Ours is the age of podcasting and audio storytelling. The medium is intimate and engaging and with today’s DIY technology, easier than ever to produce, even at home. But it’s also a very competitive field. How do you differentiate yourself and amplify the stories that matter to you?
Journalists, communicators and anyone who is looking to experiment with new platforms or are simply curious about radio and podcasting should take this intensive weeklong, hands-on class, covering:
Wednesday, Aug 5:
- Listening party and discussion – The different audio storytelling formats, who does them best
- Person on the street interviews – How to do them well
- The art of the audio montage
- Sound gathering – What is ambience? How is ambience different than background sound? What is room tone? How do you use music effectively?
- Brief discussion about recording equipment
Thursday, Aug 6:
- More on recording equipment & troubleshooting in the field
- The art of the pitch and story generation
- The art of interviewing
- Introduction to scripting-writing for audio
Friday, Aug 7:
- More on scripting-writing for audio
- The difference between “hot” and boring sound bites
- Finding and perfecting your “radio voice”
Monday, Aug 10:
- Audio profile: We’ll listen to model examples and discuss how to create audio profiles that “sing.”
- Podcasts: We’ll listen to select examples of podcasts and discuss various elements such as content, voice quality, research/preparation, format and structure
- Guest speaker: An expert from the podcast arena will share insights and take your questions.
Tuesday, Aug 11:
- Promoting and monetizing your work. This session will also include a guest speaker.
- Listening party: We’ll listen to the work you’ve created over the week and provide feedback.
- More vocal performance coaching if time allows
During the course, students will be given light homework assignments and work on an audio piece or short pilot episode of a podcast idea.
What to bring: A smart phone with a recording app; a script or podcast idea.
All content and instruction will be taught in English. All content and instruction will be taught live in Eastern Standard time. Recorded content will not be available.
Level: Beginner