Uploaded April 2024 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Thank you for listening to the Following Films Podcast. Today I have two interviews. Up first I’m joined by Jaden Martell and Maxwell Jenkins to discuss their work on the new Nicholas Cage starring film ARCADIAN. The film is set in the near future, where normal life on Earth has been decimated. Paul and his two sons, Thomas and Joseph, have been living a half-life – tranquility by day and torment by night. Every night, after the sun sets, they face the unrelenting attacks of a mysterious and violent evil. One day, when Thomas doesn't return home before sundown, Paul must leave the safety of their fortified farm to find him. A nightmarish battle ensues that forces the family to execute a desperate plan to survive.
Then after the break, I’m joined by Larry Fessenden to discuss his latest film BLACKOUT. Writer-director Larry Fessenden has created some of the most original and memorable independent horror films of the last 25 years. His latest, BLACKOUT, ranks among his most chilling and thought-provoking works. In the film, when the sun goes down, Charley has convulsions while driving his car, he goes off the road and ends up in a ditch. Charley, it seems, is a werewolf. He attacks his rescuers and moves through the outskirts of town at night wreaking havoc. But the next day he can’t remember the things he’s done. Now the tight-knit town must rally to find out what is tearing it apart: mistrust, fear, or a vicious monster.
ARCADIAN is in theatres now and BLACKOUT is available on VOD.
Thank you for listening to the Following Films Podcast. Today I have two interviews. Up first I’m joined by Jaden Martell and Maxwell Jenkins to discuss their work on the new Nicholas Cage starring film ARCADIAN. The film is set in the near future, where normal life on Earth has been decimated. Paul and his two sons, Thomas and Joseph, have been living a half-life – tranquility by day and torment by night. Every night, after the sun sets, they face the unrelenting attacks of a mysterious and violent evil. One day, when Thomas doesn't return home before sundown, Paul must leave the safety of their fortified farm to find him. A nightmarish battle ensues that forces the family to execute a desperate plan to survive.
Then after the break, I’m joined by Larry Fessenden to discuss his latest film BLACKOUT. Writer-director Larry Fessenden has created some of the most original and memorable independent horror films of the last 25 years. His latest, BLACKOUT, ranks among his most chilling and thought-provoking works. In the film, when the sun goes down, Charley has convulsions while driving his car, he goes off the road and ends up in a ditch. Charley, it seems, is a werewolf. He attacks his rescuers and moves through the outskirts of town at night wreaking havoc. But the next day he can’t remember the things he’s done. Now the tight-knit town must rally to find out what is tearing it apart: mistrust, fear, or a vicious monster.
ARCADIAN is in theatres now and BLACKOUT is available on VOD.


![Designing the Beast: Behind the Epic World of Beast Games with Stephen Leonhardt & Isabella Scannone
🔥 Episode Overview:
Guests: Stephen Leonhardt & Isabella Scanoni, Production Designers of Beast Games
Host: Chris Maynard
Streaming now on: Prime Video
On this episode of the Following Films Podcast, we dive into the jaw-dropping production behind one of the most ambitious reality competition shows ever created: Beast Games. Host [Name] sits down with acclaimed production designers Stephen Leonhardt and Isabella Scanoni to talk about what it really took to build the massive, surreal world that captivated millions of viewers.
With 1,000 contestants, mind-blowing challenges, and a $5 million prize, Beast Games isn’t just a show—it’s a logistical marvel. Stephen and Isabella break down how they turned an empty military hangar into a sprawling, 11-foot-high game platform, how they built a temporary city to house hundreds of people, and how they navigated the stress of delivering groundbreaking design on a brutally short timeline.
🎧 In This Episode:
•
What its really like to design a show of unprecedented scale
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How the team tackled the challenges of building sets for 1,000 players
•
Behind-the-scenes details on the infamous trapdoor platform
•
Working under intense timelines and limited resources in Toronto
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Why Beast Games is more than just a game show—its a human story
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Thoughts on the future of big-scale competition shows
•
Hints at what’s next for Stephen and Isabella
🎯 Notable Quotes:
“It’s like Lawrence of Arabia meets a game show.”
“We built a city. We housed hundreds of people. We created stunts 115 feet in the air… and we did it all in just a couple of months.”
“They didn’t just want big—they wanted the biggest ever. And they meant it.”
📺 About Beast Games:Streaming on Prime Video, Beast Games is a high-stakes reality competition from YouTube sensation MrBeast. With never-before-seen scale, inventive game design, and cinematic ambition, it’s redefining what’s possible in unscripted television.
🎵 Outro music: Fort Worth
Enjoy the episode? Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the Following Films Podcast. And tell your friends—especially those who love bold, behind-the-scenes stories from the world of film and television.
🙌 Thanks for Listening! Designing the Beast: Behind the Epic World of Beast Games with Stephen Leonhardt & Isabella Scannone](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DpewGzzjNyA/mqdefault.jpg)







