Journey To The Stars Special Edition

1 00:00:00,017 --> 00:00:05,437 This is Sci-Fi Talk, the podcast on how sci-fi fantasy horror and comics help 2 00:00:05,437 --> 00:00:06,897 us explore our humanity. 3 00:00:07,297 --> 00:00:13,657 Voyage to the Stars is a cool sci-fi audio with an all-star cast featuring Felicia 4 00:00:13,657 --> 00:00:19,157 Day and Kirsten Banks-Ness, who are encouraged to improvise from the script. 5 00:00:19,977 --> 00:00:25,137 Adapted from the IDW comic series, it's about a group of explorers that travel 6 00:00:25,137 --> 00:00:28,837 to various planets, causing havoc it wherever they go. 7 00:00:29,117 --> 00:00:34,237 Ryan Koppel, the series producer, spoke to me, and we also looked back at the 8 00:00:34,237 --> 00:00:37,997 groundbreaking online video series, Reese the Series. 9 00:00:38,637 --> 00:00:42,517 How did this idea kind of come about? Well, you know, I've been a huge fan of 10 00:00:42,517 --> 00:00:45,197 podcasts for a while, especially like improv stuff. 11 00:00:45,297 --> 00:00:48,917 I've listened to a lot of improv comedians and Hello from Magic Tavern, 12 00:00:49,117 --> 00:00:52,157 Mission to Zix, and quite a few others kind of in that tone. 13 00:00:52,317 --> 00:00:55,157 And, you know, I've been wanting to do something in the podcast space 14 00:00:55,157 --> 00:00:57,857 myself just because i think there's some there's a lot 15 00:00:57,857 --> 00:01:00,977 of to me it's kind of like the new wild west of 16 00:01:00,977 --> 00:01:03,937 what digital was and now it's become a podcast oh yeah 17 00:01:03,937 --> 00:01:06,817 you can do whatever you want which is really fun 18 00:01:06,817 --> 00:01:09,957 and so you know wanted to do something about space and you 19 00:01:09,957 --> 00:01:13,757 know i remember just having a conversation with a friend about star trek and 20 00:01:13,757 --> 00:01:17,677 we were kind of just joking about captain logs and like like who listens to 21 00:01:17,677 --> 00:01:21,237 these logs anyway like when they're doing these logs and it kind of just sparked 22 00:01:21,237 --> 00:01:24,537 the idea of like you know what if you did a space adventure that was was really 23 00:01:24,537 --> 00:01:28,877 told through the crew's point of view in these logs that they were doing. 24 00:01:29,097 --> 00:01:32,417 And so that was sort of the inception of the idea of like, oh, 25 00:01:32,437 --> 00:01:36,937 that's a really interesting way that leans into the format of narrative or sorry, 26 00:01:36,997 --> 00:01:39,537 of audio while being able to really provide a narrative. 27 00:01:39,717 --> 00:01:42,537 And it really grew from there. It was like, oh, there's so much more fun stuff 28 00:01:42,537 --> 00:01:44,557 we can do with that because then we can move around time. 29 00:01:44,817 --> 00:01:48,677 It doesn't have to feel like a radio play. It still has like the intimacy, 30 00:01:48,877 --> 00:01:53,377 you know, you get from a podcast because they are basically podcasting in a 31 00:01:53,377 --> 00:01:54,817 way. It's a kind of different version of it. 32 00:01:55,709 --> 00:01:58,729 And so then we started to figure out, you know, from there, it's like, 33 00:01:58,749 --> 00:02:02,569 I was like, okay, you know, there's so many video games and anime and TV shows 34 00:02:02,569 --> 00:02:03,849 that I love that play in the space. 35 00:02:04,069 --> 00:02:08,629 So it's like, how can we do kind of a Lawson-based, Hitchhiker's Guide to the 36 00:02:08,629 --> 00:02:15,249 Galaxy, you know, sort of absurdist style of humor with this sort of like overarching 37 00:02:15,249 --> 00:02:18,709 story and mystery that can play out across the episodes? 38 00:02:18,949 --> 00:02:21,829 And so when I had that idea kind of congealed, that's when I went out to, 39 00:02:21,889 --> 00:02:25,589 you know, Felicia, who I've obviously worked with quite a bit. Yes. 40 00:02:25,669 --> 00:02:29,809 From Thundry Days and Janet Varney, who is also a good friend I've worked with, 41 00:02:29,969 --> 00:02:33,389 Steve Berg and Colton Dunn, and just kind of put the team together. 42 00:02:33,469 --> 00:02:35,589 And we're like, let's make this thing. 43 00:02:35,989 --> 00:02:40,669 And how many episodes do you have planned? So right now we've finished production. 44 00:02:40,669 --> 00:02:44,049 We ended up partnering with this great company called Madison Wells Media, 45 00:02:44,249 --> 00:02:47,829 who has this really cool division called the Universe Division, 46 00:02:48,049 --> 00:02:51,609 which is basically meant to be like, hey, what's a nice, like, 47 00:02:51,649 --> 00:02:55,449 what can you do that starts as one sort of IP or piece of a puzzle? 48 00:02:55,789 --> 00:02:59,589 And then how can you keep building on it to really give fans a really cool experience? 49 00:02:59,889 --> 00:03:03,469 And so with them, we've already recorded 17 episodes. 50 00:03:03,729 --> 00:03:08,509 You can find them online, wherever you get your podcast or just on Apple. 51 00:03:08,629 --> 00:03:11,589 It's really fun. and we're actually now 52 00:03:11,589 --> 00:03:14,549 in the process of trying to figure out hey what's the you know now that 53 00:03:14,549 --> 00:03:17,189 we've started the run it's gotten a really great response we're trying to 54 00:03:17,189 --> 00:03:20,189 figure out what are the next steps for for us is it more podcast 55 00:03:20,189 --> 00:03:24,469 episodes is it you know maybe looking at like a comic book you know for us we 56 00:03:24,469 --> 00:03:27,769 really we really want to make sure that there's a really strong visual sense 57 00:03:27,769 --> 00:03:32,649 of this world because it is audio we've been did like a lot of character design 58 00:03:32,649 --> 00:03:36,669 this is all available on our website and just really trying to make sure that 59 00:03:36,669 --> 00:03:39,789 there's a style and texture to the world so So that when people listen, 60 00:03:40,049 --> 00:03:42,789 you know, they can kind of put a face to the name or voice, if you will. 61 00:03:43,169 --> 00:03:48,549 Yeah, I mean, it's basically this is really the first step. I mean, it could be animation. 