Notes in progress - some links are coming

Opening Credits

"Let's be bad guys." - Serenity

We're Marina Antunes and Dale McGladdery from the After the Credits podcast. We've been podcasting since January 2007and have produced over 60 podcasts.

Plan of Attack

"Hey, you never know 'till you try." - Big Trouble in Little China

Deciding on the kind of podcast you want.

• Pick your topic
  • Make it something that you're passionate about
  • it'll help keep you motivated and interested
  • you don't want podcasting to become a chore - when you're not having fun, it comes out in the audio
  • exception: doing podcasting for work - that's a topic for the marketing people
• Pick your style
  • get ideas by listening to other podcasts
  • it's always more fun when you have a co-host
  • talking on your own can be very difficult
• try to keep it short
  • Dave Olson: "Seabus length" - 15 minutes
  • really long shows can be a chore to listen to
  • try to keep it under 30 mins
  • sometimes it's OK to break the rules but don't over do it
• Host/cohost/solo
  • doing a show by yourself is hard
• Name your show
  • make it catchy, easy to remember and unique
  • don't assume that it's unique - be sure to Google the name before you stick with it!

Gear Up

"We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it." - The Blues Brothers

• Main goal is to sound marvelous - use sound as your guide, not cost or technology type
• Try out whatever you've got
  • Don't get hung up about not having the best/new gear and gadgets
  • Starting off recording on your computer is common option
  • There are relatively low cost digital recorder options $200 to $400 (e.g. Zoom H2/H4, iPod Nano w/microphone, cell phone)
  • just be sure to test your equipment, play with settings, try out various set ups until you get a sound that you're happy with
• Use a critical ear to judge your sound, admit if it's bad
• It's easy to start off low cost and upgrade later
• Try to get something where you can listen as you record

The Job

"It's showtime!" - The Mask

• Be prepared
  • have an idea of what you want to talk about
  • rough notes/outline is best option
  • don't want to be too scripted - want to sound natural
  • also don't want to sound like you don't know what you're going to talk about
  • it'll get easier/more natural with each show
• Fail quickly
  • don't be afraid to try different things and to make mistakes - organic
• Try to have a standard intro and outro
  • will be a big help when it comes to your next step - editing!
  • For the listeners - so they know what they're listening to
• If something goes wrong - don't freak out - pause and start again when ready
• If at all possible - be sure to listen while recording
  • Can save you from disasters like dead batteries, full sd cards etc.

The Getaway

"There's something very important I forgot to tell you. Don't cross the streams." - Ghostbusters

Editing your audio - Fun for some, boring for others.

• Ideally, if the recording went well, all you need to do is trim the beginning and end of the show and voila!
• Don't worry about adding anything extra the first few times out
  • get comfortable with the software and getting the audio to sound top notch
  • once you're familiar with the software and your process, then add new elements like musicperhaps into and outro music
• Popular free software for audio editing:
  • Audacity (PC, Mac, Linux)
  • Garage Band (Mac) - both free
• Levelator (PC, Mac, Linux) is your BEST friend as long as you have clean sound
• Editing can be a good time to make your show notes

Distributing the Loot

"Give me some sugar baby!" - Army of Darkness

• You'll need a place upload your audio
• there are some free services
  • LINKS ARE COMING!
• Some blogging platforms have built in audio players
• Include show notes
  • You'll get indexed by search engines
  • People can more easily decide if your show is for them

Reaping the Rewards

"I love it when a plan comes together!" - The A-Team

• Podcasting is like blogging: it's about being a community
• Inform your audience
• If you don't have an audience, you may need to find one (or you may want to expand your audience)
  • To find an audience use tools such as iTunes, Zune Marketplace, podcasting directories, social media sites (Facebook, My Space)
  • Share your podcast with the community (e.g., if you're show is about movies, post it on movie sites/directories)
• No one will comment
  • don't expect much feedback
  • appreciate whatever feedback you get!
  • use your podcast to expand/encourage discussion

Final Thoughts

"I do not regret the things I've done, only those I did not do." - Empire Records

• Fail early - try it out and don't be afraid to walk away
• Be flexible - roll with the punches
  • if something doesn't work, change it
  • if you stumble on something good, use it
  • Don't worry if you think you sound funny or stupid, all podcasters go through that - you get used to it
• Just do it