Alternative ideas for Outreach distribution for the documentary, Third Degree Burnout – A Survivor’s Guide.
In 2020, Nivi Jaswal-Wirtjes lost her father to COVID-19 while struggling through her own burnout after 15 years in high-pressure global marketing and strategy roles across consumer packaged goods, life sciences, and media. That dual reckoning — grief and exhaustion — became the catalyst for her life’s new direction: uncovering the connections between personal well-being, food systems, and planetary health.
She founded The Virsa Foundation Inc., and. the JIVINITI Research and Advocacy Program, a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit uniting experts in anthropology, psychology, lifestyle medicine, and creative advocacy to design plant-powered, climate-conscious initiatives that prevent chronic illness and foster resilience. Nivi also led The GAIA Study, the largest U.S. nonprofit study on burnout, lifestyle, and nutrition, conducted with Ipsos Public Affairs.
Her research inspired the award-winning feature documentary “Third Degree Burnout – A Survivor’s Guide”, which won Best Documentary Feature awards at the 2025 Greenpoint Film Festival, 2025 Seatte Film Festival, 2025 Show Low Arizona Film Festival, and several others, and continues to screen internationally. As a speaker, she has shared her work at King’s College Hospital, Harvard Kennedy School, University of California Berkeley, University of California Santa Barbara and the University of the Arts London.
Through research, filmmaking, and advocacy, Nivi transforms personal loss into a mission to heal both people and planet.
Join our new educational platform From the Heart THRIVE and get free classes on film funding: https://fromtheheartproductions.thrivecart.com/from-the-heart-thrive/
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_01 (01:12):
I'm Claire Papin here with Carol Dean, president
of From the Heart Productions,author of The Art of Film
Funding, and a longtime championof independent filmmakers.
And we are so glad you couldjoin us on The Art of Film
Funding, the podcast that helpsindependent filmmakers learn how
(01:34):
to fund, produce, distributefilms with clarity, courage, and
heart.
Today we have a truly inspiringguest, Nivi Jeswal Wurchis, MBA.
She's the founder and presidentof the Versa Foundation and the
(01:54):
Divinity Research Program, aboard certified health and
wellness coach trained at theMayo Clinic, certified lifestyle
medicine coach, trained at theAmerican College of Lifestyle
Medicine, and the director andexecutive producer of the
award-winning documentaryfeature Third Degree Burnout, a
(02:19):
Survivor's Guide.
Her film grew out of a deeplypersonal journey.
At the height of her career inglobal marketing, she was
navigating severe burnout andchronic disease.
Then, during the pandemic, bothof her parents contracted
COVID-19.
(02:40):
Her father passed away in justfour days, while her mother
survived.
That devastating question, whydid two people in the same
household have such differentoutcomes became the beginning of
a larger investigation intolifestyle, health, food,
(03:03):
resilience, public health, andplanetary well-being.
Third-degree burnout bringstogether experts across
medicine, psychology, publichealth, nutrition, lifestyle
medicine, climate science, andresilience.
(03:23):
The film has received multipleawards and recognitions,
including teleawards and UnitedNations affiliated recognitions.
It combines documentarystorytelling, animation, expert
interviews, and humor to makecomplex ideas accessible and
(03:47):
actionable.
Now, with partners includingPicture Motion and Fathom
Entertainment, she is enteringthe impact distribution phase of
the film with a vision to reachtheaters, campuses,
corporations, conferences,healthcare communities, and
(04:10):
audiences around the world.
And Carol, I know this isexactly the kind of filmmaker
journey our audience needs tohear.
One rooted in personal truth,service, courage, and a powerful
distribution plan.
And I'm turning it right over toyou now.
SPEAKER_02 (04:29):
Okay, Claire, thank you very much.
And we're so welcome to have youon the Art of Film Funding.
Your film, Third Degree Burnout,a Survivor's Guide, is timely
and deeply needed.
Many people are exhausted andlooking for answers.
And what I love about your workis that you're not just making a
(04:50):
film, you are building aneducational movement around
healing, prevention, food, andthe connection between personal
and planetary well-being.
And you represent what so manyfilmmakers experience.
You believed in the story somuch that you invested your own
(05:10):
savings, completed the film,earned recognition, built
partnerships, and now you'restepping into the next
challenge (05:19):
raising more funds to bring the to the world one of
your great films.
So let's begin with yourpersonal story.
What was the moment that firsttold you this film had to be
made?
Tell us.
SPEAKER_00 (05:38):
Oh, thank you for asking that question, Carol.
For me, there wasn't a lightningbolt moment.
It was more like a series ofwake-up calls that finally
became impossible to ignore.
I had spent nearly two decadesbuilding what looked like a
successful internationalcorporate career.
(06:00):
I lived and worked in sevencountries, held global marketing
roles with remarkable companiesand brands, and by many external
measures, um, some would say Iwas doing very well.
But internally, I was fallingapart.
I was exhausted, disconnectedfrom myself, and accumulating
(06:24):
one chronic health diagnosisafter another.
And then I discovered wholefood, plant-based nutrition, and
lifestyle medicine, um, all bymeans of educational
documentaries.
I wasn't looking for philosophy,I was simply looking for a way
to feel better.
Um, and in just a very shortperiod of time, my symptoms
(06:46):
improved dramatically until Iwasn't sick anymore and in fact
was healthier than ever before.
And that made me ask animportant question: why hadn't
anyone taught me this earlier?
Um, and then, you know, theglobal pandemic arrived.
(07:08):
Both of my parents um contractedCOVID-19, as has already been
mentioned in the introduction.
They lived in the same home,they ate the same meals, and
they got sick roughly at thesame time.
Um, yet my dad passed awaywithin four days while my mom
survived.
Um, and as anyone who has lostsomeone, um you know that your
(07:31):
mind grasps and searches foranswers.
I wasn't looking for someone toblame.
I was trying to understand howcould two people in the same
household experience suchdifferent outcomes?
So that question changed thedirection of my life and my
career.
It let me explore not onlyinfectious disease, but chronic
(07:56):
illness, um, resiliency,nutrition, mental health,
lifestyle medicine, publichealth, and eventually even
planetary health.
And it was as though, you know,like an onion, every answer
uncovered another question.
I was peeling back this onion ofour socioeconomic, nutritional
(08:18):
constructs.
And eventually I realized Iwasn't simply making a
documentary about burnout.
I seemed to be following a trailthat connected our food, our
health, our relationships, ourworkplaces, our communities, and
ultimately the future of ourspecies on the only planet that
(08:40):
we call home, that is our MotherEarth.
SPEAKER_02 (08:45):
Your film asks a very powerful question.
Two people in the same householdgot COVID-19 but had different
outcomes.
So, why did that question becomeso important to you?
How did it lead you intoexploring lifestyle, resilience,
nutrition, mental well-being,and long-term health?
SPEAKER_00 (09:08):
Carol, that's a great question.
Um, that question becameimportant because I simply
couldn't let it go.
Um as I began reading scientificliterature and speaking with
physicians, psychologists,nutrition researchers, public
health experts, and climatescientists, I realized there
(09:29):
wasn't one single answer.
Health isn't determined by onefactor, it's influenced by what
we eat, how we sleep, how wemove, our relationships, our
purpose, our environment, ourstress levels, and the systems
we live in.
So one conversation led toanother.
(09:51):
I kept asking the same questionover and over.
And one expert introduced me toanother discipline I had never
explored before.
So eventually, my nonprofitpartnered with Ipsos Global
Public Affairs to conduct whatbecame the Gaia study, looking
at the experiences of more than14,000 Americans during the
(10:14):
global pandemic.
We weren't simply asking whetherpeople were stressed.
We wanted to understand howdifferent lifestyles, behaviors,
and mindsets related towell-being and resilience.
And what surprised me most washow interconnected everything
(10:35):
was.
We often divide health intoseparate boxes: mental health,
physical health, environmentalhealth.
But you know, real life doesn'twork that way.
Our lives are interconnected,and our health is
interconnected.
That critical realization becamethe foundation of the film.
(10:56):
And that's why I just couldn'tlet go of that question.
SPEAKER_02 (11:00):
Of course.
Well, you described three coreinsights in the film.
Food is mood, food is medicine,and food is planet.
So can you explain what thesemean and why they matter now?
SPEAKER_00 (11:16):
Sure.
Um, those three phrases became asimple way of communicating
something that is actually quitecomplex.
Food is mood recognizes thatwhat we eat doesn't just
influence our bodies, itinfluences our brains, um, our
emotions, our energy, and evenour ability to cope with stress.
(11:43):
Next, uh, food is medicinereflects the growing body of
evidence, showing that nutritionplays a key role in preventing,
and in some cases, such as myown, helping reverse many
chronic diseases.
Lifestyle medicine isincreasingly demonstrating that
food can be one of our mostpowerful health interventions.
(12:08):
And finally, food is planet.
That reminds us that ourindividual choices don't exist
in isolation.
The foods we produce and consumeaffect biodiversity, water use,
greenhouse gas emissions, andthe health of the ecosystems
that sustain us.
(12:29):
What I appreciate is that theseideas don't ask people to be
perfect, they invite curiosity.
So if we make one healthierchoice today than we did
yesterday for ourselves and forthe planet, that alone is
meaningful progress.
SPEAKER_02 (12:48):
Yes, it is.
And some of the doctors thatI've interviewed say that just
go vegetarian one night a week,all right, four times a month,
and that is a great beginning,all right.
And the father of modernmedicine, Hippocrates, said, Let
(13:08):
food be thy medicine, andmedicine be thy food.
Leave the herbs in the chemistpot, he said, and let food be
thy medicine.
