Behind the Scenes at "Ada Twist, Scientist" with Kerri Grant 🧪
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Season 2: Episode 107 Description
Ten News Gets Extra: 🧪 Today we’re going behind the scenes of the Netflix show, "Ada Twist, Scientist" with show runner Kerri Grant! ✔️ Fun Fact Check: What female show character is based on several real women scientists? And, test your female scientist knowledge on today's Trivia on the Ten. ✅
Sources
10 Things You May Not Know About Ada Lovelace - HISTORY
The Nobel Prize | Women who changed science | Marie Curie
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TRANSCRIPT:
Bethany Van Delft 0:01
Ever hear of Ada Twist Scientist? Well, today we're going behind the scenes of one of my favorite Netflix shows. That's right. It's time for a screen report. I'm Bethany Van Delft. It's Saturday, April 30th. And this is no ordinary episode of the Ten News, this is the Ten News Gets Extra.
Various Voices 0:20
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Bethany Van Delft 0:27
You might know the book series, the questionnaires, Rosie Revere Engineer, Iggy Peck Architect and Ada Twist Scientist. Well, in case you didn't know, they're all starring in a Netflix show now. And I got to sit down with the showrunner Kerri Grant to find out what it's like to work on a Netflix show. Kerri, thank you so much for being here with us. I'm so excited. I'm fangirling a little bit. Tell our listeners, who you are and how you became the showrunner for the amazing, my favorite Netflix show, Ada Twist Scientist.
Kerri Grant 1:02
Well, first of all, thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to talk to everyone today. So I had an internship at Nickelodeon right after I graduated from college in 1998. I started out working in programming, which that was where my internship was. And that was kind of just the art of programming the shows, as part of my internship, I got to watch the pilot of SpongeBob SquarePants. That's how long ago that was. So yes, after my internship ended at Nickelodeon, I was supposed to start working at an ad agency. But after just being at Nickelodeon around all of that playfulness, and joy and fun and colors, and all the cartoons that I kind of grew up on, it didn't even occur to me that I could be a writer for this. I've always wanted to be a writer, but it just did not, but I didn't even think about it. Like, oh, I could write for TV, or I could write cartoons like. And so just being getting a glimpse into that world. I didn't want to leave. So I declined my advertising job and took a chance, I got an opportunity to be a script coordinator on a show called the Backyardigans. And I love the Backyardigans. I know what a great show that was such a great show. And that was such a great show to work on. And it's a great show to kind of start my writing career. And I was hired on Doc McStuffins as a script coordinator, and then eventually staff writer, and my relationship with Chris Nee who was the creator and showrunner of Doc McStuffins. kind of led me here because she now has, she produces several shows for Netflix, and Ada Twist is one of them. And she asked me if I was interested in coming on and running Ada Twist. So that's how I ended up being the showrunner of Ada Twist Scientist so I could offer any advice, it would be, notice the opportunities when they come and take advantage of them.
Bethany Van Delft 3:03
What's a typical day like for you?
Kerri Grant 3:04
What's cool about this job is no day is typical. So some days, it's crazy busy, and I'm doing a million things like I'm working on stories with the writing team or giving notes on scripts, giving notes on the art in the show. And that could mean props, the design of the characters’ houses, their outfits, locations, like every spoon, every plate, every cup, you know, every shoe every sock, just like giving notes on all of that basically filling out the world, the look of the world, the feel of the world. Sometimes I'm in meetings, discussing strategies for certain things or just connecting with different departments on things that we have to resolve. Sometimes we're in record sessions in that. That's just recording the voice actors who are playing the roles. Sometimes I'm listening to auditions. So, no day is typical. And that makes it really exciting.
Bethany Van Delft 3:58
Ada Twist is super curious. What are you most curious about?
Kerri Grant 4:01
So, I'm curious about a lot of stuff. But I would say I think a lot about the existence of alternate universes. And if that's real or not.
Bethany Van Delft 4:14
Can we be best friends?
Kerri Grant 4:17
Are there alternate universes? Is there like eight versions of me living their lives? You know, in some parallel universe, or some multiverse? I'm curious about that.
Bethany Van Delft 4:29
Oh, my goodness. Can you tell us any secrets about Ada Twist?
Kerri Grant 4:34
She's really scared of lizards like lizards give her the heebie-jeebies. And Ada is not scared of a lot of things. But lizards and kind of creepy crawly things do get to her. She loves ladybugs. She loves them. That's like our favorite bug. Um, and she only sleeps because she knows that scientifically you're supposed to. Otherwise, she'd just be up thinking about stuff and asking questions.
Bethany Van Delft 5:02
Since we have an insider connection here, do you think Ada, at some point, is going to work out her fear of lizards?
