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May 13, 2025 • 20 mins

🔥 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 it's really like to design a show of unprecedented scale

  • 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

  • Why Beast Games is more than just a game show—it's a human story

  • 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!

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