Our Quarantine Podcast
- Students: E, F, H, J, M.
- Apr 30, 2020
- 5 min read
Written by: Elle
As a group we decided to create a Podcast as our first official project. Once we came to the conclusion that it may not be the most efficient way for each of our skills and interests to shine, we chose to create the Energy Aid Blog. When created the blog however, we decided to keep the podcast as a side project and to record when the occasion arises and we have something to share. That is why we decided to post our first podcast about our isolation period. In this post I'll be walking you through the process of making a podcast and I'll add in some things we did here and there.
Before we get started make sure you check out Part 1 of our podcast on our Blog page here or on our Youtube page here! Part 2 will be up Friday the 1st of May and Part 3 will be up Saturday the 2nd of May.
The Skeleton
The skeleton of a podcast is the most essential part of the podcast because without it you wouldn't even be able to record a podcast let alone edit and post it. So here's how we did it!
We basically started by making sure everyone had a Microphone (phone, earphones, proper microphone, etc.)
Next up you want to make sure that you have a place to record which is silent, has minimal background noise and where you don't echo.
The final thing to do is make sure you have all of the required applications. This includes Voice Recordings (on the phone), Music Memos (available for download), QuickTime (on a Macbook) and anything within that realm of application to ensure the best recording. You could, theoretically make a video with a plain background but that takes up unnecessary space in the editing process. Some more applications you must have are for editing. A few examples include iMovie (Macbook), Final Cut Pro X (Macbook), Movie Maker (Windows), Adobe Premiere (available for purchase), Corel Video Studio (I've had a free trial and it's also available for purchase) and so forth.
Once you have all of the above figured out for everyone involved, you can move on to the next part.
The Planning
The planning could either be the easiest part or the hardest part, depending how creative you are and how much there are relevant topics to talk about. Here's some ways to make it easier.
Jot down anything that comes to mind no matter how ridiculous it may sound. This way you won't regret not writing something down and if you really like an idea and choose not to use it, you can save it for next time!
Next, involve anyone who will be joining you in the process. This means that if you're collaborating with people you give them space to come up with ideas and contribute to the plan. Same goes with if you're having a guest on your podcast, involve them and figure out what they would like to not only speak about but answer. This also helps you with the next step.
The final step is to script. I don't mean script your entire podcast so that it's unnatural and has no flow (that defeats the purpose!), I mean that you should create a general outline for your podcast. This includes what you'll be talking about, jotting down your questions, giving room for interaction, etc.
Remember when planning that podcasts are meant to be natural and the conversation needs to flow. Just as long as you don't digress too much and you can get back on track and link what you're saying with the topic of conversation, you should be just fine!
The Recording
Recording can be a super fun but it can also be strenuous when your microphone isn't working, the software you're using isn't connecting (such as when doing a podcast during quarantine as we did) and when you're unsure of what the topic is. This is why you should:
Do microphone and connection checks, and although things may go wrong later, it's better to try than to risk it.
Refer back to your plan/script for anything you want to add in and see if it's relevant.
Allow others to talk. This one can get hard especially if you love to talk (like me!) but it's also extremely important, not only when podcasting but in life, so just as long as conversation flows naturally, you're all good!
This part is probably the most fun part because you get to talk to the people you're working with, have a productive conversation and not only share what's on your mind, but understand what's going through their minds as well.
The Editing
If you are the editor (unless you've hired one), then you know how tedious and time consuming editing a podcast can be (especially your first one). Matching the voices and getting it all done in time is difficult, even when you love doing it. Here are some tips I have for some of the editors out there!
Give yourself time to edit. Thinking about getting the podcast edited in time can be incredibly stressful, so if you know you will take 2 weeks to edit the podcast, start editing 3 weeks before if possible. If it's not possible, be as efficient as you can while remembering to not stress because trust me, it can get in the way of your productivity.
If you're passionate don't let anything get in the way. Passion is an incredible driving force for just about anything, so if you're passionate about getting the podcast edited on time there are a few things you can do. Whenever you find yourself going onto Youtube or Netflix, remind yourself of what you need to get done. If you need to listen to motivational music for about 5 to 10 minutes (if you can afford to spend the time), then go ahead and do that!
Remember that if you can't finish editing on time that by simply talking to the people you work with, I'm sure there's a way around it. Sometimes talking and communicating a problem is all you need to solve one.
The Posting
After all this work (from everyone involved!), the posting part of the podcast is the most satisfying one. I for one, am loving how we're posting our very first podcast today! Here are some of my tips before posting.
Make sure everyone involved in the process has had enough time to listen to the podcast a few times over. This ensures you that there is nothing they don't want mentioned or anything about the editing that makes them feel uncomfortable (which I sure hope not).
Every link mentioned should be placed in the description box (if you're posting on Youtube) or at least mentioned in the description of your podcast. This is important because if you tell people about things they can check out, they will naturally look for a link. So make sure everyone sends you their links and you should be fine!
If this is your first podcast keep in mind that even if you don't think it, there is room for mistakes (in editing and in recording) and most to all people listening will understand. So after posting don't stress about who will listen to your podcast or not, just appreciate the steps it took to get there.
Thank you so much for reading yet another post and I hope you enjoyed this special edition! This podcast is close to everyone in the Energy Aid's heart because we genuinely enjoyed interacting with each other in a different scenery, not only because of quarantine but because we were recording a podcast. If you haven't done so yet go ahead and listen to our podcast here or here! Till' next time!
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