And I've lived by that, Evie,for 50 years now.
Wow.
And it works.
So um let's talk about burnoutbecause it's usually talked
(13:30):
about as a work problem, butyour film looks at it as a
public health issue.
So, what were what are wemissing here when we treat
burnout only as stress orexhaustion?
SPEAKER_00 (13:44):
Before I answer that, Carol, I must say you're
so inspiring.
You're such a role model, andnot only within the realm of
filmmaking and funding and allof those things, but also
through your lifestyle andthrough your commitment to
self-care, self-compassion, andnutrition.
Um, so thank you for being thatrole model for all of us.
SPEAKER_02 (14:08):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (14:09):
You know, to your question on burnout, I think
oftentimes we miss the biggerpicture.
Burnout certainly shows up inthe workplace.
Oh, absolutely.
I know I know that.
But it doesn't begin or endthere.
It affects how we sleep, how weum eat, how we connect with
(14:30):
other people, how we makedecisions, ultimately how we
show up for ourselves andoutside of work, how we're
showing up in our interpersonalrelationships with our friends,
with our families, um, ourneighborhoods, our communities,
and the world around us.
Now, when burnout becomeschronic, meaning over a longer
(14:50):
period of time, it cancontribute to social isolation,
anxiety, unhealthy behaviors,emotional eating, and poor
physical health.
And at the same time, many ofthe forces driving this burnout,
such as food insecurity,financial stress, loneliness,
climate anxiety, environmentaldegradation, and ever-widening
(15:15):
social inequities, theythemselves are a symptom of
larger systems under strain.
So that's why I believe thatburnout is much more than a
workplace issue.
It's a public health issue.
And increasingly, it's aplanetary health issue.
And planetary health recognizesthat human health depends on the
(15:40):
health of the natural systemsthat sustain us.
We can't separate the well-beingof people from the well-being of
our food systems, our air andwater, our communities, or our
planet.
They're just so deeplyintertwined.
And one of the most hopefuldiscoveries I made while
creating this film is that, youknow, many of the same actions
(16:04):
that support our personalwell-being, like eating
nourishing food or moving ourbodies, prioritizing restorative
sleep, cultivating meaningfulrelationships, spending time in
nature and living with purpose,they also, exactly the same
attributes, also contribute tohealthier communities and in
many cases a healthier planet.
(16:25):
So that's why I often say thefilm really isn't about burnout.
Burnout is just the doorway.
The larger conversation is abouthow we create conditions where
people on the planet can thrivetogether.
Ultimately, it's about buildinghealthier people, healthier
communities, and a healthierfuture for all of us.
SPEAKER_02 (16:48):
Oh, how exciting! That's wonderful.
So you connect personal healthwith planetary health, which is
beautiful and ambitious.
But how does the film helpaudiences understand that their
fond choices, their foodchoices, their well-being, and
the environment are allconnected?
SPEAKER_00 (17:11):
Yeah, absolutely.
And that was a big challenge.
It was a big um researchchallenge as we went into the
film, but also a big creativechallenge.
You know, how do we um showcasethe research that we found about
the interconnectedness?
Um, you know, we talk aboutmental health over here, we talk
about chronic disease overthere, climate change somewhere
(17:32):
else, and then food as anentirely different conversation.
Um, but in reality, as you know,they're all part of the same
system.
So the food that we eat affectsour physical health, our mental
well-being, our energy, ourresilience.
And at the same time, the wayour food is produced, meaning
(17:52):
our agricultural systems, theyalso have implications for soil,
water, biodiversity, andgreenhouse gas emissions.
So the film doesn't tell peoplewhat to think or what to eat.
Instead, it invites them tobecome curious about those
connections.
(18:12):
And I often say that personalhealth and planetary health
aren't competing priorities,they're actually complementary
to each other.
When we care for ourselves, weoften end up caring for the
world around us a little bettertoo.
And perhaps most importantly, Iwanted audiences to leave
(18:33):
feeling empowered rather thanoverwhelmed or lectured at.
And we don't have to solveeverything overnight.
Small intentional choices,repeated consistently, can have
a remarkably cumulative rippleeffect on us, our bodies, our
(18:54):
mental health, and the rest ofthe world.
SPEAKER_02 (18:57):
Well, I really enjoyed watching your film.
You brought together expertsacross medicine, public health,
nutrition, lifestyle medicine,climate science, and resilience.
So, how did you choose theexperts and what surprised you
most in those conversations?
SPEAKER_00 (19:17):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Um, so Carol, I wasn'tnecessarily looking for experts
who all agreed with one another.
I wasn't looking for consensus.
I was looking for people who hadspent decades asking thoughtful
questions from differentperspectives.
Um, some of these experts, youknow, as you mentioned, are
(19:40):
physicians, others arepsychotherapists, nutrition
scientists, public healthleaders, climate scientists,
coaches, researchers.
And each one of them, I felt,brought a different piece of the
puzzle that we were trying tosolve.
And as I interviewed them,something fascinating began to
(20:01):
happen.
Um, without knowing what theothers were saying, obviously,
all of these experts keptarriving at remarkably similar
conclusions.
So whether they were talkingabout chronic disease or
emotional resiliency, um, foodsystems, loneliness, or
environmental change, many weredescribing different aspects of
(20:22):
the same interconnected system.
So many of them had personallyand professionally experienced
burnout as well.
So they were giving me theseintuitive answers, um, and and
they all actually sounded thesame, um, uh even though with
separate specialties.
And that was probably my biggestsurprise.
(20:45):
Um, I didn't set out to prove atheory, I set out to learn.
And then the more I listened,the more I realized that this
wasn't a collection of separateconversations.
It was one conversation viewedthrough different lenses.
And I think that's one of thestrengths of the film.
It doesn't present one expert ashaving all the answers.
(21:08):
Um, instead, it allows for manyvoices to contribute to a richer
understanding of what health andresilience can look like.
Um, and if I may also add, likewhen I was looking for these
experts, I wasn't necessarilylooking for um celebrity experts
that you see on television likeall the time.
It was very important for me tohave experts who had a degree of
(21:32):
industry independence, um, thatwere not relying on uh corporate
and industry funding, um, andand that their voices were truly
independent and belonged to tothem, and that those voices were
their own.
That was a critical thing insearching for these uh experts
(21:52):
as well.
SPEAKER_02 (21:53):
Great.
Well, you did a very good job.
And uh the film usescinematography, storytelling,
animation, and even humoroussketches.
This was wonderful for mebecause I love the humor, I love
the sketches.
And I want to ask you, why wasit did you think going in that
(22:15):
humor was going to be veryimportant in a film about such
serious objects as subjects asburnout and chronic disease and
climate impact?
SPEAKER_00 (22:27):
Yeah, I'm so glad you enjoyed that part, Carol.
Um you know, because burnout isheavy enough.
When people are exhausted,they're anxious, they're
overwhelmed, the last thing theyneed is another lecture.
And one of the challenges withmaking a documentary about
complex public health orplanetary health issues is that
(22:50):
audiences can quickly experienceinformation fatigue.
And my team and I, we wantedpeople to stay engaged, not
because they felt guilty or theyhad purchased a ticket or they
went to a screening, but becausethey were genuinely curious and
enjoying the experience.
(23:12):
And we felt that humor andlevity creates that much-needed
space.
It lowers our defenses, it helpsus laugh at ourselves, it makes
difficult conversations feelsafer.
And we included 15 humoroussketches throughout the film
because we wanted moments whereaudiences could breathe, they
(23:35):
could smile, they couldrecognize themselves in the
story.
And sometimes, you know, whenpeople laugh first, and then a
few seconds later they realize,oh, that's me.
You know, that that could be mein the clinician's office.
Right.
That is a very powerful moment.
Um the animation served asimilar purpose.
(23:58):
Some of the scientific andhistorical concepts we were
discussing, you know, those canbe quite intimidating and
complex.
So animation and motion graphicsallowed us to simplify complex
ideas without oversimplifyingthe science underlying those
ideas.
And ultimately, my goal wasn'tjust to inform people, but it
(24:22):
was to create an experience thatthey would remember and
hopefully want to talk aboutwith someone else afterwards.
SPEAKER_02 (24:30):
Exactly.
Making them aware of what wasgoing on in their life.
How kind of you.
And I understand you wereinvited to pitch a film at
Cannes in 2026 by Largo.
So tell us what did Largo AIscript analysis or their
audience research help you tounderstand about the film.
SPEAKER_00 (24:54):
Well, first of all, before I, you know, talk about
Largo, I have to say that I gotto know about Largo through you
and through from the HeartProductions.
So thank you so much for thatand for bringing these amazing
tools and opportunities to yourfilmmakers.
It's just so incredible.
(25:14):
Now, the Cannes experience wasincredibly valuable because it
brought together two verydifferent parts of my
professional life.
Before founding my nonprofit andmaking films, I spent nearly two
decades in global consumermarketing working with some of
the world's largest brands.
(25:35):
And one lesson that was deeplyingrained in me was that you
never assume you know youraudience before you've listened
to them.
In fact, one of the first globalbrand teams that I worked on, we
had what was called a consumerpassport.
You know, it was literally likea passport book, like a booklet.
(25:59):
And every month we were expectedto spend time out with
consumers, and we had to uhrecord those hours and you know
put it, put them in like tallymarks in our uh passport book.
Um, the philosophy was simple: the closer you stay to the (26:13):
undefined
people you're trying to serve,the better your decisions
become.
And that mindset never left me.
When I founded the VersaFoundation, two of our very
first initiatives were researchprojects.
