature debut, The Community [https://www.thomasverdi.com/portfolio-item/the-community-a-feature-film/]. His work has been featured by Sundance Institute, Tribeca Film Institute, Film Independent, No Film School, AT&T Shape, and more. He also founded and runs Wellsboro Film Festival [https://www.wellsborofilmfestival.com/], Discontent Media Group [https://www.discontent.media/], and The Film Fund [https://www.thomasverdi.com/portfolio-item/the-film-fund/], which has awarded over $150,000 in funding to winning filmmakers. In Episode #023 of NonDē Uprising, Thomas explains how his pursuit of becoming a filmmaker led him down an unavoidable path of starting a string of businesses. He talks about how he merged his interests in filmmaking and entrepreneurship, reflects on the entrepreneurial tactics of his filmmaker heroes, and ponders how younger generations might react to a new wave of low-budget films. Get full access to The Big Break at nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe [https://nondeuprising.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]