62 00:03:49,409 --> 00:03:52,069 Could it even be live action down the road? Yeah. 63 00:03:52,549 --> 00:03:56,609 Yeah, I mean, I think I think we're open to truly all possibilities for it. 64 00:03:56,649 --> 00:04:00,209 You know, we just we really want to get people excited by, you know, 65 00:04:00,229 --> 00:04:03,089 the characters and the world and the tone of the comedy. 66 00:04:03,769 --> 00:04:08,129 Yeah, absolutely. The best thing about doing it as a podcast is that you can 67 00:04:08,129 --> 00:04:12,369 get the rhythms down with the actors, kind of get to know the actors in their 68 00:04:12,369 --> 00:04:18,149 parts and and right to that. so you don't have that development process. 69 00:04:18,349 --> 00:04:22,889 If you do go to an animation or live action, you can just hit the ground running, 70 00:04:23,069 --> 00:04:26,169 which is a great way of doing it via podcasting. 71 00:04:26,189 --> 00:04:29,809 And the audio drama on podcasts right now is really hot. 72 00:04:30,389 --> 00:04:34,849 Yeah. Oh, it was super fun. I mean, especially because our series is a little 73 00:04:34,849 --> 00:04:37,229 bit different than a lot of other sci-fi stuff. 74 00:04:37,449 --> 00:04:40,849 You know, obviously there are people who do sci-fi and improv combined, 75 00:04:41,109 --> 00:04:43,969 you know, but with ours, it's fun because, 76 00:04:44,049 --> 00:04:46,749 you know, know we give them a pretty good framework of you know 77 00:04:46,749 --> 00:04:49,589 who their characters are you know what the story is 78 00:04:49,589 --> 00:04:52,309 in that episode but then all the dialogue you know 79 00:04:52,309 --> 00:04:55,509 it's obviously all improvised by the actors you know any any 80 00:04:55,509 --> 00:05:00,149 details of the world that they make up just you know that's now that's just 81 00:05:00,149 --> 00:05:05,209 now the world so you know we've we've got like dolphin wars that happened we've 82 00:05:05,209 --> 00:05:10,229 got you know the midwest is now apparently in the future a wasteland called 83 00:05:10,229 --> 00:05:13,629 the bad land just things like out that just get invented. And you're like, 84 00:05:13,689 --> 00:05:14,909 okay, I guess that's part of the canon. 85 00:05:16,329 --> 00:05:21,089 Yeah, that's wild. But doing it as a podcast, it's a different kind of production. 86 00:05:21,369 --> 00:05:25,469 Is it pretty lengthy per episode? Because probably you have to add a lot of 87 00:05:25,469 --> 00:05:27,589 elements besides the actor's voices too. 88 00:05:27,869 --> 00:05:31,829 You know, it's not too bad, actually, which is we've, we're distributing it 89 00:05:31,829 --> 00:05:33,509 with Earwolf and their recording team. 90 00:05:33,929 --> 00:05:37,269 Brett, Brian, and Devin have been really amazing about, you know, 91 00:05:37,269 --> 00:05:40,729 really bringing the texture of the world to life so it's kind 92 00:05:40,729 --> 00:05:43,409 of how it runs is we'll do you know it's about an hour to 93 00:05:43,409 --> 00:05:46,069 an hour and a half of recording per episode even though the 94 00:05:46,069 --> 00:05:48,769 episodes are about 30 minutes yeah because we 95 00:05:48,769 --> 00:05:51,629 cut down a lot obviously we need to improv there's a lot of kind of figuring 96 00:05:51,629 --> 00:05:55,529 it out on the fly so there's some stuff that just hits the cutting room floor 97 00:05:55,529 --> 00:05:58,769 that doesn't get used and then we really do kind of like you know like a proper 98 00:05:58,769 --> 00:06:03,109 transcript story edit and then pass it to the sound team that really just brings 99 00:06:03,109 --> 00:06:07,389 it to life with with audio so it doesn't feel like you know Usually when people 100 00:06:07,389 --> 00:06:09,369 talk, you're actually in a world. 101 00:06:09,789 --> 00:06:12,729 That's great. So I guess there's some music involved too. 102 00:06:13,069 --> 00:06:18,169 Yep, definitely music. Yeah, that's amazing what people are doing with audio drama. 103 00:06:18,169 --> 00:06:23,869 And of course, you also factor in people's imaginations and you can do things 104 00:06:23,869 --> 00:06:28,029 in audio you can't do in film because there are budget constraints, 105 00:06:28,069 --> 00:06:30,009 but not as far as what you can imagine. 106 00:06:30,809 --> 00:06:35,469 Exactly. And I mean, in episode two, we have this moment where, 107 00:06:35,489 --> 00:06:39,549 you know, they go to this alien planet, and there's this species that just very 108 00:06:39,549 --> 00:06:41,529 much lives like hedonistically in excess. 109 00:06:41,609 --> 00:06:45,989 And one of their favorite pastimes is blowing up buildings, because they just can. 110 00:06:46,489 --> 00:06:49,149 And we literally even put that in there, because we're like, 111 00:06:49,249 --> 00:06:52,149 oh, how funny is it to imagine this society where it's just to finally blow 112 00:06:52,149 --> 00:06:55,489 up their entire city, kind of like do their style and rebuild it. 113 00:06:55,489 --> 00:06:59,149 And so that's just a thing that obviously if you're doing a series, 114 00:06:59,229 --> 00:07:04,769 that would be very, very expensive and costly to the show and illustrate with audio. 115 00:07:04,909 --> 00:07:07,849 It's like, great. That's the sound effects of something exploding, 116 00:07:08,289 --> 00:07:11,549 rumble falling. And there you go. 117 00:07:12,369 --> 00:07:18,269 You build it. Now, does the cash record together or do you get them separately? 