So we conducted an in-depthqualitative study followed by
(26:35):
the Gaia study, a largequantitative public health study
in partnership with Ipsos,involving more than 14,000
participants.
And these projects ultimatelybecame part of the foundation of
this film.
So when I learned about Largothrough From the Heart
Productions, I was immediatelyintrigued.
(26:58):
Um, around the same time, afriend introduced me to Largo's
VP of Sales, who generouslyarranged a demonstration of the
platform.
And I ended up going much deeperthan a typical filmmaker might.
Um I ran more than 15 simulatedaudience focus groups across
(27:18):
different demographic profilesand explored multiple content
analyses.
I wanted to understand not justwhether people liked the film,
but why did they say they likedthe film, or what they didn't
like about the film, obviously,as well.
And which themes resonated withdifferent audiences?
(27:39):
Where did emotional intensityrise and fall?
Um, how were relationshipsbetween the characters and the
experts perceived?
Um, which moments generatedcuriosity, empathy, surprise,
fear, disgust, or relief?
And what I found was incrediblyencouraging.
(28:01):
Um, despite tackling complexsubjects like burnout, chronic
disease, and planetary health,audiences remained emotionally
engaged throughout the film.
I think that was like a bigtakeaway from the Largo
analysis.
Um, the analysis also reinforcedthe value of balancing serious
science with personalstorytelling, animation, and
(28:24):
humor.
Those lighter moments weren'tsimply entertaining, they helped
people stay emotionallyconnected and receptive to
difficult ideas.
But perhaps my biggest takeawaywasn't necessarily, you know,
about artificial intelligence atall.
It was that data and intuitionwork best together.
(28:47):
And research can help us askbetter questions, it can reveal
patterns we might otherwisemiss, but storytelling is still
profoundly human.
People don't connect with filmsbecause an algorithm predicts
they will.
They connect because they seethemselves, their struggles,
their hopes reflected on thescreen.
(29:08):
So for me, Largo AI wasn'tnecessarily about replacing that
creative instinct or thatstorytelling instinct.
It was an important tool forlistening to the audiences.
And after all these years inmarketing and research and now
filmmaking, I still believe thatlistening to our audiences or
(29:30):
our consumers and ourrespondents is one of the most
important um first things thatwe should do and that we can do.
SPEAKER_02 (29:40):
How wonderful! Because that's what it's all
about.
You've made a film for anaudience, and now finding that
audience and screening it tothem is wonderful because you
with the the content, the wayyou have arranged the humor,
gives you tell us someoutstanding, surprising,
(30:03):
shocking information.
Then you give us a bit of humor,and actually we sit back, we
start breathing again.
It's okay now.
Go ahead, hit me again.
What else is it?
I need to know.
And here you come again withimportant information.
But you gave us time to regroup.
(30:24):
I thought uh the timing, thetone of the film was excellent,
and it was very smart of you toput the humor in there.
You did a good job.
Thank you, Carol.
So you self-funded much of thefilm from your own savings.
Well, many filmmakers uh facethat same leap of faith.
(30:46):
So, what kept you going when thefinancial burden or the
emotional weight felt heavy?
SPEAKER_00 (30:53):
Oh, yes, you know.
Um, some would call me brave,maybe some others will call me
foolish.
You know, there were definitelymoments when I questioned
whether I could keep going, um,whether I could keep
self-funding, uh, howsustainable it is.
I definitely don't recommenddoing it like all the way.
(31:16):
Um uh filmmakers need funding,uh, documentary films need
funding.
Um, independent filmmaking canbe incredibly lonely.
And and you're wearing everyhat.
Um, you're the researcher, thefundraiser, director, marketeer,
social media manager, and in mycase, also the funder, you know,
(31:39):
and because you've invested somuch of yourself, the stakes
feel very personal.
It's like birthing a baby.
And what kept me going wasremembering why I started.
And whenever I felt overwhelmed,I came back to the people this
film might help.
I thought about healthcareprofessionals experiencing
(32:01):
burnout, students facinganxiety, families navigating
chronic illness, and people who,like me, had never been told how
profoundly lifestyle caninfluence health and well-being.
You know, even though it soundssuper intuitive, um, there's a
difference between knowing anddoing.
Um, I also learned somethingvery important during this
(32:23):
journey that purpose can sustainyou, but purpose doesn't
eliminate the need forpartnership.
So for a long time, I believed Ihad to carry everything myself.
And now I understand thatcreating those, creating
meaningful change requires anecosystem of collaborators.
(32:47):
Um, you need the funders, youneed the educational partners,
healthcare organizations,especially for documentary films
such as this, you needuniversities, distributors, and
community leaders and and guidesand coaches such as you, um,
Carol, and and CJ, um CarolJoyce.
I'm just so fortunate to haveyou as my mentors.
(33:09):
Um, you know, and and in manyways, finishing the film uh
wasn't the end of the journey,it was the beginning of building
that ecosystem, starting of aconversation.
So it's not done yet.
SPEAKER_02 (33:27):
It still is still working, but now listen, this is
amazing because your film hasreceived more than 15 awards,
three tally recognitions, andtwo United Nations affiliated
recognitions.
So, how have those honors helpedyou build credibility with
(33:47):
funders, partners, andaudiences?
SPEAKER_00 (33:51):
The awards have certainly been encouraging.
Um, I'm deeply, deeply, deeplygrateful for every one of them.
Um, and what they've reallyhelped with is create trust.
Um, when you're asking someoneto invest their time, host a
screening, or considersupporting an impact campaign,
(34:13):
independent recognition providesthat reassurance that the work
has been evaluated by others andfound to be of merit.
Um, and increasingly andinterestingly, what has
influenced me even more than theawards are the conversations
after you know the screenings orafter the awards night at a film
(34:35):
festival.
People stay behind, they sharetheir own experiences with
burnout.
Many of our post-screening QAconversations have gone on for
longer than 45 minutes.
And one in the UK, which wasactually hosted by a university
in the UK, that even lastedlonger than an hour.
(34:56):
And we had to go and spill overto a nearby coffee shop to
continue.
Um, healthcare professionals,climate communicators tell me
they finally have a resourcethey can share with colleagues
or with patients.
Um students tell me they feelseen, that they feel understood
and heard.
And audience members often willsay things like, I never
(35:19):
realized these issues were soconnected, or just the other
day, we you know wrapped up ourscreening at the London Climate
Action Week, and one of theaudience members who is a big
follower of lifestyle change andyou know has amazing Facebook
group herself, and she said thatshe didn't realize that with all
the intensive agriculture, wehad actually tilted the planet's
(35:43):
axis, you know, the axis onwhich our planets uh rotating.
And and so these are the littlequips and you know bites and um
the the quips that I hear fromour audience members that just
have helped me understand thatyes, you know, there's so much
trust and so much credibility,and the awards have contributed
(36:06):
to that.
And um, the awards may open thedoor, but really it's the
audience response that tells youwhether your work is truly
making a difference.
SPEAKER_02 (36:17):
Absolutely true.
That's very important.
But what about the role ofuniversity screenings?
What does that play in provingaudience demand?
SPEAKER_00 (36:28):
Yeah, that's a critical question, especially
for an educational documentaryfilm.
Um, I would say universityscreenings are incredibly
important because universitiesare places where curiosity is
encouraged and dialogue iswelcomed.
Um, students aren't justwatching a film, they're
questioning it, they'rediscussing it, they're
(36:49):
challenging the ideas presentedin the film, the ideas that they
may have brought to thiscleaning, and they're making
connections across disciplinesbecause they're still in,
they're like sponges.
They're still in that learningmode that many of us in our post
you know educational years, alot of us as adults, we just
tend to forget.
(37:10):
And and students make this worka living, breathing, animated
being that continues to growbigger with every screening.
Um, and that's exactly what I'dhoped uh for third-degree
burnout to inspire.
We've already begunconversations with different
(37:31):
universities because the themesof burnout, mental well-being,
public health, nutrition,climate, resiliency, like all of
those conversations, theynaturally bring together
students and faculty from manydifferent fields.
So even if you know, otherwisestudents are and faculty members
(37:52):
are, you know, teaching orlearning certain specialties and
they have their own fields, butI feel like our screening helps
create this interdisciplinarykind of a community for the
students and faculty members tocome together.
And another thing that I'velearned is that panel
discussions afterwards are just,you know, often just as valuable
(38:16):
as the screening themselves.
For example, following a recentscreening during London Climate
Week, we were joined by alifestyle medicine physician.
Um, now he's also a publichealth specialist.
Um, and then we also had alicensed psychotherapist whose
mental health counselorspecializes in somatic and
(38:37):
embodied healing approaches.
The conversations becamewonderful and super enriching
because then the audiencemembers are, you know, all of a
sudden discussing theirreflections and not just hearing
a medical or a clinical point ofview, they're also hearing an
emotional health and somatic,you know, receiving these
(38:59):
practical guidance.
And those interdisciplinarydiscussions, they help us
understand which ideas resonatemost deeply while also
demonstrating genuine umaudience engagement.
And something that's supervaluable as we titrate and
optimize with uh futurepartnerships, uh, future
(39:22):
educational institutionalscreenings, corporate
screenings, and even have thesediscussions with funders as to
how we want to make an impact.
SPEAKER_02 (39:31):
Exactly.
Now, are you can contacting anyof the Fortune 500 companies to
screen to their overworkedexecutives?
SPEAKER_00 (39:41):
Yes, very much so.
You know, I'm a recoveringcorporate burnout survivor,
recovering consumer marketeer.
And so that's very much myformer tribe.
So it's very much part of ourlong-term vision.
