Episode
World-Building at Secret Cinema — Dean Rodgers
- Published
- Jun 26, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1880
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://futureofstorytelling.org/fost-originals/podcasts/
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/future-of-storytelling-fost-115518/episodes/world-building-at-secret-cinema-dean-rodgers/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/future-of-storytelling-fost-115518/world-building-at-secret-cinema-dean-rodgers.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Secret Cinema has been at the forefront of immersive live experiences based on beloved films and cultural franchises since their founding in 2007. Known for immersive productions of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Casino Royale, and the recent Dirty Dancing , Secret Cinema’s work revolves around the question that we often tackle at Future of StoryTelling: How can we make the audience the hero in our stories? Leading the company’s creative and strategic studio for brands, entertainment partners, and new immersive ventures is Dean Rodgers, the experiential director at Studio Secret Cinema. In this conversation, Dean talks about the art of world-building and what he calls “world belonging,” the importance of creating moments of collective awe, and why live, participatory experiences may become even more valuable in an increasingly digital world. To learn more, visit our website at fost.org . To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling , visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home . -- © 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp. Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp. 124 West 13th Street New York, NY 10011 Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher Director, Carolyn Merriman Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson in collaboration with Charts & Leisure Founder, Jason Oberholtzer Producer, Michael Simonelli Editor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli With special thanks to Dean Rodgers, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.