Kerri Grant 5:11
I think she will, because the thing about Ada is, so she uses science to solve a lot of her problems like and that means whatever problems or friends are having, or she herself is experiencing. And so I think she'll use her scientific mind to work that out. I think she'll still fall in love with what lizards have to offer.
Bethany Van Delft 5:32
So, you wrote for the Disney show, Doc McStuffins. What was your favorite part about that show?
Kerri Grant 5:38
There's so many fun parts about working for dock as special love for the very first character I created on dock which was a kite named Frita Ferry. And she was this super dramatic kind of vein character. And the episode was about she got a rip, in her case, her Kite ripped on a tree. So now she had a scar. And then she she thought that having a scar wouldn't make her as beautiful as she was. And then she learned that that can make you more beautiful, because it's something that's unique about you. So I loved creating new toys and giving them different characteristics and traits and personalities.
Bethany Van Delft 6:21
What is your advice for someone who wants to work for Netflix?
Kerri Grant 6:25
If you're a writer, if you're an artist, have something that you can show someone a sample, or a portfolio and be good to go for when the opportunity comes to you. What I really love about Netflix actually is they're always looking for new talent, and is really invested in nurturing new talent. So there, I know that they're starting a couple of programs to get people like, you know, art artists, programs and writing programs. So look out for that stuff. It exists.
Bethany Van Delft 6:56
And last one, do you get Netflix for free?
Kerri Grant 6:59
No, can you imagine?
Bethany Van Delft 7:07
Right? Your login, right?
Bethany Van Delft 7:12
All right. 30 seconds of advice to our listeners.
Kerri Grant 7:15
I would say this, there's one piece of one quote or piece of advice that I love that has stuck with me for years. And it's from Joseph Campbell, who was a mythologist. So he was kind of like one of the people who compare different mythologies, and kind of brought that into the world and in a way in a bigger way. Anyway, he said, Follow your bliss. And don't be afraid, because doors will open where there were once walls. And that's what I will say like, whatever your heart is saying to you, whatever your obsession is, your passion. I go towards that and see where it could lead you. I started as an accounting major, I ended up running a show on Netflix, an animated show for kids. So you just never know where life will take you. So just go for it. Follow it. Follow what makes you happy. Follow what lights you up and go for it.
Bethany Van Delft 8:09
Such good advice. This has been such a joy speaking with you.
Kerri Grant 8:13
Thank you so much. It was so fun.
Bethany Van Delft 8:16
Oh my goodness. Kerri, you are so awesome. Thank you so much for joining us. And Ten'ers,f you haven't already. You can check out Ada Twist Scientist on Netflix. Hey, Tessa, got any cool facts for us today.
Tessa Flannery 8:34
Definitely, I am also a fan of Ada Twist. Did you know she's a character based on several real women scientists, including Ada Loveless, a brilliant mathematician who invented the first computer program? Wow. It's true. Ada Lovelace was the daughter of Lord Byron, a romantic poet. And Lady Byron, a math whiz Lady Byron wanted to make sure Ada didn't become a poet like her dad. So from the age of four, she studied math. And at 17, she wrote a book with the world's first computer program. Oh, by the way, she wrote that book in 1843.
Bethany Van Delft 9:12
Awesome. Up next, it's time for...
Various Voices 9:16
What, what, what's the big idea?
Bethany Van Delft 9:20
Trivia on the Ten. Okay, so you know that Ada Twist Scientist was based on real women scientists, including Ada Lovelace. But, do you know what the other scientists she's based on? Is it a) Cynthia Kenyon? b) Nina Tandon or c) Marie Curie? Did you guess it? The answer is c) Marie Curie is the two-time Nobel Prize-winning scientist who helped us understand radioactivity and discovered a few new elements in the process. She ran the radium lab at the Sorbonne, that's France's best university. And in addition to being a brilliant scientist, she's also a mom. One of her daughters followed in her footsteps running the radium lab and winning a Nobel Prize for science. Her other daughter became a journalist and author and wrote a book about Marie Curie that made sure no one would ever forget her dedication to science and discovery. That's all we've got for today. But before we go, here's a quick note for the grownups. Thanks for listening to the Ten News. Look out for our new episodes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and extras on Saturdays. The Ten News is a coproduction of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts and is distributed by iHeartRadio. The Ten News creative team is trying out some grown-up science experiments includes Tracey Crooks, Pete Musto, Ryan Willard, Logan Deyoung, and Tessa Flannery. Our production director is Jeremiah Tittle and our executive producers are Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan. I'm Bethany Van Delft and thanks for listening to the Ten News, Ada Twist Scientist, she's gonna find out what the answer is. No, seriously, it's one of my favorite shows.