Um, right now we're building thefoundation for those
conversations by working witheducational institutions,
(40:04):
healthcare organizations,grant-making foundations,
mission-aligned partners whoshare our belief that burnout is
much more than just anindividual workplace issue.
Um, my own background, as Imentioned, was in global
consumer marketing.
So I understand firsthand thepressures many professionals
experience.
(40:25):
And I also know that theseorganizations are increasingly
recognizing that employeewell-being isn't simply an
insurance benefits issue.
You know, it's connected toemployee engagement, um
innovation, uh, employeeretention, the quality of their
(40:45):
leadership, and longer-termorganizational sustainability
and resilience.
Um, I would love to see the filmscreened within corporations,
but not simply as a one-offwellness event.
So my hope is that it becomes astarting point for richer
conversations aboutorganizational culture,
(41:07):
prevention, resilience, mentalwell-being, and practical issues
such as food choices availablein office cafeterias and
restaurants that cater to suchoffice spaces, you know, because
what's the point of learningabout all of this
interconnection, um, you know,and learning about the fact that
we must fuel our bodies in ahealthier way, finish the
(41:28):
screening and then head off tothe cafeteria to eat some really
unhealthy food.
Um, so that would defeat thepurpose.
So if we can help organizationsshift the conversation from
treating burnout after ithappens to preventing it in the
first place, um, and to buildecosystems that are healthy for
(41:49):
their employees to work in, Ithink that's where the greatest
opportunity lies with this film.
SPEAKER_02 (41:56):
Oh, yes, I hope you're able to achieve that.
Well, you're now moving intoimpact distributions with
partners, including picturemotion and phantom
entertainment.
So, what does this next phaselook like?
And why is it so important forfilmmakers to think beyond
simply finishing the film?
SPEAKER_00 (42:20):
Yeah, I mean, finishing the film is a major,
major, major milestone.
Um, it's obviously the biggestfirst milestone, but it's not
the finish line.
As I'm learning, it's just thebeginning.
And we often think of adocumentary as the final
product, but in the longer arcof the journey of why this film
(42:41):
was even made, um, you know,it's really not the final
product.
I see it differently.
The film is the invitation, it'sthe beginning of a much larger
conversation.
And that's why I'm so excited tobe working with Picture Motion.
Um, they're the best of the bestin um, you know, in the business
(43:05):
of creating amazing impactcampaigns.
Their team has tremendousexperiencing experience in
designing impact campaignsaround documentary films.
And together we're thinkingstrategically about how this
film can reach the people whoneed it most, and not just
through festivals, um, but alsothrough universities, healthcare
(43:28):
organizations, other nonprofits,um, global conferences, and
community partners.
We're also in very earlyconversations about what could
be a potential limitedtheatrical strategy and how that
strategy could look like withFathom.
Now, those conversations areexploratory, but they reflect
(43:49):
this broader ambition to reachaudiences in multiple ways.
And, you know, ultimately, Idon't think impact happens
because people watch the film.
Impact happens because a filmsparks conversations, builds
relationships, inspirespartnerships, and encourages
people to make um to takemeaningful action.
(44:10):
And that's exactly where picturemotion excels.
You know, they really have deepexperience in measuring the
impact made um through contentsuch as this.
And uh so that's the phase we'reentering now.
It's every bit as creative andevery bit as important as making
the film itself.
(44:31):
And I can't wait to see how itunfolds.
SPEAKER_02 (44:34):
Yes, me too, because you you're going to reach uh the
audience you made it for.
But you have a bold vision: 1,000 screens, 100 corporate and (44:41):
undefined
campus partners, and 10 globalconferences, healthcare
audiences, community screenings,these are all part of your plan.
So, how are you turning adocumentary into a scalable
behavior change platform?
SPEAKER_00 (45:02):
Well, it's, you know, one screening at a time,
one heart at a time.
Uh, I know those numbers soundambitious.
But I believe every movementbegins with a simple single
conversation.
And one of the most encouragingthings I've seen is that every
screening seems to create thenext opportunity.
(45:25):
So a university professor wouldintroduce me to another
department, or a physician wouldsuggest bringing the film to
their colleagues or to a localevent, or someone in the
audience will say, Hey, have youspoken to this organization, you
know, or that organization?
And that's exactly what hashappened following our
screenings at StanfordUniversity, or earlier at UC
(45:48):
Santa Barbara, or the mostrecent one at London Climate
Action Week.
And we're also thinking beyond asingle feature-length
documentary.
Different audiences can havedifferent needs.
So a university classroom or ahealthcare conference and a
workplace wellness program, eachmight require a different format
(46:12):
and a different conversation.
So that's why we're exploringshorter educational versions
that can be tailored to specificaudiences while preserving the
integrity of the larger story.
And maybe even doing amulti-part series, you know, so
that people have an opportunityto watch 20, 30 minutes and then
metabolize that specific facetof the entire story and then go
(46:38):
on to the next one.
So for me, as a consumerbehavior marketer, you know,
behavior change doesn't happenbecause someone watches a film
once.
It happens when stories are uhcontinuously reinforced, and
that reinforcement comes throughdiscussion, through trusted
(46:59):
partners, trusted people, youknow, in those people's
communities, um, educationalresources that are thoughtfully
designed, and then communitiesthen can continue that
conversation long after uh thecredits roll.
So that's the behavior change,um, meaningful action
educational ecosystem that we'retrying to build.
SPEAKER_02 (47:23):
Well done.
So you are seekingmission-aligned executive
producers, you're looking forfoundation support, venture
philanthropy, strategicpartners.
So, what kind of funder is theright fit for the third degree
burnout?
And what do they become part ofwhen they support this film?
SPEAKER_00 (47:46):
Yes, you know, before I go anywhere, I do have
uh, you know, wonderful, what Ihave wonderful news.
So, Katherine Kramer, who is thedaughter of the late um
legendary director StanleyKramer, and founder of um uh,
you know, Catherine Kramer, uhKatherine Kramer's or Kat
(48:08):
Kramer's films helped uh changethe world.
I think that's the name of herum foundation.
She has agreed to come on boardas an honorary executive
producer for the film.
So I think that already is anamazing win.
Um and in terms of you know,more funding partners and other
(48:29):
executive producers, I'm lookingfor partners who see our
storytelling as an investment inprevention.
And the right partner isn'tsimply funding a documentary or
its um impact campaign, they'rehelping build an educational
platform that can reach peoplebefore burnout becomes a crisis.
(48:52):
So, you know, and before chronicdisease progresses and before
young people inherit the ideathat exhaustion is simply the
price of success.
So at this point in time, we'respeaking with grant-making
foundations, philanthropists,mission-aligned organizations
that recognize these challengesare interconnected, that burnout
(49:14):
doesn't exist in isolation, andneither do mental health,
nutrition, chronic disease, orenvironmental well-being.
And what excites me most, Carol,is that bringing together people
from these different sectors whomight not otherwise sit around
the same table.
So when someone supports thiswork, they become part of
something much bigger than afilm.
(49:35):
They become part of our BeyondBurnout coalition.
It's a it's a big, largecoalitional effort.
And they become part of thiscollaborative effort to make
evidence-based ideas moreaccessible, to foster meaningful
conversations and to help createhealthier, more resilient
communities.
So if there are funders outthere who believe in everything
(50:01):
that I've just said, they arethe right fit for this film and
they can become part of this bigmovement.
SPEAKER_02 (50:09):
Yes.
Well, that's wonderful.
They should take advantagebecause this is sorely needed,
and it's the direction we needto go in to get healthier,
definitely.
So for filmmakers listening whohave a personal story, a social
impact mission, or ahealth-related documentary, what
(50:31):
advice would you give them aboutbuilding partnerships, providing
audience demand, and raisingmoney for distribution?
SPEAKER_00 (50:40):
I would say two things.
First, don't wait until yourfilm is finished to start
building relationships.
And some of the most importantrelationships and partnerships
we've developed began simply bysharing the vision, you know,
asking thoughtful questions,listening carefully to what
other organizations were tryingto accomplish.
(51:01):
Because people don't just investin films, they invest in people,
they invest in purpose and theyinvest in relationships.
And second, I would say don'tthink of fundraising as asking
for money.
Think of it as inviting peopleto participate in solving a
(51:22):
problem they already care about.
So when I meet with a foundationor a potential partner or a
potential producer, executiveproducer, I spend far more time
understanding their mission thantalking about my own.
The best partnerships happenwhen there's genuine alignment,
(51:42):
not when you're trying toconvince someone who isn't
already interested.
And finally, I'd encouragefilmmakers to stay curious.
This entire project began withthis one question I couldn't
answer.
I never imagined it would leadto public health research and
award-winning film conversationsat the Cahn Film Festival,
(52:07):
London Climate Action Week, orpartnerships with people across
just simply so many diversedisciplines.
So if your story comes from aplace of genuine curiosity and
service, people will recognizethat.
Because at the end of the day,we're not just making films,
we're creating opportunities forpeople to see themselves and
(52:30):
perhaps see the world a littledifferently.
And I think that's one of thegreatest privileges of being a
filmmaker.
SPEAKER_02 (52:39):
How wonderful.
Thank you so much for joining ustoday and for sharing your
story, your wisdom, and theextraordinary mission behind
your film, Third Degree Burnout,a survivor's guide.
So, what I want filmmakers totake from this conversation is
that your personal story canbecome the doorway to something
(52:59):
much larger.
A film can begin with oneperson's pain, one question, one
loss, or one moment of truth,and it can grow into a movement
that educates, heals, andchanges lives.
So Nevi's journey also remindsus that finishing the film is
not the end, it's the beginning.