118 00:07:18,549 --> 00:07:21,889 All together. other just given the nature of 119 00:07:21,889 --> 00:07:24,669 it and then just their schedules especially like we 120 00:07:24,669 --> 00:07:27,449 do a lot of block recording so we'll get people in for 121 00:07:27,449 --> 00:07:30,149 a day you know have our guest stars come in for 122 00:07:30,149 --> 00:07:33,229 a few hours and really just run each episode from beginning 123 00:07:33,229 --> 00:07:38,409 to end so yeah and that way everyone's contributing to it to the story but also 124 00:07:38,409 --> 00:07:43,569 everyone knows what's happening in the story so there's no gaps of like oh well 125 00:07:43,569 --> 00:07:46,869 this thing actually happened earlier that you weren't here for so here's a a 126 00:07:46,869 --> 00:07:50,609 little refresher on what's happened so far. They're all part of the evolving story. 127 00:07:50,989 --> 00:07:55,969 Yeah, and you have some good, you have Tom Link also from the Buffyverse coming 128 00:07:55,969 --> 00:07:57,429 into it and doing voices. 129 00:07:57,809 --> 00:08:03,489 Chris Williams, Deb Baker, Eric Edelstein, Amir Tali, and Cole Stratton. 130 00:08:03,729 --> 00:08:06,389 There's some talented people that are coming on board. 131 00:08:06,709 --> 00:08:10,489 We have really fun guest stars. I mean, that was kind of the most rewarding 132 00:08:10,489 --> 00:08:14,769 thing to see because, you know, A, it's kind of a different format for improv. 133 00:08:15,169 --> 00:08:18,449 So a lot of times coming in And, you know, they kind of knew what they were 134 00:08:18,449 --> 00:08:20,449 signing up for, but I don't think they really knew until they showed up. 135 00:08:20,509 --> 00:08:21,989 And they're like, oh, OK, this is what this thing is. 136 00:08:22,869 --> 00:08:25,989 And so I think, you know, it's fun watching them kind of jump in, 137 00:08:26,049 --> 00:08:29,909 bring the character to life themselves and realize that they can kind of invent 138 00:08:29,909 --> 00:08:31,649 along with the others is really special. 139 00:08:32,249 --> 00:08:36,109 And I was really just impressed in general of how much they could just kind 140 00:08:36,109 --> 00:08:40,269 of like dig into a story world they knew nothing about and just talk about it 141 00:08:40,269 --> 00:08:42,449 like, oh, yeah, this is definitely this is definitely the world. 142 00:08:43,209 --> 00:08:47,229 Yeah, it's cool. One of the things that's appealing to me is that these characters 143 00:08:47,229 --> 00:08:52,529 are really kind of a mix, kind of oddballs. It's not like, you know, 144 00:08:52,569 --> 00:08:56,529 the crack Starfleet crew. It's a janitor. 145 00:08:56,829 --> 00:09:01,349 I mean, a science officer makes sense. But an insurance salesman, 146 00:09:01,469 --> 00:09:05,869 you know, that kind of makes for a lot of possibilities and fun. 147 00:09:06,269 --> 00:09:12,429 And there's also, I guess, a computer of sorts. Yep. Yeah. An AI, right? 148 00:09:12,929 --> 00:09:18,149 Yeah. Yeah. Janet plays the AI that they accidentally named Sorry when they 149 00:09:18,149 --> 00:09:19,629 turned it on by accident. Sorry. 150 00:09:22,329 --> 00:09:27,409 Oh that's great yeah i like the design of the ship too that's pretty cool it's 151 00:09:27,409 --> 00:09:30,969 kind of a streamlined look to it yeah we yeah we were trying to figure out like 152 00:09:30,969 --> 00:09:36,589 you know what's what's so that feel you know like it could be a spaceship but also is so distinctly, 153 00:09:37,109 --> 00:09:42,689 non-human that it just feels very alien and that was one designs we came up 154 00:09:42,689 --> 00:09:45,909 with but going through all the characters i really thought because it was just 155 00:09:45,909 --> 00:09:50,069 a really fun iterative process of figuring figuring out the characters, 156 00:09:50,449 --> 00:09:54,089 figuring out expressions based on kind of how the actors brought them to life. 157 00:09:54,389 --> 00:09:58,289 Just a really involved process that made it feel very, 158 00:09:58,509 --> 00:10:05,869 you know, like we definitely helped mold the look of those characters so much 159 00:10:05,869 --> 00:10:09,509 around how the actors chose to bring them to life. 160 00:10:10,469 --> 00:10:15,829 Now there's a wormhole involved. Did you have to come up with the sound for the wormhole? 161 00:10:15,829 --> 00:10:18,929 We did that was that was definitely the sound team 162 00:10:18,929 --> 00:10:22,009 that at earwolf who i think remarkably came 163 00:10:22,009 --> 00:10:25,189 up with some really great ideas i i sent over a few references but 164 00:10:25,189 --> 00:10:28,269 i was like yeah just make it sound like it's sort of overwhelming your 165 00:10:28,269 --> 00:10:31,169 audio a little bit has like a drum sort of warble 166 00:10:31,169 --> 00:10:34,889 to it just feel like kind of otherworldly yeah 167 00:10:34,889 --> 00:10:37,649 but i think in general all the sound design 168 00:10:37,649 --> 00:10:42,629 that i've heard so far has just been so fun and just totally fits the world 169 00:10:42,629 --> 00:10:46,609 that these guys are playing in that sounds great i would say and then with the 170 00:10:46,609 --> 00:10:50,649 crew itself i mean i know you kind of touched on like the the you know the odd 171 00:10:50,649 --> 00:10:54,289 wellness and and we really wanted to sort of yeah part of the comedy to play 172 00:10:54,289 --> 00:10:57,549 with is like okay well what if you took gavilla who were completely unqualified, 173 00:10:58,429 --> 00:11:01,549 put them on an alien spaceship and send them to the other side of the universe 174 00:11:01,549 --> 00:11:06,029 to try and find their way home and basically every civilization every alien 175 00:11:06,029 --> 00:11:07,789 planet or every ship they encounter, 176 00:11:08,509 --> 00:11:11,429 they're probably going to leave it worse for wear than when they found it and 177 00:11:11,429 --> 00:11:14,889 that kind of became the tentative, it's always well-intentioned, 178 00:11:14,889 --> 00:11:17,309 you know, none of our characters are bad guys, none of them have, 179 00:11:17,529 --> 00:11:19,789 you know, it's just a lot of bumbling. 