SYFY 25: Origin Stories

A mixed media nostalgic celebration of all things science fiction.

  • Lead and developed the concept to help SYFY network celebrate there 25 year anniversary.

  • Creatively led the entire podcast series, casting Adam Savage, picking guests and researching topics for each episode.

  • Directed an animated series to help promote and support the podcast. Each episode had it's own art direction to match the story being told.

PODCAST

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PODCAST 〰️

SYFY25: Origin Stories is a collection of 15 podcasts hosted by sci-fi celebrity and superfan Adam Savage, featuring in-depth discussions with the creators, influencers and experts who have made the genre what it is today.

ANIMATED SERIES

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ANIMATED SERIES 〰️

Rick Baker

  • Jonathan Frakes, aka Star Trek The Next Generation’s Commander Riker, chats with Adam about an early role as a comic book icon; what it was like to boldly go where no one had gone before; and what the future of science fiction holds.

  • Nerdist Founder and Talking Dead Host, Chris Hardwick, joins Adam to dissect where hipster and nerd converge, his emotional attachment to the science fiction community, and how his run in with Mel Brooks led to his most cherished piece of memorabilia.

  • Writer and Founding Editor of Wired Magazine, Kevin Kelly, sits down with Adam to talk about finding science fiction in his youth, his disappointment in early computer technology, and why the fiction we write today shapes our very real tomorrow.

  • Adam sits down with Jedi Master, Master Puppeteer, and Stellar Director, Frank Oz to talk about his early Flash Gordon obsession, how he found his inner Yoda, and why Grover does not use contractions.

  • Afro-mysticism, 3rd world technology and science fiction, blend together in the world of Nnedi Okorafor as she sits with Adam to talk about her scifi guilty pleasures, how a trash compactor monster became her muse and why the world of literary academia still sees science fiction as a lesser genre.

  • Transhumanist philosopher Natasha Vita-More chats with Adam and explains what transhumanism means for us regular humans, how it will impact the evolution of humanity, and close we are to uploading our brains into databases, ensuring our immortality.

Sana Amanat

Frank Oz

  • Kevin Smith, writer and director of Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, and Tusk sits down with Adam fan to fan to obsess over Planet of the Apes reruns, Star Wars action figures and why science fiction is his personal moral compass.

  • Marvel’s Director of Content and Character Development, The Spectacular Sana Amanat, sits down with Adam to talk about the societal importance of spandex-clad heroes; how she found herself in the pages of the X-Men; and why it’s important we all have a superhero to look up to.

  • Futurama Creator and showrunner, David X. Cohen, talks to Adam about abandoning his noble scientific pursuits for sci-fi comedy; how comedy and space best mix; and why a curmudgeonly drunken robot might be the most human character of all.

  • Writer D.C. Fontana, one of the forerunners of televised science fiction, and the woman credited with creating much of Vulcan lore, joins Adam and reminisces about the early days of Star Trek, how it led science fiction to tackle societal issues, and how Kirk, Spock and McCoy combined to make one legendary character.

  • Ron Moore-- writer and producer of Star Trek TNG and DS9, Battlestar Galactica, and Outlander, among others — is in the studio with Adam to talk about the impact the early NASA shuttle launches had on him; how a set tour got him a seat on The Enterprise; and how he went from attending Star Trek Conventions as a fan, to attending them as a star.

  • John Knoll, Chief Creative Officer of Industrial Light and Magic and visual effects legend, sits down with Adam and reveals how he cold called his way into LucasFilm, and how he had to be talked into pitching an idea he had, which ultimately became Rogue One.

  • Rick Baker, legendary special effects wizard for films like Men In Black, Star Wars, and Batman—joins Adam to talk about confusing Godzilla for King Kong; being taken under the wing of a monster-making legend; and how he fit a 12-foot-tall alien into a 6-foot-tall man.

  • Neil Gaiman, award winning author of books, comic books, and films sits down with Adam to discuss the strange and powerful escapism of science fiction; how a milk bottle changed his life; and hear just how big of an emotional impact the genre can have on fans.

Ron Moore

Neil Gaiman

Jonathan Frakes