Making Podcasts!!

SolitaireRose

We have threads here for pimping our podcast and talking about what is ON a podcast, but we have very little about actually making them. So....let's have one!

I have to start by saying that when CGS started, I didn't think about making a podcast, mostly because in the early days EVERYONE on the board was. I often say that it was like the Velvet Underground album - everyone who listened to that, started a band. I didn't want to be a part of the crowd.

Then, in 2009, my pal who had owned two comic shops and I started kicking around the idea, and when we started ours, we wanted to do something different, so we started talking about comics from the retailer's perspective. Then, as we went on, I started a solo podcast to talk about things in more detail...then people asked me to interview them and so on and so on.

Peter Rios has done a few podcasts on starting a podcast, but...

Let's talk nuts and bolts. How much show prep do you do? How do you invite guests? What are you looking to accomplish? Why even DO the damn things?

Caliban

I've just done a series of posts about starting my new podcast Mega City Book Club.
I did them not as an expert, but because it was stuff I had to learn about the technicals of publishing a cast, and some errors I made along the way.

To answer your questions:
because it is a book club format I find I have to read the edition in question twice and make notes, plus do some background reading on the net as well.

As far as getting guests goes I have had most success with friends that I have made through conventions, signings and online forums. My appeals for people to get in touch if they have a book they want to discuss has only produced one response so far but it is early days for me.

I suspect you may be asking about creators or other guests from the industry, I do have a few creators and other podcasters that I am proud to be able to call friend so I may well be tapping them up at some point!

As to why do a podcast, very good question. I have fun discussing 2000AD stuff with anyone who will listen. Hopfeully I can sustain that enthusiasm as the podcast develops.

Cheers from the UK!

davetalkscomics

Great topic!

I podcast because I want to preserve my memories and share them with others who have similar interests.

My podcast is a solo affair. I make notes after reading or watching the things I am going to talk about. I sometimes do research to find out more about the background of stories, teams, characters, and comic books. I will frequently end up re-reading or at least skimming the material I am going to discuss a few times as I make my notes. In the case of cartoons I discuss, I will often rewatch them at least once while making my notes.

When I started podcasting I didn't make notes. I quickly discovered that if I didn't make notes I forgot things that I wanted to mention. I spend considerably more time preparing to record, especially if you count reading or watching time than I do recording.

Sometimes I re-record if I am unhappy with the way it turned out, if I do that it is usually because it sounded too much like I was just reading from my notes and there was little if any passion in my voice. There is definitely a level of enthusiasm that can come across much more clearly in an audio (or video) presentation than in a written review or blog post.

My podcasting process has evolved in the three years that I have been doing it. I have tried to systematize my process as much as possible without turning it into a machine. A podcast without passion isn't the sort of podcast I want to make or listen to but having some structure helps a lot.

Greg

I got the podcast bug around 2006 listening to Scott Johnson's show and some tabletop/miniature wargame shows. When I found CGS it was the show that drove me over edge in really wanting to try my hand at podcasting.

I went into just wanting to have some fun with my freinds and if we actually got any kind audience...GREAT! If not, who cares, we're doing it for ourselves. It made sense because because were already talking hobby stuff over skype so why not add some structure and record it.

I'd do a week's worth of research and taking notes in any spare time I had. I'd then share that with the co-hosts...only to find that they would barely skim through them at the very most. There were many times going into the recording session that they didn't bother looking at them at all or had no clue what we had agreed to talk about. Two of them would get into arguments heated debates over the most ridiculous stuff. It was supposed to be a hobby and they just sucked all the joy out of it. Between work and family obligations it eventually fell the wayside.

I used a very simple setup, using Evear to record the skype calls and audacity for editing. All of us just used our gaming headsets.

It took me a while to get used to it all. I was scipting everything for me and found that I really hated it. I started to jot down smaller notes and try to let the conversation flow more organically. I'm not a great conversationalist and I don't engage in much conversation at all, it's not something I go out my way to do. The podcast broke me out of that a bit more.

For whatever reason I'm still paying for the hosting service. I think about getting something started but just haven't found what I want to do.

bralinator

I subscribe to a site called No Film School. This month, contributor Nikhil Kamkolkar began a four part series of blog posts called: So You Wanna Podcast? It's filmmaker focused, but there's a lot of useful info there. Especially in parts 3 & 4. The first two parts are more about development and structure which are actually more crucial, but also relative.

I've linked all four episodes below:

So You Wanna Podcast? Part I: Before You Begin
Gets into the nuts & bolts of podcast production, starting with why a you should even care.

So You Wanna Podcast? Part II: The Skillset You Need
Building up the podcast. Knowing your audience. Narrowing down your approach.

So You Wanna Podcast? Part III: Recording & Production
The six steps to produce, launch & promote your podcast

So You Wanna Podcast? Part IV: iTunes Launch & Promotion
Getting your shiny new podcast out to the world