Those familiar with nonfiction audio documentary maker Jess Shane, may know her as the producer of BBC 4 Lights Out: Accounts and Accountability which explored the ethics and monetary value of storytelling, so this is nothing new to Jess. In the five part series Radiotopia presents Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative, she takes it further

In its first episode Jess recalls making ‘Perfect Woman’ for CBC’s Love Me. Perfect Woman is the story of her reading her ex-boyfriend’s diary and changing herself depending on what he wrote. At the time, Jess found making it therapeutic because she got to tell the story to her own accord. Things started to get complex when she received an email from a Hollywood producer about adapting the story for a documentary.The producer promised this big platform to tell her story, even though she would have no editorial control. This interaction made Jess doubt the benefits of documentary making.

I sat down with Jess to discuss the process of making the show and what the aims for the series were.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity

JESS: My series is particularly engaged with the relationship between neoliberalism and personal storytelling because the documentary industry relies on the packaged morsel of the individual story in order to mass produce products. And it works because culturally we’ve been told that telling your story will be somehow cathartic, redemptive, brave, useful, et cetera. And so lots of people are talking about the importance of telling your story on an emotional level, but I’m trying to look at how personal storytelling operates in the world of trade and austerity.

You let us into your inner monologue and the many frustrations producers face. What was the aim of highlighting these issues?

JESS: Audiences are used to being handed the story on a silver platter. I wanted people to become hyper aware of the work and the choices that go into preparing said silver platter. A lot of people who’ve listened to the series have said, “can you stop navel gazing and telling us about the process and just give us the story? But this is the point I wanted to make you look behind the curtain whether you wanted to see it or not. And so I think that even if it creates discomfort, making audiences grapple with the fact that what they’re listening to is a construction, [that] is a useful way to make listeners feel less like audiences and more engaged, more like they are actually part of the mechanics of the sale and consumption of stories.

During their audition process to make one possible participant more comfortable, you say that they can ask you questions. What’s your advice to make sure the questions do not get too personal and make sure we divert back to the interviewee?

JESS: Well, I think that it’s okay for people to have personal questions. I think that to pretend that a purely business or a purely professional relationship is happening is dishonest. Obviously in this series I play with boundaries and push boundaries in a way that I think is irresponsible and that’s not an accident. I think depending on the relationship, there’s no one-size-fits-all. So I think, be open with people, but also be thoughtful about how much you want to share.

I think that in many ways the least you can do is to give people part of the benefit of being interviewed, which is arguably if the story isn’t going to lead to meaningful policy change or change that person’s life – which a majority of stories don’t do. Those are the outliers, not the norm – at the very least, you can give them a meaningful experience of recording.

But with that in mind, I think it’s important for people to be clear: I am doing a job. We’re acting like friends, but for the purpose of this interview, I’m doing a job and we’re not friends, and my job is to take what you say now and to turn it into something shorter, more concise. That’s ultimately what I want this piece to be about. I feel like being clear about making a distinction between the joys of the interview process and the horrors of having yourself vulnerable – your voice out in the world and no longer belonging to you in the same way, to coin a phrase by the TV producer featured in the episode.

That openness is evident through your relationship with one of the interviewees, Judy, an unhoused widow in her 70’s . We experience a blossoming friendship that has its conflicting moments, especially when Judy actually needs help regarding her personal situation. What did you learn from blurring the lines?

JESS: I was like, “I can’t promise that whatever I make about you is going to help you with your problems, but I have skills that might be helpful”. And there was a moment deep in the process where I realised that the methodology I thought would be helpful, actually it wasn’t, but could be harmful to her.

I also learned that in my attempt to help, I was not actually being a very good listener. I was thinking about what I thought was best for her as opposed to listening to what she thought was best for her. And that’s not even a lesson about journalism, that’s a lesson about life that can be applied across many spectrums. There was a moment where I just was like, “I don’t know what I’m doing here”. By totally throwing these boundaries that journalists normally have out the window, it was unknown waters and it was evident because I wasn’t necessarily being the most mindful. I don’t think I made anything worse, but I don’t know. I don’t think I improved anything and I realised I was out of my depth.

Away from the role of documentary maker, are there things that you learned personally about yourself?

JESS: I used to think that finding the perfect subject with a life story that was already shocking, heartbreaking, or transformative in some way was the kind of story that I had the power to make beautiful for them and for the world. I really am not interested in telling personal life stories. I’m not interested in turning people’s lives into products anymore and haven’t been for a long time. I’m interested in finding places where there are shared goals with potential subjects.

In the show there is a focus on the consequences of the Top Down approach where the audience gets to understand the power that the decision makers have and how little the subjects have. Going forward, what approach are you taking?

JESS: I’m interested in a framework of collaboration that is not “Top Down”. So in the series, I kind of show what not to do with collaboration. You can’t just call something collaboration and also still call all the shots. I think that I’m much more mindful of who I select as my collaborators and make sure that there’s a shared stake in these shared goals. And then we come up with a framework for collaboration together at the start.

That often relies on having a similar sense of media literacy. So [in Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative] there were huge power dynamics and that was intentional. Normally, I’m not trying to work with people where there are such big power dynamics. Maybe that will change over time as I become more experienced. But for now, I would rather work with people where I feel like we are operating with the same knowledge and in some ways privilege and power.

When talking about power dynamics and privilege I think about Ernesto’s story, the 20 year old model and recovering addict. In his episode, you admit that somebody else may have told his story better. What advice do you have for producers that struggle to navigate an interviewee’s story?