(53:21):
The next great creativechallenge, which is finding the
right partners, raising theright money, reaching the right
audiences, and building animpact campaign that gives the
film a real life in the world.
So, to our filmmakers listening,please know that From the Heart
Productions is here to supportyou.
(53:42):
So visitFromTheHardProductions.com to
learn about our grants, fiscalsponsorship.
We have a lot of free classesand resources that we created
especially for independentfilmmakers for film funding and
producing films.
So please take advantage of ourThrive platform.
(54:03):
There you're going to find evenmore free film funding classes,
educational tools, and supportto help you move your project
forward with confidence.
Your film matters, your voicematters, and when you combine
your passion with preparation,strategy, and art, you give your
story the best chance to reachthe audience who is waiting for
(54:26):
it.
Thank you for listening to theArt of Film Funding.
We will see you next week.
I'm Claire Papin here with Carol Dean, president
of From the Heart Productions,author of The Art of Film
Funding, and a longtime championof independent filmmakers.
And we are so glad you couldjoin us on The Art of Film
Funding, the podcast that helpsindependent filmmakers learn how
(01:34):
to fund, produce, distributefilms with clarity, courage, and
heart.
Today we have a truly inspiringguest, Nivi Jeswal Wurchis, MBA.
She's the founder and presidentof the Versa Foundation and the
(01:54):
Divinity Research Program, aboard certified health and
wellness coach trained at theMayo Clinic, certified lifestyle
medicine coach, trained at theAmerican College of Lifestyle
Medicine, and the director andexecutive producer of the
award-winning documentaryfeature Third Degree Burnout, a
(02:19):
Survivor's Guide.
Her film grew out of a deeplypersonal journey.
At the height of her career inglobal marketing, she was
navigating severe burnout andchronic disease.
Then, during the pandemic, bothof her parents contracted
COVID-19.
(02:40):
Her father passed away in justfour days, while her mother
survived.
That devastating question, whydid two people in the same
household have such differentoutcomes became the beginning of
a larger investigation intolifestyle, health, food,
(03:03):
resilience, public health, andplanetary well-being.
Third-degree burnout bringstogether experts across
medicine, psychology, publichealth, nutrition, lifestyle
medicine, climate science, andresilience.
(03:23):
The film has received multipleawards and recognitions,
including teleawards and UnitedNations affiliated recognitions.
It combines documentarystorytelling, animation, expert
interviews, and humor to makecomplex ideas accessible and
(03:47):
actionable.
Now, with partners includingPicture Motion and Fathom
Entertainment, she is enteringthe impact distribution phase of
the film with a vision to reachtheaters, campuses,
corporations, conferences,healthcare communities, and
(04:10):
audiences around the world.
And Carol, I know this isexactly the kind of filmmaker
journey our audience needs tohear.
One rooted in personal truth,service, courage, and a powerful
distribution plan.
And I'm turning it right over toyou now.
SPEAKER_02 (04:29):
Okay, Claire, thank you very much.
And we're so welcome to have youon the Art of Film Funding.
Your film, Third Degree Burnout,a Survivor's Guide, is timely
and deeply needed.
Many people are exhausted andlooking for answers.
And what I love about your workis that you're not just making a
(04:50):
film, you are building aneducational movement around
healing, prevention, food, andthe connection between personal
and planetary well-being.
And you represent what so manyfilmmakers experience.
You believed in the story somuch that you invested your own
(05:10):
savings, completed the film,earned recognition, built
partnerships, and now you'restepping into the next
challenge (05:19):
raising more funds to bring the to the world one of
your great films.
So let's begin with yourpersonal story.
What was the moment that firsttold you this film had to be
made?
Tell us.
SPEAKER_00 (05:38):
Oh, thank you for asking that question, Carol.
For me, there wasn't a lightningbolt moment.
It was more like a series ofwake-up calls that finally
became impossible to ignore.
I had spent nearly two decadesbuilding what looked like a
successful internationalcorporate career.
(06:00):
I lived and worked in sevencountries, held global marketing
roles with remarkable companiesand brands, and by many external
measures, um, some would say Iwas doing very well.
But internally, I was fallingapart.
I was exhausted, disconnectedfrom myself, and accumulating
(06:24):
one chronic health diagnosisafter another.
And then I discovered wholefood, plant-based nutrition, and
lifestyle medicine, um, all bymeans of educational
documentaries.
I wasn't looking for philosophy,I was simply looking for a way
to feel better.
Um, and in just a very shortperiod of time, my symptoms
(06:46):
improved dramatically until Iwasn't sick anymore and in fact
was healthier than ever before.
And that made me ask animportant question: why hadn't
anyone taught me this earlier?
Um, and then, you know, theglobal pandemic arrived.
(07:08):
Both of my parents um contractedCOVID-19, as has already been
mentioned in the introduction.
They lived in the same home,they ate the same meals, and
they got sick roughly at thesame time.
Um, yet my dad passed awaywithin four days while my mom
survived.
Um, and as anyone who has lostsomeone, um you know that your
(07:31):
mind grasps and searches foranswers.
I wasn't looking for someone toblame.
I was trying to understand howcould two people in the same
household experience suchdifferent outcomes?
So that question changed thedirection of my life and my
career.
It let me explore not onlyinfectious disease, but chronic
(07:56):
illness, um, resiliency,nutrition, mental health,
lifestyle medicine, publichealth, and eventually even
planetary health.
And it was as though, you know,like an onion, every answer
uncovered another question.
I was peeling back this onion ofour socioeconomic, nutritional
(08:18):
constructs.
And eventually I realized Iwasn't simply making a
documentary about burnout.
I seemed to be following a trailthat connected our food, our
health, our relationships, ourworkplaces, our communities, and
ultimately the future of ourspecies on the only planet that
(08:40):
we call home, that is our MotherEarth.
SPEAKER_02 (08:45):
Your film asks a very powerful question.
Two people in the same householdgot COVID-19 but had different
outcomes.
So, why did that question becomeso important to you?
How did it lead you intoexploring lifestyle, resilience,
nutrition, mental well-being,and long-term health?
SPEAKER_00 (09:08):
Carol, that's a great question.
Um, that question becameimportant because I simply
couldn't let it go.
Um as I began reading scientificliterature and speaking with
physicians, psychologists,nutrition researchers, public
health experts, and climatescientists, I realized there
(09:29):
wasn't one single answer.
Health isn't determined by onefactor, it's influenced by what
we eat, how we sleep, how wemove, our relationships, our
purpose, our environment, ourstress levels, and the systems
we live in.
So one conversation led toanother.
(09:51):
I kept asking the same questionover and over.
And one expert introduced me toanother discipline I had never
explored before.
So eventually, my nonprofitpartnered with Ipsos Global
Public Affairs to conduct whatbecame the Gaia study, looking
at the experiences of more than14,000 Americans during the
(10:14):
global pandemic.
We weren't simply asking whetherpeople were stressed.
We wanted to understand howdifferent lifestyles, behaviors,
and mindsets related towell-being and resilience.
And what surprised me most washow interconnected everything
(10:35):
was.
We often divide health intoseparate boxes: mental health,
physical health, environmentalhealth.
But you know, real life doesn'twork that way.
Our lives are interconnected,and our health is
interconnected.
That critical realization becamethe foundation of the film.
(10:56):
And that's why I just couldn'tlet go of that question.
SPEAKER_02 (11:00):
Of course.
Well, you described three coreinsights in the film.
Food is mood, food is medicine,and food is planet.
So can you explain what thesemean and why they matter now?
SPEAKER_00 (11:16):
Sure.
Um, those three phrases became asimple way of communicating
something that is actually quitecomplex.
Food is mood recognizes thatwhat we eat doesn't just
influence our bodies, itinfluences our brains, um, our
emotions, our energy, and evenour ability to cope with stress.
(11:43):
Next, uh, food is medicinereflects the growing body of
evidence, showing that nutritionplays a key role in preventing,
and in some cases, such as myown, helping reverse many
chronic diseases.
Lifestyle medicine isincreasingly demonstrating that
food can be one of our mostpowerful health interventions.
(12:08):
And finally, food is planet.
That reminds us that ourindividual choices don't exist
in isolation.
The foods we produce and consumeaffect biodiversity, water use,
greenhouse gas emissions, andthe health of the ecosystems
that sustain us.
(12:29):
What I appreciate is that theseideas don't ask people to be
perfect, they invite curiosity.
So if we make one healthierchoice today than we did
yesterday for ourselves and forthe planet, that alone is
meaningful progress.
SPEAKER_02 (12:48):
Yes, it is.
And some of the doctors thatI've interviewed say that just
go vegetarian one night a week,all right, four times a month,
and that is a great beginning,all right.
And the father of modernmedicine, Hippocrates, said, Let
(13:08):
food be thy medicine, andmedicine be thy food.
Leave the herbs in the chemistpot, he said, and let food be
thy medicine.
And I've lived by that, Evie,for 50 years now.
Wow.
And it works.
So um let's talk about burnoutbecause it's usually talked
(13:30):
about as a work problem, butyour film looks at it as a
public health issue.
So, what were what are wemissing here when we treat
burnout only as stress orexhaustion?
SPEAKER_00 (13:44):
Before I answer that, Carol, I must say you're
so inspiring.
You're such a role model, andnot only within the realm of
filmmaking and funding and allof those things, but also
through your lifestyle andthrough your commitment to
self-care, self-compassion, andnutrition.
Um, so thank you for being thatrole model for all of us.
SPEAKER_02 (14:08):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (14:09):
You know, to your question on burnout, I think
oftentimes we miss the biggerpicture.
Burnout certainly shows up inthe workplace.
