Let's Make A Sci-Fi

Personal Best is a podcast that celebrates small ambitions, half-wins and the quiet satisfaction of getting less bad at things. Each week they help ordinary people work through the little things they'd never bring to a life coach — like having the courage to dine alone at a fancy restaurant or getting less awkward at handshakes. Let them be your self-improvement sidekicks! More episodes from the brand new season of Personal Best are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/g5OPaCyR

For years, players have been too afraid to talk about it. But now, the truth about a broom that almost destroyed curling is finally coming out. In Broomgate: A Curling Scandal, semi-professional curler and fully professional comedian John Cullen (Blocked Party) is exposing the unbelievable, never-before-told scandal that rocked the sport of curling. Yes, curling. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/XuibTZXc

The controversial reality TV show known as ‘Kid Nation', which borrowed its premise from Lord of the Flies, was cancelled shortly after its 2007 debut. Producers took 40 kids into a makeshift desert town to fend for themselves and create their own society. Was the series an opportunity to discover what kids are capable of? Or simply a ploy for ratings? With access to former ‘Kid Nation' contestants, their families, and the show's creators, culture journalist Josh Gwynn uncovers how this cult TV show became a lightning rod for an ongoing debate about the ethics of reality TV. Welcome to Split Screen, an examination of the utterly captivating, sometimes unsettling world of entertainment and pop culture. From reality TV gone awry, to the cult of celebrity, each season of Split Screen takes listeners on an evocative journey inside the world of showbiz. Ex-contestants, producers, and cultural critics uncover complicated truths behind TV's carefully curated facades, and question what our entertainment reveals about us. Split Screen: sometimes reality is twisted. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/xpal4SOp

Avril Lavigne was a punk pop sensation who topped the charts in the early noughties, and she still performs to sold-out crowds today. But what if the Avril we've been following all these years is not the same Avril we fell in love with? What if — as a curious theory claims — Avril was replaced by a look-alike at the height of her fame? In ‘Who Replaced Avril Lavigne' comedian Joanne McNally searches far and wide — from Avril's hometown to the underbelly of the internet — to find out if the rumours are true. Along the way, she immerses herself in a mind-bending world of fake celebrity deaths, doppelgangers, conspiracy theories, and downright absurdity. Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? Joanne McNally Investigates is produced by What's The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/s1Jr7jfa

Mark, Maddy, and Ryan perform a live version of the podcast with guest Tricia Black (What We Do In The Shadows, Pretty Hard Cases) at Comedy Bar as part of the Just for Laughs Toronto comedy festival.

Did you remember to Close and Lock the Patio Door? Mark, Maddy, and Ryan's short film is out NOW! Go to patiodoormovie.com to watch the film. On this episode they discuss all of the behind the scenes drama, what worked in the film and what didn't, and they try to answer the biggest question of this season: Did they make a scary movie??? Watch Close and Lock the Patio Door on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGktkCwaJSc

Mark, Maddy, and Ryan enter the editing suite only to realize what they shot is NOT WORKING! They speak to comedy turned horror director Nahnatchka Khan (Totally Killer, Always Be My Maybe) about how to save a struggling film after you've already shot it. Recognizing the crucial role music plays, the hosts ask their friend Emmett to help score their film.

Mark, Maddy, and Ryan have finished their script just in the nick of time. But 8 days before they shoot their film, everything goes wrong. Maddy moves across the country, Mark goes blind, and the director of photography winds up in the hospital! As the comedians assemble their crew and head out to the cabin, can they break this curse? They also enlist legendary monster actor Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Hocus Pocus) to ensure that their ghoul is sufficiently scary.

Doubting their horror acting abilities, the comedians write and practice reading horror dialogue with actor Rose McIver (Ghosts, iZombie, The Lovely Bones), who leads a crash course in horror performances. With unexpected help from rom-coms, Rose teaches the hosts how to go from gushy to gory. This interview was recorded before the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Mark, Maddy, and Ryan have their idea, but who's going to helm it? Director duo Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky talk about directing as a team—and the big stunt they pulled to land directing Final Destination 6. The hosts debate whether they'll direct together or appoint one director.

After spooky stories disintegrate into laughs, the hosts explore the thin boundary between horror and hilarity with Daily Show correspondent and comedian Ronny Chieng, who also shares what it was like to be murdered by AI doll M3GAN. Mark, Maddy, and Ryan also put on their producer hats and start planning their short film.