180 00:11:19,889 --> 00:11:22,269 And even with Elsa, who's the lead science officer. 181 00:11:23,158 --> 00:11:25,378 You know, it sounds like she's like, oh, yeah, that's the one you expect to 182 00:11:25,378 --> 00:11:29,878 see in a crew. But really, you kind of get the sense as you hear her in our first episode. 183 00:11:30,538 --> 00:11:35,558 She's really just a rich, privileged woman who hasn't really ever completed 184 00:11:35,558 --> 00:11:40,978 a degree, but basically just got this position because her dad built the space station. 185 00:11:41,198 --> 00:11:46,178 So even that is sort of like, OK, well, she's not really qualified to be the lead science officer. 186 00:11:46,758 --> 00:11:48,798 It's just sort of a title bestowed. 187 00:11:50,478 --> 00:11:53,638 Keeping your energy level up all day 188 00:11:53,638 --> 00:11:57,278 that is a challenge heavy caffeinated 189 00:11:57,278 --> 00:12:03,218 drinks they're not in the picture for me i found an alternative magic mind which 190 00:12:03,218 --> 00:12:09,178 gives me the boost i need to complete my day for work and also for play i try 191 00:12:09,178 --> 00:12:14,038 to pronounce these key ingredients but i just can't But they do check boxes 192 00:12:14,038 --> 00:12:16,418 for me, like reducing stress and anxiety, 193 00:12:16,838 --> 00:12:23,498 way less caffeine, improving my attention span, memory, the ability to process 194 00:12:23,498 --> 00:12:27,678 and learn new information, and strengthening my immune system. 195 00:12:27,678 --> 00:12:36,418 If you go to magicmind.com forward slash J-A-N in caps, and then in small letters, Tony T, 196 00:12:36,738 --> 00:12:43,698 and enter the code TONYT in caps 20, you get a free month when you subscribe 197 00:12:43,698 --> 00:12:46,238 for three months using my code. 198 00:12:46,458 --> 00:12:49,158 Again, it's TONYT in caps 20. 199 00:12:49,758 --> 00:12:56,218 It's an extra 20% off, which gets you to a 75% off. Now, this only lasts until 200 00:12:56,218 --> 00:13:00,318 the end of January, so hurry up. That date is almost here. 201 00:13:00,558 --> 00:13:03,878 An easy way is just to click on the link in the show notes. 202 00:13:04,298 --> 00:13:07,818 It works for me and gives me the boost I so need. 203 00:13:08,808 --> 00:13:11,728 The first time we connected was, of course, for Reese. 204 00:13:12,248 --> 00:13:17,608 How do you look back on Reese? You know, after, I mean, it was really kind of a pioneering thing. 205 00:13:18,368 --> 00:13:23,348 And ironically, I just spoke to Patrick Gilmore, you know, late last year, 206 00:13:23,428 --> 00:13:24,568 too. And we talked about it. 207 00:13:25,688 --> 00:13:31,228 Nice. I love Patrick. Yeah, I mean, it's so much fun to look back on it and 208 00:13:31,228 --> 00:13:34,348 just remember that, like, you know, it feels like an era ago, 209 00:13:34,408 --> 00:13:37,748 but it really was only like not even 10 years ago or almost 10 years. 210 00:13:38,428 --> 00:13:40,548 But I still want to look back on it and just say like, oh, you know, 211 00:13:40,568 --> 00:13:44,588 we were really one of the first people to try to really elevate and bring something 212 00:13:44,588 --> 00:13:46,288 more premium to digital. 213 00:13:46,448 --> 00:13:48,828 And I think you look at the landscape now where people have, 214 00:13:48,908 --> 00:13:55,068 you know, taken both YouTube, but also digital content in general. And it's amazing. 215 00:13:55,408 --> 00:13:58,148 You know, you see what people have accomplished. You know, I feel like those 216 00:13:58,148 --> 00:14:02,508 initial series, like the Guild, you know, the Bantam Way, other things from 217 00:14:02,508 --> 00:14:06,848 that kind of early digital era. I do think they really help pioneer and show 218 00:14:06,848 --> 00:14:09,008 that, like, people are going to start watching content here. 219 00:14:09,108 --> 00:14:12,228 Like, they're desiring this. 220 00:14:12,568 --> 00:14:17,308 And I think that the fun with podcasting is I think there's an equal opportunity. 221 00:14:17,588 --> 00:14:22,028 You know, I think it's kind of like transforming radio. I think that's what's podcasted initially. 222 00:14:22,768 --> 00:14:26,808 Oh, absolutely. Yeah. And I think even more so now people are starting to realize, 223 00:14:27,028 --> 00:14:31,428 like, oh, wait, there's actually really amazing story experiences I can get. 224 00:14:31,428 --> 00:14:35,488 It's almost like a throwback to the, you know, the old radio dramas that we, 225 00:14:35,528 --> 00:14:39,188 like you mentioned from way back when that like brands would sponsor. 226 00:14:39,768 --> 00:14:43,348 Yeah. As we were telling stories. And I think, I think it's even more readily 227 00:14:43,348 --> 00:14:47,428 available now, you know, because we don't need a radio. You don't need a radio 228 00:14:47,428 --> 00:14:48,328 when you have your phone. 229 00:14:48,408 --> 00:14:51,388 So just as much as you watch your video or check your email, 230 00:14:51,568 --> 00:14:54,808 you know, that podcast app or wherever you get your podcasts. 