Oh, absolutely.
I know I know that.
But it doesn't begin or endthere.
It affects how we sleep, how weum eat, how we connect with
(14:30):
other people, how we makedecisions, ultimately how we
show up for ourselves andoutside of work, how we're
showing up in our interpersonalrelationships with our friends,
with our families, um, ourneighborhoods, our communities,
and the world around us.
Now, when burnout becomeschronic, meaning over a longer
(14:50):
period of time, it cancontribute to social isolation,
anxiety, unhealthy behaviors,emotional eating, and poor
physical health.
And at the same time, many ofthe forces driving this burnout,
such as food insecurity,financial stress, loneliness,
climate anxiety, environmentaldegradation, and ever-widening
(15:15):
social inequities, theythemselves are a symptom of
larger systems under strain.
So that's why I believe thatburnout is much more than a
workplace issue.
It's a public health issue.
And increasingly, it's aplanetary health issue.
And planetary health recognizesthat human health depends on the
(15:40):
health of the natural systemsthat sustain us.
We can't separate the well-beingof people from the well-being of
our food systems, our air andwater, our communities, or our
planet.
They're just so deeplyintertwined.
And one of the most hopefuldiscoveries I made while
creating this film is that, youknow, many of the same actions
(16:04):
that support our personalwell-being, like eating
nourishing food or moving ourbodies, prioritizing restorative
sleep, cultivating meaningfulrelationships, spending time in
nature and living with purpose,they also, exactly the same
attributes, also contribute tohealthier communities and in
many cases a healthier planet.
(16:25):
So that's why I often say thefilm really isn't about burnout.
Burnout is just the doorway.
The larger conversation is abouthow we create conditions where
people on the planet can thrivetogether.
Ultimately, it's about buildinghealthier people, healthier
communities, and a healthierfuture for all of us.
SPEAKER_02 (16:48):
Oh, how exciting! That's wonderful.
So you connect personal healthwith planetary health, which is
beautiful and ambitious.
But how does the film helpaudiences understand that their
fond choices, their foodchoices, their well-being, and
the environment are allconnected?
SPEAKER_00 (17:11):
Yeah, absolutely.
And that was a big challenge.
It was a big um researchchallenge as we went into the
film, but also a big creativechallenge.
You know, how do we um showcasethe research that we found about
the interconnectedness?
Um, you know, we talk aboutmental health over here, we talk
about chronic disease overthere, climate change somewhere
(17:32):
else, and then food as anentirely different conversation.
Um, but in reality, as you know,they're all part of the same
system.
So the food that we eat affectsour physical health, our mental
well-being, our energy, ourresilience.
And at the same time, the wayour food is produced, meaning
(17:52):
our agricultural systems, theyalso have implications for soil,
water, biodiversity, andgreenhouse gas emissions.
So the film doesn't tell peoplewhat to think or what to eat.
Instead, it invites them tobecome curious about those
connections.
(18:12):
And I often say that personalhealth and planetary health
aren't competing priorities,they're actually complementary
to each other.
When we care for ourselves, weoften end up caring for the
world around us a little bettertoo.
And perhaps most importantly, Iwanted audiences to leave
(18:33):
feeling empowered rather thanoverwhelmed or lectured at.
And we don't have to solveeverything overnight.
Small intentional choices,repeated consistently, can have
a remarkably cumulative rippleeffect on us, our bodies, our
(18:54):
mental health, and the rest ofthe world.
SPEAKER_02 (18:57):
Well, I really enjoyed watching your film.
You brought together expertsacross medicine, public health,
nutrition, lifestyle medicine,climate science, and resilience.
So, how did you choose theexperts and what surprised you
most in those conversations?
SPEAKER_00 (19:17):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Um, so Carol, I wasn'tnecessarily looking for experts
who all agreed with one another.
I wasn't looking for consensus.
I was looking for people who hadspent decades asking thoughtful
questions from differentperspectives.
Um, some of these experts, youknow, as you mentioned, are
(19:40):
physicians, others arepsychotherapists, nutrition
scientists, public healthleaders, climate scientists,
coaches, researchers.
And each one of them, I felt,brought a different piece of the
puzzle that we were trying tosolve.
And as I interviewed them,something fascinating began to
(20:01):
happen.
Um, without knowing what theothers were saying, obviously,
all of these experts keptarriving at remarkably similar
conclusions.
So whether they were talkingabout chronic disease or
emotional resiliency, um, foodsystems, loneliness, or
environmental change, many weredescribing different aspects of
(20:22):
the same interconnected system.
So many of them had personallyand professionally experienced
burnout as well.
So they were giving me theseintuitive answers, um, and and
they all actually sounded thesame, um, uh even though with
separate specialties.
And that was probably my biggestsurprise.
(20:45):
Um, I didn't set out to prove atheory, I set out to learn.
And then the more I listened,the more I realized that this
wasn't a collection of separateconversations.
It was one conversation viewedthrough different lenses.
And I think that's one of thestrengths of the film.
It doesn't present one expert ashaving all the answers.
(21:08):
Um, instead, it allows for manyvoices to contribute to a richer
understanding of what health andresilience can look like.
Um, and if I may also add, likewhen I was looking for these
experts, I wasn't necessarilylooking for um celebrity experts
that you see on television likeall the time.
It was very important for me tohave experts who had a degree of
(21:32):
industry independence, um, thatwere not relying on uh corporate
and industry funding, um, andand that their voices were truly
independent and belonged to tothem, and that those voices were
their own.
That was a critical thing insearching for these uh experts
(21:52):
as well.
SPEAKER_02 (21:53):
Great.
Well, you did a very good job.
And uh the film usescinematography, storytelling,
animation, and even humoroussketches.
This was wonderful for mebecause I love the humor, I love
the sketches.
And I want to ask you, why wasit did you think going in that
(22:15):
humor was going to be veryimportant in a film about such
serious objects as subjects asburnout and chronic disease and
climate impact?
SPEAKER_00 (22:27):
Yeah, I'm so glad you enjoyed that part, Carol.
Um you know, because burnout isheavy enough.
When people are exhausted,they're anxious, they're
overwhelmed, the last thing theyneed is another lecture.
And one of the challenges withmaking a documentary about
complex public health orplanetary health issues is that
(22:50):
audiences can quickly experienceinformation fatigue.
And my team and I, we wantedpeople to stay engaged, not
because they felt guilty or theyhad purchased a ticket or they
went to a screening, but becausethey were genuinely curious and
enjoying the experience.
(23:12):
And we felt that humor andlevity creates that much-needed
space.
It lowers our defenses, it helpsus laugh at ourselves, it makes
difficult conversations feelsafer.
And we included 15 humoroussketches throughout the film
because we wanted moments whereaudiences could breathe, they
(23:35):
could smile, they couldrecognize themselves in the
story.
And sometimes, you know, whenpeople laugh first, and then a
few seconds later they realize,oh, that's me.
You know, that that could be mein the clinician's office.
Right.
That is a very powerful moment.
Um the animation served asimilar purpose.
(23:58):
Some of the scientific andhistorical concepts we were
discussing, you know, those canbe quite intimidating and
complex.
So animation and motion graphicsallowed us to simplify complex
ideas without oversimplifyingthe science underlying those
ideas.
And ultimately, my goal wasn'tjust to inform people, but it
(24:22):
was to create an experience thatthey would remember and
hopefully want to talk aboutwith someone else afterwards.
SPEAKER_02 (24:30):
Exactly.
Making them aware of what wasgoing on in their life.
How kind of you.
And I understand you wereinvited to pitch a film at
Cannes in 2026 by Largo.
So tell us what did Largo AIscript analysis or their
audience research help you tounderstand about the film.
SPEAKER_00 (24:54):
Well, first of all, before I, you know, talk about
Largo, I have to say that I gotto know about Largo through you
and through from the HeartProductions.
So thank you so much for thatand for bringing these amazing
tools and opportunities to yourfilmmakers.
It's just so incredible.
(25:14):
Now, the Cannes experience wasincredibly valuable because it
brought together two verydifferent parts of my
professional life.
Before founding my nonprofit andmaking films, I spent nearly two
decades in global consumermarketing working with some of
the world's largest brands.
(25:35):
And one lesson that was deeplyingrained in me was that you
never assume you know youraudience before you've listened
to them.
In fact, one of the first globalbrand teams that I worked on, we
had what was called a consumerpassport.
You know, it was literally likea passport book, like a booklet.
(25:59):
And every month we were expectedto spend time out with
consumers, and we had to uhrecord those hours and you know
put it, put them in like tallymarks in our uh passport book.
Um, the philosophy was simple: the closer you stay to the (26:13):
undefined
people you're trying to serve,the better your decisions
become.
And that mindset never left me.
When I founded the VersaFoundation, two of our very
first initiatives were researchprojects.
So we conducted an in-depthqualitative study followed by
(26:35):
the Gaia study, a largequantitative public health study
in partnership with Ipsos,involving more than 14,000
participants.
And these projects ultimatelybecame part of the foundation of
this film.
So when I learned about Largothrough From the Heart
Productions, I was immediatelyintrigued.
(26:58):
Um, around the same time, afriend introduced me to Largo's
VP of Sales, who generouslyarranged a demonstration of the
platform.
And I ended up going much deeperthan a typical filmmaker might.
Um I ran more than 15 simulatedaudience focus groups across
(27:18):
different demographic profilesand explored multiple content
analyses.
I wanted to understand not justwhether people liked the film,
but why did they say they likedthe film, or what they didn't
like about the film, obviously,as well.
And which themes resonated withdifferent audiences?
(27:39):
Where did emotional intensityrise and fall?