Although critics are slamming the new Exorcist movie, it's still number one at the box office. Horror fans Jen Sookfong Lee and Matt Hart make the case for the original Exorcist, and weigh in on why we love to be scared at the movies. Every day, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud brings you the most urgent, joyful, captivating discussions in all of arts, pop culture, and entertainment. Commotion is where you go for a thoughtful and vibrant chat working through the big culture stories. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/8ysgbI4K

Film idea in hand, it's time for the hosts to study the art of scares—with a horror film fest sleepover! Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend co-host Matt Gourley gives Mark, Maddy, and Ryan's sleepover its spine-tingling syllabus. After exploring the genre, indie horror director Gary Michael Schultz prepares the hosts for the realities of DIY filmmaking.

Mark, Maddy, and Ryan hold an Ouija seance in the graveyard before calling up Gone Girl writer Gillian Flynn, who advises the hosts on how to recognize a great idea and coaches them on two tenants of great horror: suspense and twists. Back in the writers' room, Mark, Maddy, and Ryan pitch each other their horror movie concepts and pick their winning idea.

Mark, Maddy, and Ryan learn the basics of horror movie making from legend, The Blair Witch Project director Eduardo Sánchez. The comedians also discuss their own love/hate relationship with the genre, their biggest fears, and establish the rules for this season's spooky project.

Can three comedians get seriously scary? Mark Chavez, Maddy Kelly, and Ryan Beil attempt to not only write but also make a frightening short film—with help from Hollywood experts. Let's Make A Horror premieres October 11 wherever you get your podcasts.

Let's Make a Sci-Fi will be doing a live taping at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. If you would like to attend, the taping will be happening on Wednesday, July 26th at 4:45pm at the Ovation Room at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. For tickets head to: https://www.hahaha.com/en/shows/cbc-podcasts-presents-lets-make-sci-fi

This Is That is a current affairs program that doesn't just talk about the issues, it fabricates them. Nothing is off limits - if it's relevant to Canadians, we'll find out the "This" and the "That" of the story. Each week, hosts Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring introduce you to the voices and stories that give this country character in this 100% improvised, satirical send-up of public radio. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/4dhMLbHf

From Maddy Kelly and the producers of Let's Make a Rom-Com and This Is That comes podcasting's first audio sit-com, Popcorn For Dinner. Narrated by Ciara Bravo, the show is an audio sitcom that follows four friends in their early 20s as they try to make it on their own, despite the fact that none of them know what that looks like...at all. Packed with all the enduring elements that make classic sitcoms identifiable (yes, even the laugh track), the show invites you to laugh at both the gang's hijinks and the format itself. Starring: Maddy Kelly, Charlie Foster, Jillian Ebanks and Ben Fawcett.

You've listened to the process, and now it's time to listen to the pitch. It's “His Ex-Girlfriend is Salma Hayek.” Did these three comedians come up with a fresh and funny rom-com? If you were an Hollywood exec, would you greenlight it? Listen and judge for yourself! Featuring the performances by Lili Beaudoin (Catalina), Malik Elassal (Greg), Ronald Dario (Mark), Anita Rochon (Breathe), Taz Van Rassell (Park Cop), Aaron Read (Date Guy), and Kevin Lee (Zeta Trigonometry)

Maddy, Mark, and Ryan sit down with their producers Dave and Chris to discuss the process of making “His Ex-Girlfriend is Salma Hayek”. They listen to clips from the pitch and Maddy divulges why this process was especially emotional for her.

Once you've broken your couple up, how do you bring them back together? With a grand romantic gesture, of course. But in the world of grand romantic gestures, how grand is too grand? How romantic is too romantic? When Mark's mad lib game doesn't quite help, the hosts bring in a true romantic comedy MVP: writer and director Ol Parker (Ticket to Paradise, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again). They're just three comedians, standing in front of a Hollywood pro, asking him to help them finish their rom-com.

It's crisis time. Now that the comedians have figured out how to bring their couple together, it's time to tear them apart. To dive deep into romantic conflict, Maddy, Mark, and Ryan call up two very different experts: divorce lawyer Melanie Bragg and comedian, Sex & The City writer, and author of “He's Just Not That Into You” Greg Behrendt. The comedians then collaboratively write a scene where things take an especially sour turn.

The gang consult comedian, actor, podcaster, and renowned wit Phoebe Robinson (2 Dope Queens, Everything's Trash) on how to write genuine and genuinely good romantic dialogue. Reading out their real love letters to past and present partners inspires Maddy, Mark, and Ryan on what NOT to do. The comedians fight through absolutely crushing levels of vulnerability and read aloud scenes where Greg and Catalina begin to fall in love. There's banter! There's chemistry! There's... Zeta Trigonometry!?

