HELLO FROM THE MAGIC TAVERN DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

director

Director of Photography: Amy Limpinyakul
Editor: Adam Howarter

Hello from the Magic Tavern is an improvised comedy podcast set in a fantasy world with deep roots in the Chicago comedy community. One of the hosts, Arnie Niekamp, often describes the show as “Cheers set in Middle Earth.” It’s a hangout podcast at its core with an avid fan base that mirrors hardcore comic-con goers. I was fascinated by the real life friendship of the hosts and how through the podcast they manage to make listeners feel like they’re also a part of their adventures.

The artistic approach I took was heavily informed by the tone of the show. We shot our primary interviews in a grand castle-like space to feel very in-world and contrasted that with real life scenes in a style of a mockumentary. I wanted the camera movement to feel like its own character and mirror the interactive comedy of the show. We constantly undercut seriousness with levity, especially in the edit.

After 2 years of shooting, this documentary is in the final stages of post production with the intention of festival runs starting in Summer 2026.

I’m really proud of this project and can’t wait for folks to see what we’ve been working on!