Um, how were relationshipsbetween the characters and the
experts perceived?
Um, which moments generatedcuriosity, empathy, surprise,
fear, disgust, or relief?
And what I found was incrediblyencouraging.
(28:01):
Um, despite tackling complexsubjects like burnout, chronic
disease, and planetary health,audiences remained emotionally
engaged throughout the film.
I think that was like a bigtakeaway from the Largo
analysis.
Um, the analysis also reinforcedthe value of balancing serious
science with personalstorytelling, animation, and
(28:24):
humor.
Those lighter moments weren'tsimply entertaining, they helped
people stay emotionallyconnected and receptive to
difficult ideas.
But perhaps my biggest takeawaywasn't necessarily, you know,
about artificial intelligence atall.
It was that data and intuitionwork best together.
(28:47):
And research can help us askbetter questions, it can reveal
patterns we might otherwisemiss, but storytelling is still
profoundly human.
People don't connect with filmsbecause an algorithm predicts
they will.
They connect because they seethemselves, their struggles,
their hopes reflected on thescreen.
(29:08):
So for me, Largo AI wasn'tnecessarily about replacing that
creative instinct or thatstorytelling instinct.
It was an important tool forlistening to the audiences.
And after all these years inmarketing and research and now
filmmaking, I still believe thatlistening to our audiences or
(29:30):
our consumers and ourrespondents is one of the most
important um first things thatwe should do and that we can do.
SPEAKER_02 (29:40):
How wonderful! Because that's what it's all
about.
You've made a film for anaudience, and now finding that
audience and screening it tothem is wonderful because you
with the the content, the wayyou have arranged the humor,
gives you tell us someoutstanding, surprising,
(30:03):
shocking information.
Then you give us a bit of humor,and actually we sit back, we
start breathing again.
It's okay now.
Go ahead, hit me again.
What else is it?
I need to know.
And here you come again withimportant information.
But you gave us time to regroup.
(30:24):
I thought uh the timing, thetone of the film was excellent,
and it was very smart of you toput the humor in there.
You did a good job.
Thank you, Carol.
So you self-funded much of thefilm from your own savings.
Well, many filmmakers uh facethat same leap of faith.
(30:46):
So, what kept you going when thefinancial burden or the
emotional weight felt heavy?
SPEAKER_00 (30:53):
Oh, yes, you know.
Um, some would call me brave,maybe some others will call me
foolish.
You know, there were definitelymoments when I questioned
whether I could keep going, um,whether I could keep
self-funding, uh, howsustainable it is.
I definitely don't recommenddoing it like all the way.
(31:16):
Um uh filmmakers need funding,uh, documentary films need
funding.
Um, independent filmmaking canbe incredibly lonely.
And and you're wearing everyhat.
Um, you're the researcher, thefundraiser, director, marketeer,
social media manager, and in mycase, also the funder, you know,
(31:39):
and because you've invested somuch of yourself, the stakes
feel very personal.
It's like birthing a baby.
And what kept me going wasremembering why I started.
And whenever I felt overwhelmed,I came back to the people this
film might help.
I thought about healthcareprofessionals experiencing
(32:01):
burnout, students facinganxiety, families navigating
chronic illness, and people who,like me, had never been told how
profoundly lifestyle caninfluence health and well-being.
You know, even though it soundssuper intuitive, um, there's a
difference between knowing anddoing.
Um, I also learned somethingvery important during this
(32:23):
journey that purpose can sustainyou, but purpose doesn't
eliminate the need forpartnership.
So for a long time, I believed Ihad to carry everything myself.
And now I understand thatcreating those, creating
meaningful change requires anecosystem of collaborators.
(32:47):
Um, you need the funders, youneed the educational partners,
healthcare organizations,especially for documentary films
such as this, you needuniversities, distributors, and
community leaders and and guidesand coaches such as you, um,
Carol, and and CJ, um CarolJoyce.
I'm just so fortunate to haveyou as my mentors.
(33:09):
Um, you know, and and in manyways, finishing the film uh
wasn't the end of the journey,it was the beginning of building
that ecosystem, starting of aconversation.
So it's not done yet.
SPEAKER_02 (33:27):
It still is still working, but now listen, this is
amazing because your film hasreceived more than 15 awards,
three tally recognitions, andtwo United Nations affiliated
recognitions.
So, how have those honors helpedyou build credibility with
(33:47):
funders, partners, andaudiences?
SPEAKER_00 (33:51):
The awards have certainly been encouraging.
Um, I'm deeply, deeply, deeplygrateful for every one of them.
Um, and what they've reallyhelped with is create trust.
Um, when you're asking someoneto invest their time, host a
screening, or considersupporting an impact campaign,
(34:13):
independent recognition providesthat reassurance that the work
has been evaluated by others andfound to be of merit.
Um, and increasingly andinterestingly, what has
influenced me even more than theawards are the conversations
after you know the screenings orafter the awards night at a film
(34:35):
festival.
People stay behind, they sharetheir own experiences with
burnout.
Many of our post-screening QAconversations have gone on for
longer than 45 minutes.
And one in the UK, which wasactually hosted by a university
in the UK, that even lastedlonger than an hour.
(34:56):
And we had to go and spill overto a nearby coffee shop to
continue.
Um, healthcare professionals,climate communicators tell me
they finally have a resourcethey can share with colleagues
or with patients.
Um students tell me they feelseen, that they feel understood
and heard.
And audience members often willsay things like, I never
(35:19):
realized these issues were soconnected, or just the other
day, we you know wrapped up ourscreening at the London Climate
Action Week, and one of theaudience members who is a big
follower of lifestyle change andyou know has amazing Facebook
group herself, and she said thatshe didn't realize that with all
the intensive agriculture, wehad actually tilted the planet's
(35:43):
axis, you know, the axis onwhich our planets uh rotating.
And and so these are the littlequips and you know bites and um
the the quips that I hear fromour audience members that just
have helped me understand thatyes, you know, there's so much
trust and so much credibility,and the awards have contributed
(36:06):
to that.
And um, the awards may open thedoor, but really it's the
audience response that tells youwhether your work is truly
making a difference.
SPEAKER_02 (36:17):
Absolutely true.
That's very important.
But what about the role ofuniversity screenings?
What does that play in provingaudience demand?
SPEAKER_00 (36:28):
Yeah, that's a critical question, especially
for an educational documentaryfilm.
Um, I would say universityscreenings are incredibly
important because universitiesare places where curiosity is
encouraged and dialogue iswelcomed.
Um, students aren't justwatching a film, they're
questioning it, they'rediscussing it, they're
(36:49):
challenging the ideas presentedin the film, the ideas that they
may have brought to thiscleaning, and they're making
connections across disciplinesbecause they're still in,
they're like sponges.
They're still in that learningmode that many of us in our post
you know educational years, alot of us as adults, we just
tend to forget.
(37:10):
And and students make this worka living, breathing, animated
being that continues to growbigger with every screening.
Um, and that's exactly what I'dhoped uh for third-degree
burnout to inspire.
We've already begunconversations with different
(37:31):
universities because the themesof burnout, mental well-being,
public health, nutrition,climate, resiliency, like all of
those conversations, theynaturally bring together
students and faculty from manydifferent fields.
So even if you know, otherwisestudents are and faculty members
(37:52):
are, you know, teaching orlearning certain specialties and
they have their own fields, butI feel like our screening helps
create this interdisciplinarykind of a community for the
students and faculty members tocome together.
And another thing that I'velearned is that panel
discussions afterwards are just,you know, often just as valuable
(38:16):
as the screening themselves.
For example, following a recentscreening during London Climate
Week, we were joined by alifestyle medicine physician.
Um, now he's also a publichealth specialist.
Um, and then we also had alicensed psychotherapist whose
mental health counselorspecializes in somatic and
(38:37):
embodied healing approaches.
The conversations becamewonderful and super enriching
because then the audiencemembers are, you know, all of a
sudden discussing theirreflections and not just hearing
a medical or a clinical point ofview, they're also hearing an
emotional health and somatic,you know, receiving these
(38:59):
practical guidance.
And those interdisciplinarydiscussions, they help us
understand which ideas resonatemost deeply while also
demonstrating genuine umaudience engagement.
And something that's supervaluable as we titrate and
optimize with uh futurepartnerships, uh, future
(39:22):
educational institutionalscreenings, corporate
screenings, and even have thesediscussions with funders as to
how we want to make an impact.
SPEAKER_02 (39:31):
Exactly.
Now, are you can contacting anyof the Fortune 500 companies to
screen to their overworkedexecutives?
SPEAKER_00 (39:41):
Yes, very much so.
You know, I'm a recoveringcorporate burnout survivor,
recovering consumer marketeer.
And so that's very much myformer tribe.
So it's very much part of ourlong-term vision.
Um, right now we're building thefoundation for those
conversations by working witheducational institutions,
(40:04):
healthcare organizations,grant-making foundations,
mission-aligned partners whoshare our belief that burnout is
much more than just anindividual workplace issue.
Um, my own background, as Imentioned, was in global
consumer marketing.
So I understand firsthand thepressures many professionals
experience.
(40:25):
And I also know that theseorganizations are increasingly
recognizing that employeewell-being isn't simply an
insurance benefits issue.
You know, it's connected toemployee engagement, um
innovation, uh, employeeretention, the quality of their
(40:45):
leadership, and longer-termorganizational sustainability
and resilience.
Um, I would love to see the filmscreened within corporations,
but not simply as a one-offwellness event.
