Adhrucia Apana (@adhrucia) is a Filmmaker and a Founder of the production company Curiosity Entertainment/GP of Curiosity Media Finance. Curiosity is home to the next production from famed television creator Mark Williams (Ozark) and "Funny Girl" written by Anthony McCarten (Theory of Everything, Bohemian Rhapsody) to be directed by Nisha Ganatra (High Note, Late Night). Her creative slate for Curiosity includes projects in conjunction with the Neese Brothers (The Umbrella Academy), Kevin Fox (Law & Order SVU, Raising Kanan), and a co-production with Alcon Entertainment and Nazrin Choudhary (Fear of the Walking Dead).

Adhrucia's releases include the EMMY nominated, "The Survivor" starring Ben Foster directed by Barry Levinson, "Capone" starring Tom Hardy, and "Needle in a Timestack" starring Cynthia Ervo, Leslie Odom Jr, Orlando Bloom, and Freida Pinto-directed by John Ridley which she Executive Produced. Adhrucia has worked as an Executive in Film/TV supporting over 30 film and television shows.

She graduated Cum Laude from the prestigious Carl H Linder Business Scholars program and is a conservatory-trained vocalist and thespian.

Adhrucia is an active member of the diversity initiative lovingly called "Stone Soup" started by Rotten Tomatoes founder Patrick Lee and Goldhouse focused on elevating Asian and South Asian voices in the Entertainment Industry and beyond, and has served or been an advocate and volunteer for Los Angeles based non-profits Young Storytellers and Project Paper Bag. She is a founding member of the Producers Guild of America's Social Impact in Entertainment (SIE) board and an Advisory Board Member to the MOVE Network NFT Platform.

What Travis and Adhrucia discussed:

• Adhrucia knew from a young age that she wanted to be a storyteller. Growing up traveling and being exposed to different cultures, she found that books, music, and TV shows were a common language that helped her connect with people from all backgrounds. This early passion for storytelling never left her, even when she pursued business in college.

• To succeed in Hollywood, you have to want it more than everybody else. Adhrucia stresses that it's not about talent, connections or who you know - it's about determination. The people who make it are the ones who simply want it the most and are willing to work harder than anyone else to achieve it.

• Learn the business side of your creative industry. Adhrucia went back to learn the money and economics of the entertainment business, even though she was initially allergic to anything financial. This allowed her to better understand how to create and sell her work, and gave her more creative freedom.

• Have confidence in a backup skill. Knowing she could rely on being a good salesperson or e-commerce entrepreneur gave Adhrucia the confidence to fully commit to producing instead of playing it safe with a side hustle. Develop expertise in multiple skills to increase your confidence.

• Redefine what success looks like for you. Adhrucia encourages creators to see money made from art, whether on YouTube, Vimeo or elsewhere, as success - not just traditionally-defined achievements like Oscars. Reframe your definition of success within your industry.

To hear Adhrucia's story and advice for succeeding in entertainment straight from her, check out the full conversation on the Travis Makes Friends podcast. She shares how she overcame setbacks, made pivotal career decisions and continues innovating in a rapidly changing industry.

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