Tell us about yourself and how you got involved with Odd Squad.
When I was working at CBC, Odd Squad came across my desk, and I instantly loved the script and characters. There was also a pilot episode, but it was different from what you see today. It was filmed in an office setting rather than the type of fantastical headquarters that you see in the series now.
Not too long after that, I ended up joining Sinking Ship Entertainment and was thrilled to have the opportunity to work on the show with Fred Rogers Productions, TVO, and PBS.
Describe your role on Odd Squad over the years.
My role has really evolved over the years on this show. When I joined Sinking Ship, the show was already in production, but the delivery of the first batch of 16 half-hour episodes was looming and it was a very complicated post-production process, partly due to the enormous number of episodes that needed to be delivered at once. At one point we had several mix suites running simultaneously and final VFX being dropped in online. We were still very much in the full swing of production filming every day, so it was quite the bonding experience!
Once that was done, we really got into a great groove in making the show and many of those production and post-production processes that we nailed down making those first 16 episodes still stand true today.
From then on my role was to oversee the show as the exec for Sinking Ship, so I was across all elements of the series: working closely with the showrunners, hiring the writers and cast through to making sure that we were doing everything possible to realize the creative vision of the show and working with our producer to ensure the show was delivered on time and on budget.
Over the last few years, my role has evolved again into helping expand the show into different iterations such as setting up Odd Squad UK with the BBC—and there will be a couple of new soon-to-be announced exciting Odd Squad projects coming down the pipeline.
What was your favorite TV show when you were growing up?
I grew up in Australia, so we got a real mix of kids TV from what was made locally and what came from the UK, US, and Canada. It’s hard to choose as there were just so many great shows. but I’d have to say the Australian show Round the Twist has always been a favorite and later Degrassi from Canada was high on my list. There was also a show from the US that I still can’t get out of my head called Small Wonder about a family whose daughter was actually a robot. It was hilarious.
Do you have a favorite episode of Odd Squad?
I would have to say the Australian special we filmed in Sydney is one of my all-time favorites. To have so many of the cast and crew travel to where I grew up was a real joy, and having Toni Collette come on board as our Sand Queen villain was a career highlight.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Living in Canada, nothing beats “lake life” in the summer. Swimming in the crystal-clear water of the many lakes just outside Toronto is a pure joy, and in the winter skating on those lakes is also incredible.