Every business has a moment that changes everything. For us, it started in the summer of 2017, sitting around with friends, having a few drinks, and laughing at how funny and chaotic our daily shop life was. Jokingly, someone said, "We should have our own TV show."
We all laughed it off and kept the night rolling. The next morning, the universe answered.
The email that didn't feel real
Waiting in my inbox was an email from a TV producer asking if we'd be interested in being part of a new reality show centred on custom terrariums and reptiles. My first thought? This has to be a prank.
After a bit of research, I realized the email came from Matador Content, a legit production company behind several well-known shows, including Lip Sync Battle. Suddenly this didn't feel like a joke anymore.
I replied to say we were interested, not really knowing what might happen next.
Building the first pitch
Within days, I had a first call with the producers. That led to a Skype call where they wanted to see our dynamic and get a feel for who we were. At the time, Cornel's World was still a small operation: me, two production employees, and a bookkeeper.
To round out the "cast," I brought in close friends and respected hobbyists, Jim Dyke, Chris Stinson, Jason Clevett, Lucas Neter, Tyrone Smith, and of course my family. None of us had any TV experience, and we had even less idea what they expected from us. But we all had two things in common: a passion for reptiles and a willingness to take a massive leap.
The producers liked what they saw. Within a month, a crew flew from California to Calgary to film a short sizzle reel to present to Animal Planet.
To show what we could do, we built a huge naturalistic terrarium for the shop while the cameras followed us working, joking, and talking about our genuine love for reptiles. Most of the pitch video was a mix of interviews and shop footage, but it captured who we really were.
When the five-minute pitch came back, we were blown away by how much footage had gone into that short clip and how well it represented us. Animal Planet liked it, but they weren't done testing us yet.
"Can you actually build something crazy?"
After the pitch, the network asked the big question: could we really put our money where our mouth was and build a truly over-the-top, one-of-a-kind project?
Weeks earlier, they had asked me for a few "money is no object" concept renderings. Two of the ideas I pitched were:
A Game of Thrones themed pool table terrarium
A massive Jurassic Park inspired build
Of course, the one I secretly hoped they wouldn't pick, the pool table, is exactly the one they wanted to see built. The catch? I had never built a pool table in my life.
Animal Planet agreed to fund a full 25-minute pilot episode. To raise the bar even higher, we refined the lineup, adding Rachel Bergsma, Chance Johnson (first brought on as a production assistant), and Kyle MacDonald, who was working in production at the shop.
We spent countless hours, over 200 hours of footage with two cameras, bringing the pool table terrarium to life. There were many sleepless nights, a lot of problem solving on the fly, and more coffee and energy drinks than I'd like to admit. Somehow, we pulled it off.
The finished pilot went to Animal Planet, and then came the call we'd been hoping for:
We're green-lighting 10 episodes.
Turning a pilot into a full series
Once the contract was signed, Matador Content assembled a top-tier film crew led by Pete Delasho, a seasoned director with a long list of TV credits. He pulled together an A-team of camera operators, assistants, and production staff from Calgary and across the U.S.
The show
- Production company
- Matador Content
- Director
- Pete Delasho
- Filming
- May 8 to August 23, 2018
- U.S. premiere
- August 24, 2018, on Animal Planet
- Episodes
- 10
- Aired in
- Just under 200 countries
Over those months, we:
Designed and built 10 fully custom, over-the-top reptile habitats
Balanced on-camera work with real production in the shop
Worked many nights straight through to hit reveal deadlines
Did our best to keep the day-to-day business running in the background
Most reality shows have a ghost crew that works overnight to get projects done while the on-screen cast focuses on filming. That wasn't an option for us. You can't parachute in a random crew and expect them to understand reptile requirements, heating and lighting, woodworking, and everything else that goes into a safe, functional enclosure.
So we did both: worked on camera during the day and built like crazy at night. It was exhausting, intense, and one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives.
The premiere
Filming wrapped on August 23, 2018. On August 24, the very next day, the first episode aired in the U.S. on Animal Planet.
We were given an advance copy here in Canada so we could host a private screening party. Sitting with friends and family, watching our little Calgary shop and our crew on an international TV network, was a surreal, emotional moment.
Over time, Scaled went on to air in just under 200 countries. Not bad for a company that started in my basement.
Watch the episodes
We've kept screener copies of all 10 episodes and the original pitch materials on our YouTube channel, so you can revisit the builds, the chaos, and the fun, from the sizzle reels to every final reveal.
Watch all 10 episodes on YouTube
What the show meant for the hobby
Scaled didn't just highlight Cornel's World. It put Calgary's reptile community on the map and helped show the world what responsible reptile keeping can look like. The series:
Showcased the craftsmanship behind custom reptile habitats
Highlighted the importance of proper heating, UV, humidity, and enclosure design
Introduced new people to reptiles as fascinating, rewarding pets
Blended entertainment with real husbandry education
We still hear from people who tell us they discovered Cornel's World, and even reptiles as a hobby, because of Scaled.
The season that never happened
After the first season wrapped and the shop finally quieted down, we all took a breath, and then almost immediately started talking about how much better a second season could be with everything we'd learned.
Animal Planet expressed interest, and talks about a Season 2 went on for quite a while. I even extended my contract dates to give them more time to work out a deal. Unfortunately, during that time the network decided to shift direction and cancelled all of its build shows across the board.
Of course we were disappointed. But more than anything, we felt grateful to have had the opportunity at all.
Looking back
Scaled will always be a huge part of the Cornel's World story. It pushed us harder than ever, brought our crew closer together, and showed the world a glimpse of what we do every day in the shop. It taught us about production, storytelling, problem-solving under pressure, and just how far you can go when you're determined to deliver.
Most importantly, it reminded us why we started this in the first place: we love reptiles, we love building, and we love creating something unforgettable.
To everyone who watched, messaged us, supported the show, or cheered us on, thank you. We hope one day we'll get another chance to bring reptile builds back to television. Until then, the tools are still running, the ideas are still flowing, and the builds are only getting bigger.
Plan a custom build
No TV crew required. Tell us your idea and we'll build something unforgettable for your animal.