Actor and sidekick extraordinaire Karan Soni (Always Be My Maybe, Deadpool) advises on what makes a compelling supporting character… and flexes his Salma Hayek connection. Maddy, Mark, and Ryan develop their movie's entire romantic world, pitching each other on quirky best friends (and friends of friends) and picking out the perfect setting, before sitting down to outline their script.

With their romantic leads (kind of!) fleshed out, the comedians each try writing the genre's most iconic staple: the meet cute. Maddy hosts a rom-com movie marathon for inspiration. Mark discovers the term's unexpected origins. Story analyst Billy Mernit ("Writing the Romantic Comedy") returns to demystify how important the "cute" is in a potent "meet cute." Finally, the comedians read their romantic run-ins aloud to test their characters' chemistry.

The comedians turn to rom-com royalty Kirsten "Kiwi" Smith (10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde, She's the Man) to help refine their pitch. They also develop their romantic leads, Greg and Catalina. But are they failing to see a few key rom-com red flags…?

Maddy, Mark, and Ryan get ready to fall in love with a whole new genre. They speak to Billy Mernit, Hollywood story analyst and author of “Writing the Romantic Comedy”, to learn the rom-com's tried-and-true formula. They also consult United Talent Agency's Addison Duffy to discover what kinds of rom-coms audiences and agents are loving. (Santa? Spies? Superspreaders?) With insights into both profits and passion, the writers pitch each other on rom-com concepts.

Can three comedians write a heartfelt rom-com script? Let's Make A Rom-Com takes you inside a real writers' room, where Maddy Kelly, Mark Chavez and Ryan Beil get (semi-)serious about love. Coming February 14 wherever you get your podcasts.

Mark, Maddy, and Ryan listen to the table read of their pilot. They reflect on what worked, what didn't, and what was the most embarrassing. They also pitch each other on what genre they'll tackle next.

The day is finally here. The sci-fi script is done and ready for all to judge. Introducing: Progeny. Progeny, Episode 1: Kirby, a low level worker aboard a massive generational spaceship containing the last humans in the universe makes contact with a mysterious vessel that claims to be from Earth, sent to bring them back. Featuring performances by Mark Meer (Mass Effect), Rainn Wilson (The Office), Suleka Mathew (Claws), Carly Pope (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin), Ashleigh Ball (My Little Pony), Alessandro Juliani (BattleStar Galactica), Richard Newman (Transformers: Beast Wars), Barbara Pollard, and more.

Ryan, Mark, and Maddy send their script to an important, scary Hollywood executive for review. Podcaster-turned-TV writer Paul Bae drops by to reassure the comedians that they can survive the feedback process. With only days before actors read their script, executive producer Kerry Appleyard (Orphan Black) gives Ryan, Mark, and Maddy her notes—triggering major rewrites.

Ryan, Mark, and Maddy write their first draft, but after reading it aloud to each other they worry they've strayed galaxies far, far away from their serious goals. Comedy legend Rainn Wilson (Galaxy Quest, Star Trek: Discovery, The Office) helps the comedians find a balance between humour and hard science fiction.

Before diving into their first draft, the comedians map out the plot of their pilot and try to untangle the deeper messages they want their script to tackle. Screenwriters Jose Molina (Firefly) and Neill Blomkamp (District 9) assist, sharing their secrets on writing sci-fi plots with real-world purpose.

The gang has their world and their characters, but is there enough science in the fiction? They pit their concept against all-star experts—astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, “Bad Astronomer'' Phil Plaitt, and Hollywood science advisor Mika McKinnon (Sharknado) — to determine whether the pilot makes scientific sense. And when the science doesn't check out, they get the experts to create some that does.

Ryan, Mark, and Maddy pitch their premise to showrunner Simon Barry (Continuum)—only to be told they have a big problem: they don't have any characters. They explore what makes a compelling character with screenwriting professor Kat Montagu and fill their generational ship with… generations! They also crystalize their protagonist: Kirby.

Ryan hosts a sci-fi movie marathon for inspiration. Director Neill Blomkamp (District 9) and critic Emily VanDerWerff (Vox) advise on how to create engrossing fictional worlds. The gang develop their universe and even design a spaceship—but is world-building the right place to start?

Ryan, Mark, and Maddy talk to producers Catherine Winder (Star Wars) and Jem Garrard (Vagrant Queen) and learn how to identify great story ideas. Then, they pitch each other concepts for their science fiction pilot and land on a winning idea.

An eight-part adventure through the creative process as three comedians try writing a successful sci-fi pilot— with help from scientific experts and Hollywood screenwriting pros.