231 00:14:55,665 --> 00:14:59,525 Or it's just right there. And there's no reason you can't just like on a commute 232 00:14:59,525 --> 00:15:03,685 or you're in a coffee shop, just tune into something that you can listen to 233 00:15:03,685 --> 00:15:07,525 instead of having to, you know, dedicate all your mission and attention to. 234 00:15:07,685 --> 00:15:12,445 You know, part of me is like, gee, if if only Reese could have streamed on people's 235 00:15:12,445 --> 00:15:17,105 phones, whatever, if it was around today, what would have happened to it? 236 00:15:17,265 --> 00:15:20,245 But that's the thing about being pioneering here. 237 00:15:20,365 --> 00:15:26,145 You tend to be ahead of the technology. so that's the that's the problem but 238 00:15:26,145 --> 00:15:29,965 yeah you guys were it was it was really it was really. 239 00:15:30,445 --> 00:15:35,345 Pioneering is really the best word for it and it was a great cast and i've seen 240 00:15:35,345 --> 00:15:39,585 them all move on to different things and and i mean you made it all the way 241 00:15:39,585 --> 00:15:45,205 to sci-fi.com and had amanda tapping involved too so not bad not bad at all 242 00:15:45,205 --> 00:15:49,705 yeah no i mean that i still look back as you know Something to point to is like, 243 00:15:49,745 --> 00:15:53,505 here's an example of how just admitting to doing yourself and keeping, 244 00:15:53,665 --> 00:15:57,725 you know, trying your best to keep a quality bar at a certain level can really 245 00:15:57,725 --> 00:16:00,085 just help content kind of get to the surface. 246 00:16:00,165 --> 00:16:03,665 And, you know, obviously the cast that we had definitely helped. 247 00:16:03,845 --> 00:16:08,045 I still think on the day, it really was just like, you know, 248 00:16:08,045 --> 00:16:10,645 it was like you said, people weren't really doing that back then. 249 00:16:10,705 --> 00:16:14,905 And I think that really helped it make a splash. And I think with Voyage, 250 00:16:14,905 --> 00:16:18,805 we have an opportunity for something really similar, just because of the fact 251 00:16:18,805 --> 00:16:22,545 that, you know, like I said, there's obviously other sci-fi podcasts out there. 252 00:16:22,585 --> 00:16:25,705 And there's even sci-fi improv ones, like Improvised Star Trek. 253 00:16:26,185 --> 00:16:30,745 I think what we're trying to achieve with this one that's different than whatever 254 00:16:30,745 --> 00:16:34,085 else is doing, or hopefully a little bit different, is really trying to, 255 00:16:34,105 --> 00:16:37,705 you know, really build a whole comprehensive story world. 256 00:16:37,705 --> 00:16:42,905 But then once you dig in, we're going to try to plan all these different ways 257 00:16:42,905 --> 00:16:44,085 that you can engage with it. 258 00:16:44,185 --> 00:16:46,545 So yes, the podcast will always be there. 259 00:16:46,665 --> 00:16:49,985 But now that we have this entire world we've created, how else can you... 260 00:16:51,020 --> 00:16:54,380 Kind of participate in it we we do need quality 261 00:16:54,380 --> 00:16:58,400 podcasts there are a lot of podcasts where you 262 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,400 know the that's the thing about being accessible some of 263 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:07,320 the quality is just not there but but production values a great cast actors 264 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:13,180 that have great comic timing it helps elevate the medium a little bit so anytime 265 00:17:13,180 --> 00:17:18,960 that happens i say here here because they'll get people searching to listen to other stuff. 266 00:17:19,180 --> 00:17:23,120 And, you know, like they say, the tide washes all the boats in, 267 00:17:23,260 --> 00:17:28,720 you know, so that's what would be great with this. 268 00:17:28,820 --> 00:17:32,340 So wish you the best with this. This sounds like a really fun idea. 269 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,080 Yeah, it's really fun. And, you know, kind of what I always tell people is that, 270 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,840 you know, it definitely has a much kind of larger world planned. 271 00:17:41,100 --> 00:17:44,440 You know, I know that obviously kind of the premise is these guys get 272 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:47,140 stuck in an alien spaceship wrong side of space they're trying 273 00:17:47,140 --> 00:17:50,420 to get home but it you know the only hint 274 00:17:50,420 --> 00:17:53,580 i can give you is that there's a lot more to it 275 00:17:53,580 --> 00:17:56,280 than that you know it's not going to just be lost in space 276 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,860 over and over where they have these kind of like little misadventures 277 00:17:59,860 --> 00:18:02,760 it really does right you know this is really act 278 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:06,320 one this first season that leads into something much 279 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,060 bigger much grander that they all have 280 00:18:09,060 --> 00:18:11,820 to step up to as characters so you 281 00:18:11,820 --> 00:18:14,780 actually have like like a real big arc 282 00:18:14,780 --> 00:18:17,720 planned for this yeah that's yeah i mean that that 283 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:20,560 was the goal is you know we wanted to we wanted to 284 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,940 create an epic we didn't want to just be like oh 285 00:18:23,940 --> 00:18:27,240 yeah like you know a sci-fi sitcom in 286 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,220 space or with improv it really was like 287 00:18:30,220 --> 00:18:34,740 okay let's let's take the take the improv so we can really give you know each 288 00:18:34,740 --> 00:18:38,700 character's unique voice let's use a setting but then let's really plan like 289 00:18:38,700 --> 00:18:43,660 what is what is that epic story that we're going to tell one of the cast members 290 00:18:43,660 --> 00:18:47,960 i spoke to about Voyage to the Stars is Kirsten Vangs-Ness, 291 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:53,760 who tells me about her character and also the challenge of doing improv audio. 