BEHIND THE CURTAIN A CUSTOM SET, A CINEMATIC LOOK, ONE STUDIO.
When the studio that recorded her podcast announced it was closing, Anastasia Pioro brought Behind the Curtain to Links Live Media with a mockup of the show she wanted. We built her set, lit it, recorded it on three full-frame cinema cameras and now cut every episode for The Sonar Network.
Behind the Curtain with headshot photographer Lauren Vandenbrook, shot and edited at the Links Live Media studio. More episodes on YouTube · The Sonar Network
A new home for the show
Behind the Curtain is a biweekly podcast on The Sonar Network where host Anastasia Pioro, a Toronto actor and creator, talks with casting directors, agents, publicists, coaches and working actors about building a career in the industry.
When her previous studio announced it was closing, she reached out through her network and came to visit ours. We talked through her vision for the show and what she wanted the set to look like, and she brought a mockup that became our guide for the final look.
From mockup to set
Her pieces, our build
Anastasia brought the pieces that mattered to her: the neon Behind the Curtain sign, small plants and books. We built the rest of the set around them, and when she wanted an ON AIR sign, we designed one and 3D-printed it for her.
Every client is different. Some bring props, and for others we design and supply the whole set. We aim to have an option for every budget.
The pink isn’t paint. The backdrop is lit with RGB fixtures, so the set’s colour changes with the lights.
No mics in the shot
After talking it through, Anastasia decided to break from the standard podcast look of microphones in front of every face. Instead we recorded with hypercardioid mics on overhead booms, just out of frame. Their narrow pickup keeps the conversation clean, and the frame looks like a TV interview instead of a radio booth.
For clients who want the traditional podcast look, we also have Sony lavalier mics and RØDE PodMics.
Three cinema cameras, one operator
Behind the Curtain is shot on three Sony FR7 full-frame cinema cameras. We never mix camera models within an episode, so every angle matches.
Like most sessions in our studio, it’s run by a single operator, who ISO-records every camera and microphone while directing a live cut of the conversation. More crew is available when a production needs it. Anastasia records one episode per visit.
Ready for the network
We edit every episode: the multicam cut, the show’s opener and closer animations, a side-by-side layout for host and guest, lower thirds, the audio master for The Sonar Network’s feed, and short clips for social.
Episodes are typically delivered in three to five days, and as fast as the same day when a release needs it.
Flipped in about 20 minutes
The set doesn’t stay up between sessions, and that’s the point. Our studio can flip from its everyday look to a fully branded show set in about 20 minutes, depending on what’s involved. Every podcast gets a look of its own without paying for a permanent build.
A show that looks the part
Anastasia was thrilled with the detail in the set. Behind the Curtain now records at Links Live Media, with new episodes every two weeks on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music through The Sonar Network.
More from Links Live Media: Podcast studio · Video production · All case studies
Let’s build your set.
Bring your mockup, your props or just an idea. We’ll design the look, record it on cinema cameras and edit every episode.