Overview

Standing on Podiums: The Death of Impact Storytelling in Hollywood and the Birth of a Nonprofit Studio is the story of Brett Rapkin. He began his career producing award-winning films for NFL Network, ESPN, and HBO, earning an Emmy and six nominations. A visit to the eye doctor inspired him to document Olympic gold medalist Steven Holcomb's journey from a 2007 suicide attempt to Olympic glory. Tragically, Holcomb passed away shortly after their interview, leading Rapkin to explore the widespread mental health struggles among Olympians. Teaming up with Michael Phelps and other Olympic icons, Rapkin's documentary The Weight of Gold reached billions during the COVID-19 pandemic with its message, ""It's ok not to be ok,"" inspiring Team USA to secure $12 million for mental health resources. This experience led him to transform his production company, Podium Pictures, into the first nonprofit studio dedicated to using storytelling for global change.

Full Product Details

9781662953323

Table of Contents

Reviews

Book Review 1: USA Today ""Groundbreaking would be an understatement."" Book Review 2: Sports Business Journal ""Podium Pictures is raising serious awareness as well as real funding for critical issues."" Book Review 3: Jeremey Bloom CEO, X Games ""Nobody I know has done more to reduce mental health stigma than Brett Rapkin and Podium Pictures.""

Author Information

Brett Rapkin, a Los Angeles native, began his film career performing humble tasks, such as delivering soy milk to his boss's mother in a nursing home and working as a production assistant on an Adam Sandler movie. Impatient with the traditional career progression, he declared himself a producer, leading to twenty years of diverse projects that took him from narrowly escaping Cuba with a Boston Red Sox legend to touring the Midwest with Mötley Crüe. He also wrote, produced, and directed ""Spaceman,"" a film starring Josh Duhamel, Sterling K. Brown, and Ernie Hudson. Beyond his professional endeavors, Rapkin is a husband and father of two young children. He enjoys working out, watching sports, and spending time with his family.

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