292 00:18:54,100 --> 00:19:00,040 You know, I have to tell you, they really have created a character with a lot 293 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,420 to her, a lot of layers to her. 294 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,420 Describe Nico to us a little bit. 295 00:19:06,780 --> 00:19:10,300 So Nico, if you're familiar with Voyage to the Stars already, 296 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:13,700 this is their second season. 297 00:19:13,700 --> 00:19:17,740 And so voice the stars is an improvised you know sci-fi podcast 298 00:19:17,740 --> 00:19:26,200 so nico is is she is the only member of the group who is a full 100 non-human 299 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:31,860 right and she is part of the i always get this part wrong i almost want to look 300 00:19:31,860 --> 00:19:36,600 it up because you know there's we what we get we don't get scripts we get like. 301 00:19:37,571 --> 00:19:40,611 Breakdowns of our kind of 302 00:19:40,611 --> 00:19:43,651 what's going to happen but 303 00:19:43,651 --> 00:19:46,691 she is a fulgine i i 304 00:19:46,691 --> 00:19:49,691 believe is the name of her species so she's 305 00:19:49,691 --> 00:19:55,051 a she's a fox-like creature is basically what she is and she is from this planet 306 00:19:55,051 --> 00:20:01,931 and she has the the rest of the crew finds a nico on a planet they're trying 307 00:20:01,931 --> 00:20:08,631 to escape from She has her own mech because she is a very talented yet sort of empathic warrior. 308 00:20:09,371 --> 00:20:15,991 I tend to get cast in sort of empathic people. And also she's been kicked off 309 00:20:15,991 --> 00:20:18,731 of her planet because she is gay. 310 00:20:18,731 --> 00:20:25,551 So if she had to leave her her planet and is negotiating through the galaxy, 311 00:20:25,771 --> 00:20:30,931 trying to, you know, sort of find herself and fight off bad guys and and she 312 00:20:30,931 --> 00:20:33,691 ends up joining the group. group. 313 00:20:33,831 --> 00:20:37,431 Yeah. You know, that's one of the things I like about her is because of that, 314 00:20:37,471 --> 00:20:41,051 you know, because, you know, she likes someone of her own gender. 315 00:20:41,331 --> 00:20:45,251 And what's also relatable is that she is the runt of the litter. 316 00:20:45,791 --> 00:20:49,111 And, you know, we can relate to that, too, a little bit. 317 00:20:49,391 --> 00:20:55,311 So, too, even though she's an animal, she has very human things that we can 318 00:20:55,311 --> 00:20:57,011 we can jump on board with. 319 00:20:57,591 --> 00:21:01,351 Absolutely. And I think I what I like so much about her when I talked to Ryan originally, 320 00:21:01,351 --> 00:21:04,051 originally I said can you give me because he kept describing her as like 321 00:21:04,051 --> 00:21:07,511 the pictures that they showed me originally of of what 322 00:21:07,511 --> 00:21:11,091 they were prototyping her on too little and I 323 00:21:11,091 --> 00:21:14,151 said she was like a little creature because she was the runs of the litter so 324 00:21:14,151 --> 00:21:18,391 she's a little creature so I said you know I get it you want to make her small 325 00:21:18,391 --> 00:21:23,311 like you want to make her short in stature but could you make her like like 326 00:21:23,311 --> 00:21:26,891 a I want I want her you know because the other girls are they're they're They're 327 00:21:26,891 --> 00:21:28,371 gorgeous and glorious and all that. 328 00:21:28,471 --> 00:21:33,311 But I was like, just for diversity of size, can we make her a more substantial creature? 329 00:21:34,115 --> 00:21:39,495 So he's like, fine. But I always knew when we were recording it, we never saw drawing. 330 00:21:39,675 --> 00:21:43,395 So I always knew she was the runt of the litter and she was little. 331 00:21:43,555 --> 00:21:47,135 So there's moments and, you know, there's so much stuff we record. 332 00:21:47,555 --> 00:21:51,355 And we're only on season two, right? It's episode two of season two right now. 333 00:21:51,435 --> 00:21:54,315 So I don't know what, you know, what's going to be on the thing. 334 00:21:54,415 --> 00:21:58,535 But there's so many times that me as Nico, knowing that I am the runt of the 335 00:21:58,535 --> 00:22:01,695 litter, say something like, hold on, I can get in there because I'm tiny. 336 00:22:01,695 --> 00:22:05,235 What's funny is when they actually made the drawing, if you look at a picture 337 00:22:05,235 --> 00:22:08,235 of all of us, she's quite statuesque. 338 00:22:08,315 --> 00:22:11,195 And, you know, just her tail alone is a big girl. 339 00:22:11,475 --> 00:22:17,095 So I love it. I love it so much. But it's funny because it does two things. 340 00:22:17,175 --> 00:22:21,615 The number one plays on that idea of, you know, what that's like to be like the rent of the litter. 341 00:22:21,915 --> 00:22:25,655 And she genuinely does consider herself too small. all. 342 00:22:25,695 --> 00:22:31,135 And I think it also, it also speaks to the diversity of, you know, 343 00:22:31,135 --> 00:22:36,435 women, especially, but all people come in so many different body sizes. 