It is Podcast Month which means that we will be bringing you all the fun shows you should be carrying around in your back pocket on a phone. Today we speak to Katy Schutte – a fantastic improviser who has recently released a book and is also part of one of the most talked about improv related podcasts amongst a lot of the podcasts that i interviewed this month – Destination Podcast. I caught up with her to find out more.
Hello Katy! Can you tell us a little bit about the team behind Destination Podcast?
The main team is me and Tony Harris. We record and produce the episodes as well as being part of the cast. We also have a core cast of players that has changed a little over the years and we invite guests to join us too.
What is the show all about?
The show is a fifteen minute drama (or comedy) in real time. It’s set inside a car or other vehicle and the driver receives various communications from the outside world. Each episode is stand alone.
How did the podcast come about?
Tony and I tried various experiments in audio and this was the format we liked so much it stuck.
How do you decide what each of the episodes are about?
The audience suggestion inspires the content. If the destination they give us sounds dorky, we’ll be dorky, if it sounds creepy, we’ll be creepy and so forth. Every episode is really about the driver of the vehicle; who they are, what they want and who the other people are in their lives.
What sort of styles of improv do you explore on your show?
When we have guests we tell them that they can play in any style. We generally follow their lead so that the show is different in flavour each time. Being who we are though, we often gravitate towards science fiction and horror! The form means that the show will always be fast moving and often funny and character based.
How do you get suggestions from the audience for each episode?
We get a suggestion from Facebook or Twitter that is the destination the vehicle is headed towards. We’ve recorded over 70 episodes so far, so we’ll sometimes cover the suggestions we get quite often and ask for something new.
What have been some of your favourite highlights of past podcasts?
Even though it was one of our first ones, I thoroughly enjoyed the Cape Canaveral episode as it was with the Chicagoan improvisers from Improvised Star Trek. They were incredibly funny and I love a bit of space travel. We’ve also enjoyed episodes with some fantastic guests. Lee Simpson has been a real treat.
What are your aims for your podcast in 2018?
We’re not looking to take over the world, but we still enjoy making it and hanging out with our great improv friends on a Sunday.
How do you decide who to have as a guest on each show?
I’ll normally send out an email to our core cast, then when we don’t have enough people, I’ll reach out to other improvisers who we love or have expressed an interest. We’ll often ask visiting teachers and performers to come and guest with us while they are in London.
What makes you different to other podcasts out there?
There are a lot of podcasts about improv and not as many with people actually improvising! We are certainly a little darker than most in our sense of humour and we’re excited that the series keeps evolving in new directions. We certainly don’t know of anyone else doing our format (phew).
Who would be your dream guest to appear and why?
The thing is, every time I think of a dream guest, I just work out how to get them on and then I do. Normally just asking and offering a nice lunch is enough!
What other podcasts are you a fan of and why?
Mainly I listen to NPR podcasts, TED talks, design podcasts and comedians talking to comedians. That way I can imagine I’m learning while I go about my day.
“Every episode is really about the driver of the vehicle; who they are, what they want and who the other people are in their lives.” – Katy Schutte, Destination Podcast
Are there any plans or have there been any live versions of your show?
We have done live versions. We love doing the show live and we’ve done it in America a few times as well as at home in London. We try and record the live ones, but the sound is a little tricky. You can find some of the live episodes on our website.
What advice would you give for people thinking about starting a podcast?
Decide why you want to do it. Is it for fun or is it to push your brand or get famous? There are different tactics for different goals and it’s great to have those straight at the beginning.
If people want to find out more about you where can they find you on social media?
If people want to find out more about your show where should they visit online / social media?
Finally, in three words why should people listen to your show?
Weird Fun Journeys
Welcome to The Phoenix Remix 