Sophie Vershbow of “It Was a Book First” on Book-to-Screen Adaptations

August 20, 2026

On episode #200 of Making Media Now host Michael Azevedo chats with Sophie Vershbow the co-host, along with Rudi Greenberg, of a new podcast called It Was A Book First, which as you might guess from the title is all about new book-to-screen adaptations. 

On each episode Sofie and Rudi dissect the TV and film adaptations that are all across your feeds, what you’ll be reading and watching next, and the business behind what actually makes it off the page.

 
Along with co-hosting the podcast, Sophie is a freelance journalist and former-Big 5 publishing employee writing about books, the publishing industry, tv/film, and internet culture. Her work has appeared in  Esquire,  New York Magazine,  Elle,  The Atlantic,  Literary Hub, and  beyond.
 

Making Media Now—which is available on all podcast platforms including YouTube–is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.
 
About the host: http://www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 
Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead