Summary:
In this module, our goal is to create a podcast. Before we could start recording, a crucial factor most forget to put time into is the pre-production stage. It has been years since I’ve done something like this creatively, so I’m very excited to work on this and see how it turns out.
Reading and Writing:
In chapter eight of The Bare Bones Camera Course For Film and Video, Schroeppel covers sound and how to get the best sound for your production. Schroeppel also covers the science of sound and why it is important to get crisp audio. For myself, learning the different nuances to sound and how different microphones function has given me a deeper appreciation for them. Of the types of microphones discussed, I have primarily used lavalier and shotgun microphones. A lavalier microphone is primality clipped onto the chest of the speaker while a shotgun microphone is either secured to the camera or on a boom pole. Another important function of recording audio is the setup of the recording space. Setting up your recording space with either foam padding or a carpet on the floor can help reduce unwanted sound disrupting your recording.
Research to Inform:
Along with the reading, I decided to find different examples of podcasts and analyze why they work so well. These podcasts are in a variety of formats, from long-form discussion podcasts to short-form news highlights.
This podcast, produced by The Majority Report, is a short-form podcast that focuses on the top news stories in the US and around the world. It’s between seven to nine minutes, so it is perfect for listening on your morning commute. Why I enjoy this podcast so much is that even for a news-focused show it has moments of levity and integrates personality in a fun way. I have difficulty listening to NPR-style podcasts because I find them rather droll, but the AM Quickee feels fast-paced and energetic. It is also produced very well given the short turnaround, as this is a daily podcast.
I had never listened to a podcast from Reply All before, but after listening to The Test Kitchen I enjoyed how you can tell there was a lot of effort put into the production. The podcast covered the racist and toxic work environment at food magazine Bon Appétit. The podcast is a mixture of narration from the host, interviews with former employees, and soundbites from news stories at the time. All three are weaved intricately well to tell their story about the people affected by the poor working conditions in the magazine.
Unfortunately, the podcast was put on pause after a former Reply All staffer spoke out about the same toxic culture he suffered by the Test Kitchen host Sruthi Pinnamaneni and another host P.J. Vogt. I appreciate that they did not continue airing the episodes, as it would not be right to highlight problems at one company when you are responsible for those same types of issues on your own.
Lastly, this podcast is a much different format compared to the other two. The Giant Bombcast is a long-running podcast that focuses on video games. Instead of a tightly scripted podcast, this one is instead more casual with set topics but a freeform discussion. Along with news, discussions of games, and reviews, they also will take questions from their audience. I’ve listened to this podcast for many years and I still find the discussions intriguing and entertaining. What works about this podcast is that instead of a script and lots of production, it stands up thanks to the years of experience in the games industry and the dynamic between each of the hosts.
Create
Here is my Mind Map on gentrification in Downtown New Haven
Here is my Pre-Production Planning Document for my podcast to download.
Works Cited:
Schroeppel, T. (2018). The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video. Langara College.
Bailey MeCey 
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