Back in 2017, Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative host/producer Jess Shane made “Perfect Woman”, an episode of Love Me, the CBC podcast. In 2018, Nick van der Kolk made “Points of Egress” for his show, Love + Radio, inspired by “Perfect Woman”. Today, we come full circle to share “Points of Egress” with you. Listen to the end for Jess’s version of the credits.

After Jess receives feedback that throws a major wrench into her production schedule, she has to make some tough decisions. Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative is written, hosted and produced by Jess Shane. Sara Nics is the story editor. Sound design, mix/mastering by Michelle Macklem. Production support from Mona Hassan. Cover art is by Justin Broadbent. Jess’s bibliography is available here. This reporting was supported in part by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Howard...

With only a few months till launch, Jess plays a draft of the series for her subjects and gives them an opportunity to request major changes. Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative is written, hosted and produced by Jess Shane. Sara Nics is the story editor. Sound design, mix/mastering by Michelle Macklem. Production support from Mona Hassan. Cover art is by Justin Broadbent. Jess’s bibliography is available here. This reporting was supported in part by the International Women’s Media...

Jess makes a deal with Judy, an unhoused senior. Judy will let Jess document her, and Jess will help Judy resolve some of her ongoing life problems. As Jess gets sucked into Judy's crises, the rest of the series starts to slip and Jess’ relationships with her other subjects get messy. Jess starts to doubt the premise of this entire undertaking. Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative is written, hosted and produced by Jess Shane. Sara Nics is the story editor. Sound design, mix/mastering by...

Jess begins by documenting Ernesto, a 20-year-old, newly sober fashion model. The plan is to pay Ernesto and let him be in charge of the story he wants to tell in the documentary. Things go sideways when Jess and Ernesto grapple with what will need to be cut out of Ernesto's life to turn it into a viable media product. More about Pooja Rangan’s book Immediations HERE. Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative is written, hosted and produced by Jess Shane. Sara Nics is the story editor. Sound...

Jess used to think making documentaries was good for her subjects and good for the world. But she’s not so sure anymore. With this series, she's throwing out the old rules of documentary production and trying out some new ones. Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative is written, hosted and produced by Jess Shane. Sara Nics is the story editor. Sound design, mix/mastering by Michelle Macklem. Production support from Mona Hassan. Cover art is by Justin Broadbent. Jess’s bibliography is...

Artist and documentarian Jess Shane posts a Craigslist ad: “Does your story need to be told? Tell it in a documentary! Seeking shocking, heartbreaking, and transformative stories for a new series about the documentary industry. Compensation provided.”  After days of auditions, Shane casts four participants, each with varied relationships to why they want to share their stories, from Ernesto, a recovering addict and fashion model who dreams of making it big, to Judy, an unhoused senior who...

The chatbots we’ve met are designed to be companions to humans. But some developers are trying to build AI extensions of humans for the workplace. In a panel discussion recorded live at On Air Fest 2023, hosts Diego Senior, Anna Oakes, and special guest Natalie Monbiot (Head of Strategy, Hour One) chat with senior producer Mark Pagán about the origins of Bot Love and the waves of technological change coming our way. Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and...

In the series finale, hosts Anna, Diego, and their voicebot co-host take a peek into the future of bot/human interaction — a world where bots look, sound, and recall memories more and more like the humans they learn from. Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and produced by Anna Oakes and Diego Senior. Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Curtis Fox is the story editor. Sound design by Terence Bernardo and Rebecca Seidel. Bei Wang and Katrina Carter are the...

A heads up for listeners, this episode references self-harm and suicide. Kel is struggling to find the right tools for their mental health issues when they hear about a new option — a therapy chatbot. The app is scripted by mental health professionals, but will it be helpful when Kel is in crisis?   Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and produced by Anna Oakes and Diego Senior. Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Curtis Fox is the story editor. Sound...

When too much solitude overwhelms Ryan during the shutdown, he finds solace in a chatbot named Audrey. But his new virtual friend becomes a full-on obsession, and his social isolation deepens. Here’s how chatbots are often designed to pull you into their world, and how users can become addicted to them.  Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and produced by Anna Oakes and Diego Senior. Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Curtis Fox is the story editor. Sound...

A heads up for listeners, this episode contains references to sexual assault as well as content that may not be appropriate for younger ears. What does S-E-X look like with a B-O-T? Three app users open up about sex with AI chatbots and the ways that chatbots provide space to explore queer identity, BDSM, and solve marital issues… even when some of their spouses are in the dark about these private virtual lives. Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and...