From Canada to LA: A Turnkey Podcast Production for Motiversity

Flying a production team into Los Angeles is never easy. There’s gear to rent, locations to scout, and the worry that the studio won't look like the photos.

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming the team behind the massive motivational platform, Motiversity. With over 4 million subscribers on their main YouTube channel, they know high-quality content, and we wanted to make sure their LA trip was seamless.

They were in town to film a block of episodes for their podcast, "The Icons." They didn't just need a room; they needed a partner to help execute a specific look—a "cinematic open space" inspired by the polished vibe of Chris Williamson’s Modern Wisdom podcast.

Here is how we made it happen inside Studio E.

1. Pre-Production & Remote Visualization

Since the team was flying in from Canada, we wanted to ensure everything was dialed in before they even packed a bag.

In the months leading up to the shoot, we hopped on calls to break down their visual reference. We picked out the right furniture and designed a lighting plot that matched that specific cinematic aesthetic—moody, but not overly dark. To bridge the distance, we sent over video walkthroughs and test shots of the setup in Studio E, so they could sign off on the creative direction from home.

2. The Prep Day: Fine-Tuning

The Motiversity team arrived at Apex one day before filming to settle in.

We spent the day in the studio with their producer, tweaking lighting ratios and adjusting camera angles to get it perfect. It was great to collaborate in person and fine-tune the details. Since we have all the gear on-site, making those last-minute adjustments was easy. By the end of the day, the look was locked.

3. Traveling Light

The goal was for them to "fly-in and fly-out" without the headache of logistics. We handled the heavy lifting so they could focus on the interviews. We supplied:

• The Location: Studio E. The open floor plan gave us plenty of room to work and a comfortable vibe for their guests.
• Cameras, Audio & Video: A fully integrated multi-cam setup, ready to roll.
• High-Speed Internet: Dedicated lines for the remote integration episodes.
• Teleprompter: We noticed they had some downtime between guests, so we set up our in-house teleprompter so they could knock out some additional scripted content while they were here.

4. 9 Episodes in 72 Hours

The schedule was tight, but we kept things moving efficiently. Over three days, the team filmed approximately nine full-length episodes, including:

• In-Person Interviews: Featuring high-profile guests and celebrities.
• Remote Integration: A seamless hybrid episode where the host was in-studio while the guest joined via video link.

5. From the Team

It was a pleasure hosting the leadership team of Motiversity. We loved having them in the studio and helping bring this project to life.

Here is what they had to say about their time at Apex:

See the Final Result

You can watch the episodes of The Icons filmed at Apex below. It was a ton of fun working on this project and seeing what we can achieve together.

Behind the Scenes

A look at the crew, the gear, and the guests in Studio E.