If you’re an avid Disney fan, chances are you’ve probably listened to a Disney podcast at one time or another. Maybe you’ve even considered starting your own. So how do you go from conception to having guests like Don Hahn on your show in just a few short years? That’s what I had to ask Dizney Coast to Coast hosts Jeff DePaoli and Patrick Dougall.
Today, Dizney Coast to Coast kicks off their third season — their second that is also available in video form. Their show name actually refers to the fact that, after meeting at the 2013 D23 Expo, DePoali resided in Los Angeles while Dougall was still attending college in Florida. For the first few episodes of the show, the two hosts would communicate on Skype and put the show together by combining the audio from both ends of the conversation (this provided better sound quality than simply recording Skype itself). However, after Dougall made the move to L.A., the show really started to jell.
“It immediately changed the energy of the show,” DePaoli said. “I was surprised how much more energy naturally occurred between the two of us.” Dougall echoed those feelings, saying, “Now that we’re in the same room not only has it become technically easier, it’s also much easier to feed off each other and present a more personable show.” To further capitalize the change in venue, Dizney Coast to Coast began offering both a podcast and vidcast (both contain the same content) during their recently wrapped second season.
Although the show managed to squeeze in one guest during their debut season (Patrick Page who played Frollo in Disney Theatrical Group’s production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame), the second season saw many familiar faces stopping by, including the aforementioned Don Hahn. As DePaoli explains, “Although I have truly loved all of our guests, I was blown away when Don Hahn agreed to record two episodes with us.” He gushed a little, adding, “This is a producer I have admired for a long time, who has done so much iconic work with The Walt Disney Company.”
So how does one book a guest on that level of Disney importance? According to DePaoli, “The lesson is simply ‘ask.'” As fate would have it, DePaoli was able to attend a preview event for the PBS documentary American Experience: Walt Disney that Hahn was hosting. Afterwards, he approached Hahn, told him about the show, and asked him to come on. “The secret is not being afraid to ask… or, even if you are afraid, still do it. In all honesty, I almost walked away from that screening without asking Mr. Hahn because I was intimidated by his accomplishments,” DePaoli said, although he does advise others to approach potential guests in a courteous and professional manner.
As far as producing a weekly show — let alone one that incorporates both audio and video mediums — DePaoli says there’s one thing you’ll really need: time. “I knew when I got into this that I wanted to produce a new episode every week for the entire year. I had to really consider whether or not I had the time to do that,” he said. In fact, his lack of time almost prevented the show from ever happening. Luckily, he and Dougall (who notes that the three hour time difference that existed between them when they started the show certainly didn’t help either) were able to arrange a way to make it work.
“Obviously for anyone creating content in any sort of medium their goal is to grow a bigger audience and community,” Dougall said, adding, “No matter who you have on as a guest or talk to it doesn’t matter if nobody is listening.” On that note, DePaoli thinks one of the most important aspects of starting and growing a podcast is consistency. “Every Wednesday, viewers and listeners know that they’ll be getting a new episode of [Dizney Coast to Coast] — that is a promise we made to the audience and we do our best to never disappoint.”
Another element of creating a successful show is having a unique voice. When asked about what makes their show different, Dougall said, “I guess you could say we both grew up in slightly different Disney generations and have had slightly differing Disney experiences.” DePaoli, on the other hand, said that he thought long and hard about whether or not their show would offer a different enough perspective to make it worth doing at first. “I wasn’t sure why I should do a Disney podcast considering there were already plenty that existed… But I think our personalities and natural energy with each other make for a show that is unique to us.”
Season three of Dizney Coast to Coast premieres today, January 20th, with new episodes coming every Wednesday on iTunes, YouTube, or their website. As for any dream guests we might see in the future, DePaoli says, “I would absolutely love to get Alan Menken and Michael Eisner.” But will he follow his own advice is given the chance? “When the opportunities arise, I will certainly ask.”