344 00:22:36,475 --> 00:22:41,895 And not only that, females come in so many different healthy, 345 00:22:41,975 --> 00:22:48,015 strong body sizes and women are so many body sizes throughout their lives. 346 00:22:48,806 --> 00:22:51,906 For a variety of reasons, whether it be babies or stress or just, 347 00:22:51,966 --> 00:22:56,386 you know, falling in love with or falling out of love with a particular food or whatever. 348 00:22:56,826 --> 00:22:59,726 I think I like that about her very much. 349 00:23:00,126 --> 00:23:05,906 Yeah. Yeah. You know, and because she's an outcast, she cut the do you think 350 00:23:05,906 --> 00:23:10,626 she kind of, you know, from the description that she kind of has a little bit 351 00:23:10,626 --> 00:23:13,426 of trouble letting her guard down a little bit? Oh, for sure. 352 00:23:13,506 --> 00:23:18,266 Yeah. She's she's very defensive and it's hard to open up and it's hard to but 353 00:23:18,266 --> 00:23:22,746 she also doesn't really have a filter you know she's pretty honest and she's. 354 00:23:23,366 --> 00:23:26,066 Kind of ferocious and fighty she's got a lot of fight to 355 00:23:26,066 --> 00:23:29,966 her but she's yeah she's not really like violent 356 00:23:29,966 --> 00:23:33,166 she's very earnest i think she's trying to like get 357 00:23:33,166 --> 00:23:36,086 the it's she's trying to get the rope because she's around 358 00:23:36,086 --> 00:23:39,606 all these these new people who do new things that 359 00:23:39,606 --> 00:23:43,026 are completely different than her her planet so she's 360 00:23:43,026 --> 00:23:45,846 trying to figure out how to assimilate to the 361 00:23:45,846 --> 00:23:49,866 situation situation but also there are people uh on 362 00:23:49,866 --> 00:23:53,406 like the the the captain they don't 363 00:23:53,406 --> 00:23:56,966 they they clash because they're both two super powerful 364 00:23:56,966 --> 00:24:01,446 used to being in charge you know kind of people so it it is a little difficult 365 00:24:01,446 --> 00:24:05,686 they keep getting in you know precarious situations that that she doesn't always 366 00:24:05,686 --> 00:24:09,386 understand why they're doing things the way they do them yeah her description 367 00:24:09,386 --> 00:24:14,406 says and i kind of like this quality actually uh but it's like punch first ask 368 00:24:14,406 --> 00:24:16,286 questions later that's pretty Pretty cool. 369 00:24:16,786 --> 00:24:20,466 Yeah. Yeah. But you know, and as, and as, as we went along though, 370 00:24:20,566 --> 00:24:24,126 I do think that when you get, when you're, when you're given an improvised script 371 00:24:24,126 --> 00:24:27,546 and then someone makes a description of that character, right. 372 00:24:28,166 --> 00:24:33,026 And then they go, that's, that's what she is. And then you get me to do it and 373 00:24:33,026 --> 00:24:38,486 I'm improvising and I'm endowing that character with whatever I think I'm going 374 00:24:38,486 --> 00:24:41,926 to be the person who I would say that they were probably gonna have to revise 375 00:24:41,926 --> 00:24:44,666 that because in the episodes right now that I'm thinking of that we've done, 376 00:24:44,666 --> 00:24:46,346 And she is definitely like, 377 00:24:46,426 --> 00:24:50,406 she's more like punch and ask questions at the same time. 378 00:24:50,666 --> 00:24:53,886 Oh, that's good. That's good. I think she enjoys a good fight. 379 00:24:53,986 --> 00:24:56,326 She's very strong and can fight really good. 380 00:24:56,606 --> 00:25:03,066 But she's also, I think she wants to bring about peace with her fist, but she wants it. 381 00:25:03,186 --> 00:25:07,886 Now, as far as recording, do you record with everyone else or is they kind of 382 00:25:07,886 --> 00:25:09,646 catch you when you, oh, you do. 383 00:25:09,846 --> 00:25:13,746 Oh, we all sit in the same room and we record. Yeah. Yeah, that was one of the 384 00:25:13,746 --> 00:25:17,486 things about when they did Batman, the animated series, the actors were talking 385 00:25:17,486 --> 00:25:22,686 about how they would they could see each other's body language and play off each other. 386 00:25:22,786 --> 00:25:25,086 That's got to be a gift whenever you can do that. 387 00:25:25,206 --> 00:25:31,206 Oh, yeah. And it's not only is it a gift performance wise, but it's just I mean, yeah. 388 00:25:31,891 --> 00:25:37,671 Every single one of them. I'm I am so happy that I got asked to do this because 389 00:25:37,671 --> 00:25:42,371 it's just a room of incredibly talented people. 390 00:25:42,431 --> 00:25:48,131 I mean, and each one of them are so gifted in their own way with their own specific 391 00:25:48,131 --> 00:25:50,391 sort of comedy specialties, if you will. 392 00:25:50,811 --> 00:25:56,631 So just to be sitting in a room with Janet and Steve and Colton and Felicia like is is just an honor. 393 00:25:56,631 --> 00:25:59,491 And you kind of it keeps you very much 394 00:25:59,491 --> 00:26:02,151 on your toes and you really have and then we get 395 00:26:02,151 --> 00:26:05,611 all these amazing guest stars i mean gosh aaron hayden 396 00:26:05,611 --> 00:26:08,491 like angela kinsey and otter nunez 397 00:26:08,491 --> 00:26:11,351 like all these people that have come in paul tompkins and 398 00:26:11,351 --> 00:26:15,391 that are just so talented and 399 00:26:15,391 --> 00:26:18,191 such deft improvisers that you're sitting 400 00:26:18,191 --> 00:26:21,271 there and you're trying to like support and also 401 00:26:21,271 --> 00:26:24,331 you're as you're you're also being a spectator 402 00:26:24,331 --> 00:26:27,171 because there always is this moment where i'm 403 00:26:27,171 --> 00:26:29,851 like oh my gosh like they're all just so good you know i mean that 404 00:26:29,851 --> 00:26:32,531 you almost want to like back away like it's this 