So my hope is that it becomes astarting point for richer
conversations aboutorganizational culture,
(41:07):
prevention, resilience, mentalwell-being, and practical issues
such as food choices availablein office cafeterias and
restaurants that cater to suchoffice spaces, you know, because
what's the point of learningabout all of this
interconnection, um, you know,and learning about the fact that
we must fuel our bodies in ahealthier way, finish the
(41:28):
screening and then head off tothe cafeteria to eat some really
unhealthy food.
Um, so that would defeat thepurpose.
So if we can help organizationsshift the conversation from
treating burnout after ithappens to preventing it in the
first place, um, and to buildecosystems that are healthy for
(41:49):
their employees to work in, Ithink that's where the greatest
opportunity lies with this film.
SPEAKER_02 (41:56):
Oh, yes, I hope you're able to achieve that.
Well, you're now moving intoimpact distributions with
partners, including picturemotion and phantom
entertainment.
So, what does this next phaselook like?
And why is it so important forfilmmakers to think beyond
simply finishing the film?
SPEAKER_00 (42:20):
Yeah, I mean, finishing the film is a major,
major, major milestone.
Um, it's obviously the biggestfirst milestone, but it's not
the finish line.
As I'm learning, it's just thebeginning.
And we often think of adocumentary as the final
product, but in the longer arcof the journey of why this film
(42:41):
was even made, um, you know,it's really not the final
product.
I see it differently.
The film is the invitation, it'sthe beginning of a much larger
conversation.
And that's why I'm so excited tobe working with Picture Motion.
Um, they're the best of the bestin um, you know, in the business
(43:05):
of creating amazing impactcampaigns.
Their team has tremendousexperiencing experience in
designing impact campaignsaround documentary films.
And together we're thinkingstrategically about how this
film can reach the people whoneed it most, and not just
through festivals, um, but alsothrough universities, healthcare
(43:28):
organizations, other nonprofits,um, global conferences, and
community partners.
We're also in very earlyconversations about what could
be a potential limitedtheatrical strategy and how that
strategy could look like withFathom.
Now, those conversations areexploratory, but they reflect
(43:49):
this broader ambition to reachaudiences in multiple ways.
And, you know, ultimately, Idon't think impact happens
because people watch the film.
Impact happens because a filmsparks conversations, builds
relationships, inspirespartnerships, and encourages
people to make um to takemeaningful action.
(44:10):
And that's exactly where picturemotion excels.
You know, they really have deepexperience in measuring the
impact made um through contentsuch as this.
And uh so that's the phase we'reentering now.
It's every bit as creative andevery bit as important as making
the film itself.
(44:31):
And I can't wait to see how itunfolds.
SPEAKER_02 (44:34):
Yes, me too, because you you're going to reach uh the
audience you made it for.
But you have a bold vision: 1,000 screens, 100 corporate and (44:41):
undefined
campus partners, and 10 globalconferences, healthcare
audiences, community screenings,these are all part of your plan.
So, how are you turning adocumentary into a scalable
behavior change platform?
SPEAKER_00 (45:02):
Well, it's, you know, one screening at a time,
one heart at a time.
Uh, I know those numbers soundambitious.
But I believe every movementbegins with a simple single
conversation.
And one of the most encouragingthings I've seen is that every
screening seems to create thenext opportunity.
(45:25):
So a university professor wouldintroduce me to another
department, or a physician wouldsuggest bringing the film to
their colleagues or to a localevent, or someone in the
audience will say, Hey, have youspoken to this organization, you
know, or that organization?
And that's exactly what hashappened following our
screenings at StanfordUniversity, or earlier at UC
(45:48):
Santa Barbara, or the mostrecent one at London Climate
Action Week.
And we're also thinking beyond asingle feature-length
documentary.
Different audiences can havedifferent needs.
So a university classroom or ahealthcare conference and a
workplace wellness program, eachmight require a different format
(46:12):
and a different conversation.
So that's why we're exploringshorter educational versions
that can be tailored to specificaudiences while preserving the
integrity of the larger story.
And maybe even doing amulti-part series, you know, so
that people have an opportunityto watch 20, 30 minutes and then
metabolize that specific facetof the entire story and then go
(46:38):
on to the next one.
So for me, as a consumerbehavior marketer, you know,
behavior change doesn't happenbecause someone watches a film
once.
It happens when stories are uhcontinuously reinforced, and
that reinforcement comes throughdiscussion, through trusted
(46:59):
partners, trusted people, youknow, in those people's
communities, um, educationalresources that are thoughtfully
designed, and then communitiesthen can continue that
conversation long after uh thecredits roll.
So that's the behavior change,um, meaningful action
educational ecosystem that we'retrying to build.
SPEAKER_02 (47:23):
Well done.
So you are seekingmission-aligned executive
producers, you're looking forfoundation support, venture
philanthropy, strategicpartners.
So, what kind of funder is theright fit for the third degree
burnout?
And what do they become part ofwhen they support this film?
SPEAKER_00 (47:46):
Yes, you know, before I go anywhere, I do have
uh, you know, wonderful, what Ihave wonderful news.
So, Katherine Kramer, who is thedaughter of the late um
legendary director StanleyKramer, and founder of um uh,
you know, Catherine Kramer, uhKatherine Kramer's or Kat
(48:08):
Kramer's films helped uh changethe world.
I think that's the name of herum foundation.
She has agreed to come on boardas an honorary executive
producer for the film.
So I think that already is anamazing win.
Um and in terms of you know,more funding partners and other
(48:29):
executive producers, I'm lookingfor partners who see our
storytelling as an investment inprevention.
And the right partner isn'tsimply funding a documentary or
its um impact campaign, they'rehelping build an educational
platform that can reach peoplebefore burnout becomes a crisis.
(48:52):
So, you know, and before chronicdisease progresses and before
young people inherit the ideathat exhaustion is simply the
price of success.
So at this point in time, we'respeaking with grant-making
foundations, philanthropists,mission-aligned organizations
that recognize these challengesare interconnected, that burnout
(49:14):
doesn't exist in isolation, andneither do mental health,
nutrition, chronic disease, orenvironmental well-being.
And what excites me most, Carol,is that bringing together people
from these different sectors whomight not otherwise sit around
the same table.
So when someone supports thiswork, they become part of
something much bigger than afilm.
(49:35):
They become part of our BeyondBurnout coalition.
It's a it's a big, largecoalitional effort.
And they become part of thiscollaborative effort to make
evidence-based ideas moreaccessible, to foster meaningful
conversations and to help createhealthier, more resilient
communities.
So if there are funders outthere who believe in everything
(50:01):
that I've just said, they arethe right fit for this film and
they can become part of this bigmovement.
SPEAKER_02 (50:09):
Yes.
Well, that's wonderful.
They should take advantagebecause this is sorely needed,
and it's the direction we needto go in to get healthier,
definitely.
So for filmmakers listening whohave a personal story, a social
impact mission, or ahealth-related documentary, what
(50:31):
advice would you give them aboutbuilding partnerships, providing
audience demand, and raisingmoney for distribution?
SPEAKER_00 (50:40):
I would say two things.
First, don't wait until yourfilm is finished to start
building relationships.
And some of the most importantrelationships and partnerships
we've developed began simply bysharing the vision, you know,
asking thoughtful questions,listening carefully to what
other organizations were tryingto accomplish.
(51:01):
Because people don't just investin films, they invest in people,
they invest in purpose and theyinvest in relationships.
And second, I would say don'tthink of fundraising as asking
for money.
Think of it as inviting peopleto participate in solving a
(51:22):
problem they already care about.
So when I meet with a foundationor a potential partner or a
potential producer, executiveproducer, I spend far more time
understanding their mission thantalking about my own.
The best partnerships happenwhen there's genuine alignment,
(51:42):
not when you're trying toconvince someone who isn't
already interested.
And finally, I'd encouragefilmmakers to stay curious.
This entire project began withthis one question I couldn't
answer.
I never imagined it would leadto public health research and
award-winning film conversationsat the Cahn Film Festival,
(52:07):
London Climate Action Week, orpartnerships with people across
just simply so many diversedisciplines.
So if your story comes from aplace of genuine curiosity and
service, people will recognizethat.
Because at the end of the day,we're not just making films,
we're creating opportunities forpeople to see themselves and
(52:30):
perhaps see the world a littledifferently.
And I think that's one of thegreatest privileges of being a
filmmaker.
SPEAKER_02 (52:39):
How wonderful.
Thank you so much for joining ustoday and for sharing your
story, your wisdom, and theextraordinary mission behind
your film, Third Degree Burnout,a survivor's guide.
So, what I want filmmakers totake from this conversation is
that your personal story canbecome the doorway to something
(52:59):
much larger.
A film can begin with oneperson's pain, one question, one
loss, or one moment of truth,and it can grow into a movement
that educates, heals, andchanges lives.
So Nevi's journey also remindsus that finishing the film is
not the end, it's the beginning.
(53:21):
The next great creativechallenge, which is finding the
right partners, raising theright money, reaching the right
audiences, and building animpact campaign that gives the
film a real life in the world.
So, to our filmmakers listening,please know that From the Heart
Productions is here to supportyou.
(53:42):
So visitFromTheHardProductions.com to
learn about our grants, fiscalsponsorship.
We have a lot of free classesand resources that we created
especially for independentfilmmakers for film funding and
producing films.
So please take advantage of ourThrive platform.
(54:03):
There you're going to find evenmore free film funding classes,
educational tools, and supportto help you move your project
forward with confidence.
Your film matters, your voicematters, and when you combine
your passion with preparation,strategy, and art, you give your
story the best chance to reachthe audience who is waiting for
(54:26):
it.
Thank you for listening to theArt of Film Funding.
We will see you next week.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com