Weekly Feature 8/19/12

     Alright, everyone, for today's feature I have another really special treat for you! I had the amazing oppurtunity to interview none other than Nathan Hoobler! That's right! It's really a great interview, so I hope you guys like it. Also, for the first time in two weeks, there's a new AIC out!

1. When did you first start listening to AIO?

I started listening in 1988. I'm not sure of the first episode that I listened to, but I distinctly remember having to wait to hear the second half of "Camp What-a-Nut."

2. What drove you to start AIOHQ?

I had been working on the school website in the public relations office at my college. I thought that it would be fun to take those web building tools and create an Odyssey website. I wish there was some great purpose or master plan, but really, I just thought it would be fun. It was a lot of work, but fun work, too. And the interaction with other fans was certainly worth it.

3. What was it like being an intern for Odyssey?

It was fantastic. Not only was I working for Odyssey, I was working with the people whose names I had heard for years at the end of the program. I learned a lot about writing, production, and just working in general that summer. And it convinced me that this was what I wanted to do with my life.

4. Where did you get the idea for The Triangle?

The episode was Paul McCusker's idea. There's a line in "For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll" where Jack is talking about his friends stealing his girlfriends away. As an aside, he says, "How do you think Whit met Jenny." Paul thought that it would be fun to write an episode explaining the story behind that line.

5. What is your favorite AIO episode that you've written?

I'd probably say "The Top Floor." That was the most fun to figure out and work through all the details. But the episode that I still get the most comments about is "The Pact."

6. What is your favorite AIO episode that you haven't written?

For many years, I said, "Waylaid in the Windy City." While that's still a favorite, an episode like "Something Old, Something New" might top it now.

7. If you could have any AIO character return, who would it be and why?

Bernard Walton. Not only is he a perfect folly for Eugene, he can say things that no one else can get away with. And, of course, he has a heart of gold underneath all that complaining.

8. Which do you prefer: writing or directing?

I'd say that writing is more rewarding, but far more time-consuming. It takes weeks or months to get a show written and all of four hours to get it recorded. On the other hand, directing can be tremendous fun. Directing "The Top Floor" and "Something Old, Something New" were both high points for me.

9. I saw a picture of you drinking a Wod-Fam-Choc-Sod after recording Home Again. What was it like recording that episode?

I was there for the recording, but I wasn't directing. That was Paul McCusker. Like many shows with the main characters, there was a lot of laughing (and a little bit of chaos) in the studio. After recording, I did the voice-edit on the show, which took about a week. Voice editing really appeals to my linear mind so it was fun, especially on a show with so many of the main characters.

10. What episode are you working on currently? (You don't have to give away spoilers.)

We're working on episodes for albums 57 & 58 right now. Some of the shows may switch albums at this point. I'm not entirely certain what my next script will be.

11. What is your relationship with the Odyssey actors?

As you may have seen in bonus features or Facebook, the cast and crew are very much like a family. We enjoy spending time together and keeping up with each other. It's a blessing to work with people who you like so much.

12. How has AIO impacted your spiritual life?

It's influenced me in ways that I understand and probably a lot of ways I don't know about. Certainly much my knowledge of the Bible comes from hearing so many Odyssey shows through the years. There have been times in my life where I've asked the classic question: WWWD? What would Whit do? 

Having to write words to put in Whit's, Connie's, and Eugene's mouths has also forced me to think very seriously about my own relationship with God. You can't write for characters who are supposed to be walking with God and be neglecting your own time with Him.

     That was great, wasn't it? It's still amazing to me that through this little blog, I've been able to email Nathan Hoobler, the man I wrote an article about! That's it! Don't forget to check out the new AIC while you're here!
     Thanks for reading!