405 00:26:32,531 --> 00:26:36,011 constant game you're playing with yourself of like participate and 406 00:26:36,011 --> 00:26:38,911 play and get involved but then also like 407 00:26:38,911 --> 00:26:41,991 stay out of the way when something really magical is 408 00:26:41,991 --> 00:26:45,031 happening and it's tricky because you'll look on the you 409 00:26:45,031 --> 00:26:47,831 know on the the description of the scene like 410 00:26:47,831 --> 00:26:51,231 these are the given in things that have to happen in the scene right but 411 00:26:51,231 --> 00:26:54,151 sometimes something cool is going on like oh 412 00:26:54,151 --> 00:26:57,331 do i interrupt that you know when do you go when do you go it's 413 00:26:57,331 --> 00:27:00,811 a it's a it's a constant dance and i 414 00:27:00,811 --> 00:27:03,891 you know i don't always do it sometimes i 415 00:27:03,891 --> 00:27:07,111 go in too late sometimes i go in too early and then it's a constant that's the 416 00:27:07,111 --> 00:27:10,651 thing about improvising that's so interesting is that like as you're performing 417 00:27:10,651 --> 00:27:14,831 you have to constantly sort of like forgive yourself you have to be vulnerable 418 00:27:14,831 --> 00:27:18,151 enough have to take a risk and then you have to forgive yourself very quickly 419 00:27:18,151 --> 00:27:21,131 and get over it and keep trying if you fail. 420 00:27:21,827 --> 00:27:25,527 And there's no one there really laughing. We all laugh at each other. 421 00:27:25,587 --> 00:27:28,507 Like there's times where we're like, you got to look away for a second because it's real funny. 422 00:27:29,087 --> 00:27:32,247 But you're not really supposed to break. So you're like engaged. 423 00:27:32,407 --> 00:27:37,067 It's really I mean, we're sitting in that room and like hours fly by and you're 424 00:27:37,067 --> 00:27:39,727 like not even aware of it because you're just trying. 425 00:27:40,127 --> 00:27:43,327 You're so hyper focused trying to, you know, achieve the objective. 426 00:27:43,327 --> 00:27:47,967 No, that's yeah, that's a great group of people. 427 00:27:48,167 --> 00:27:52,887 Another thing that I like about it is because and I know Ryan has plans to go 428 00:27:52,887 --> 00:27:58,927 beyond just a podcast, but for right now it is a podcast and I'm a big fan of 429 00:27:58,927 --> 00:28:02,947 theater, the imagination, too. So you can do so much. 430 00:28:03,147 --> 00:28:07,487 And, you know, for as an actor, you're using something that you use, 431 00:28:07,567 --> 00:28:12,307 whether you're on camera or doing animation or podcast, your voice, 432 00:28:12,367 --> 00:28:13,507 that's your instrument. 433 00:28:14,467 --> 00:28:18,467 So what's that like to kind of put everything you have into your voice? 434 00:28:18,987 --> 00:28:23,107 It's fun. It's new for it. It's not new for me. It's actually it's actually 435 00:28:23,107 --> 00:28:27,587 the first form of the first thing I ever got paid to do performance wise. 436 00:28:27,807 --> 00:28:32,027 And this is absolutely true is I used to be a school teacher. 437 00:28:32,127 --> 00:28:35,907 I used to be a long term substitute teacher. And my the sixth grade class had 438 00:28:35,907 --> 00:28:38,627 this book called Maru of the Winter Caves. 439 00:28:38,847 --> 00:28:45,127 And I had to I got paid like three dollars and seventy five cents an hour when 440 00:28:45,127 --> 00:28:48,367 I was in my 20s and I had no money. So I was like totally willing to do it. 441 00:28:48,467 --> 00:28:50,927 And my mom was like, I need to have this recorded. 442 00:28:51,427 --> 00:28:57,847 And I recorded this book, this chapter book, you know, for the sixth grade social studies class. 443 00:28:58,007 --> 00:29:03,207 And they use that book for years, like, because I really put my heart and soul 444 00:29:03,207 --> 00:29:05,127 into that, into that reading. 445 00:29:05,227 --> 00:29:09,927 I think it was on cassette tapes. I'm always and I do a lot of stuff with Selected 446 00:29:09,927 --> 00:29:11,547 Short. Yeah, the podcast. 447 00:29:11,847 --> 00:29:16,827 So I I've been lucky enough to read some of Neil Gaiman's short story that he 448 00:29:16,827 --> 00:29:22,167 asked me to read, which was really special and a bunch of other things I've gotten to do for them. 449 00:29:22,227 --> 00:29:26,127 So I love that. I love being able to use that. 450 00:29:27,031 --> 00:29:30,971 Just to use my voice when I audition for things for voiceover stuff, 451 00:29:31,091 --> 00:29:35,271 it's always, I would feel very insecure about it, but, and I don't totally know why. 452 00:29:35,711 --> 00:29:41,431 And that's its own, that's its own conversation, but I'm doing this. 453 00:29:41,731 --> 00:29:45,931 It's really fun. And I'm a theater girl. That's where I started doing stuff. 454 00:29:46,011 --> 00:29:48,531 And that's where I sort of get a lot of my training from. 455 00:29:48,931 --> 00:29:53,471 And you do have to kind of use so much of your imagination sometimes because, 456 00:29:53,511 --> 00:29:58,471 you know, You're restricted by budgetary things, or you're just in a black box with 30 seats. 457 00:29:58,651 --> 00:30:02,271 And you make it into whatever you're going to make it. So this is actually, 458 00:30:02,371 --> 00:30:08,711 for me, the grand experiment for me has been like, oh, you can literally be 459 00:30:08,711 --> 00:30:11,871 anywhere because you're just using your voice. 460 00:30:11,991 --> 00:30:14,431 You can literally say anything. You can do anything. 461 00:30:15,651 --> 00:30:21,211 I'm still learning about it. It's super neat. Look for Voyage to the Stars wherever 462 00:30:21,211 --> 00:30:25,811 you get your podcasts. This is Tony Tolato. Thanks for listening.