Wolf 359 · Kinda Evil Genius Productions, LLC

Making the Final Episode

October 25, 2021·23 min·2 clips

The cast gathers to record the 98-page series finale of Wolf 359, a moment filled with denial and excitement.

Released as part of ACAST's Audio Fiction Week, this documentary was commissioned to capture the recording of the Wolf 359 series finale. The cast assembled on Halloween weekend 2017, marking the occasion with Goddard Futuristics name tags made by one cast member. Nine actors gathered alongside writer and director Gabrielle Urbina, writer Sarah Shackett, audio engineer Jared Paul, and composer Alan Rohde. The 98-page script was triple the length of a normal episode, requiring two full days of recording. At the start of the session, most cast members described not yet having processed the emotional weight of the finale, preferring to focus on the work ahead. Michaela Swee, voice of Hira and Price, spoke about aspiring to Hira's empathy and the freedom she felt playing the darker character of Price. She noted that Urbina would text her fan reactions and had woven details from her personal history into her character's backstory in ways that surprised her. The actor voicing Jacoby reflected on the character's balance of humor and sincerity, and on the unusual freedom audio acting gives to use physical expression invisible to audiences. Death scenes in the finale prompted cast members to discuss their characters' final moments, including reflections on Kepler drinking emergency whiskey before dying and Minkowski's shift away from comedy in the finale. The actor playing Captain Loveless described the character as representing bravery and commitment she herself only achieves on her best days. As the session progressed through many hours, the documentary recorded the final scene being performed and completed. Cast members then signed each other's scripts. Reflections on the project's impact closed the documentary, with several noting it changed the course of their careers and provided a lasting bond rooted in creativity and openness. The documentary was produced by Rebecca Seidel and features music by Alan Rohde.

As heard by us

A warm, spoiler-heavy behind-the-scenes look at how the Wolf 359 finale landed in the studio.

This Wolf 359 behind-the-scenes piece keeps its eyes on the finale in the studio in October 2017, then folds in ACAST's Audio Fiction Week arrival without making a fuss about it.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want the behind-the-scenes documentary capturing the Wolf 359 finale while it was being recorded in the studio in October 2017.

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