JESS: I was trying to make a point about how budgetary concerns and timelines dictate how ambitious a producer can be in the stories they tell. And in this case, what I realised about Ernesto’s story was that the story that he was sort of gesturing to, he wasn’t an appropriate central, sole subject. The story, actually, would need a much more systemic perspective, and that would require a timeline and a reporting budget and a scope that the project wasn’t really set up for.
I wanted to reveal why the personal story is often the fallback: because it’s actually cheaper and easier to make. But I do think that it’s always really important to acknowledge your positionality and ask – why am I the right person to tell this story? And if not, how can I make this work?

Something that I say in this series, and something I still stand by is if you are taking a not-Top-Down approach to collaboration, it doesn’t necessarily matter if you are the wrong person to tell the story. So long as you set yourself up in a collaborative framework where you are not being the expert on someone else’s life, you are letting your subjects truly lead. And that means factoring in a lot more time, making sure that you set up the collaborative process from the start, making sure that you are, and whoever’s funding you or distributing you, is also signed up for that. At the same time, I think it’s worthwhile to be wary that not everybody should tell every story.

There are rules stated in the first episode about journalism must nots and throughout the process you obviously bend them to make a point. I know this was an experiment, but are there any practices you’re taking for future projects?

JESS: Shared goals, much greater transparency, acknowledgement of the way in which documentary storytelling does operate as an exchange and clarifying the exchange, but in tandem with this idea of shared goals, and I also pay people whenever I can.

[NOTE: Paying subjects is one of the first rules that Jess throws out the window in the series, a subject she’s also written about. She expands on why this is important.]

JESS: I don’t think that paying people is more coercive than somebody promising to tell your story to the media already. I have no problem with splitting whatever I make with the people whose voices and work is featured in the projects. I come up with a split that feels right for the project based on the time and effort that’s put in and based on what I can afford and what we both can afford. I am very transparent about what I’m making with them, and we come up with a rate that feels good.

Listen to Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative on Apple Podcast, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Jess Shane: “I’m not interested in turning people’s lives into products anymore” appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Menopause is not talked about anywhere nearly enough. But, as October is Menopause Awareness Month, Acast have teamed up with Kate Thornton’s White
Wine Question Time to help change that. They’re hosting a live podcast recording that will share plenty of lived experiences of the menopause, some medical fact and fiction, and what we can all do to better understand and treat the problem..

The event will be hosted at Acast HQ where Kate will be joined by actor and presenter Tamzin Outhwaite and Dr Lydia Robertson. Tamzin has spoken publicly
about her own struggles with menopause and has become passionate about providing various menopause treatments to those who can’t afford it. Dr Robertson is a member of the British Menopause Society and has dedicated much of her career to treating and furthering understanding of the menopause and its effects. This conversation aims to remove the stigma around menopause and create an open environment for people to share stories and ask questions.

So, whether you’re an expert or want to know more to support your friends or family – or yourself – there will be plenty of useful information for everyone.

To celebrate the upcoming event, we sat down with Kate Thornton to discuss her menopause journey.

Has your menopause journey changed your outlook on life?

Gosh, massively. How long have you got? Probably the best way to describe it is that it’s like squatters have moved into your body and they’re vandalising you from
the inside out, and the hope is that one day somebody’s going to come along and evict them, and you can get your house back in order. That’s where I am at the moment. I’m in full squatter mode, but very much looking forward to getting my house back in order.

Why do you think menopause awareness is so important?

51% of the population will go through the menopause. The only two guarantees in life you have as a woman is death and menopause. Cheery stuff, I know, but it’s an
inevitability. And it’s not just a female issue, it’s an everyone issue. Because everyone has a mum, everyone has a sister, everyone has a female co-worker.

Everyone will be exposed to women who are, at some stage, going through perimenopause. So, it’s really important that we all understand what it is, and what some of these women are navigating it for a decade or more!

What more do you think can be done to make menopause less of a taboo subject to talk about?

We’ve just got to talk about it. Just talking about it makes it less of a taboo. The fact that we even discuss it is progress. Five years ago, I don’t think anybody knew  that there was a thing called the perimenopause! I think the understanding that we’ve achieved, in terms of education, has been massive. We’ve got a lot further to go, but boy oh boy, have we come a long way so far – and these podcasts can only help that.

To get even more information about menopause and its effects you can search for the British Menopause Society in your search engine.

And listen to the live recording of White Wine Question Time’s Menopause Awareness event over on your podcast app this Friday. Click here to subscribe and
listen now.

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This column was created with Stak. Stak produces podcasts that entertain and inform, including some of the UK’s biggest and most popular shows – boasting a combined 4 million monthly listen and over 45 years of podcasting experience. Whether recording remotely or in our broadcast-grade London  studio, we special in every stage of the podcasting process. To find out more or get in touch, visit our website at stak.london.

The post White Wine Question Time: What actually is Menopause? appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Whilst it’s only a few episodes in, the show has been sitting near the top of the podcast charts. This might in part be the genre, but it may also be that listeners are intrigued by the actual main subject the show – Sherlock Holmes, a private investigator with an interesting persona.

We spoke to John and Sherlock about podcasting, what they’ve learned from creating the show, as well as some of the more controversial aspects of making a true crime podcast…

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

SHERLOCK: You answer.

WATSON: Ohh good question. Erm, I’ll always check in with my football pods when I can. But probably my first listen, was maybe We Have Ways of Making You Talk? Al Murray, James Holland chatting all things World War 2. Yeah, good stuff. There’s a reason why I reached out to Goalhanger to help me with this thing. Sherlock, what about you?

SHERLOCK: Is this necessary?

WATSON: Never heard of that one, who’s on it?

SHERLOCK: I mean this. Right now.

WATSON: Oh. And yes it’s necessary – we’re promoting the show mate.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

SHERLOCK: The Doctor began to document my cases without my permission.

WATSON: I like true crime- I found a guy (Sherlock) that was immersed in that world, so I thought, you know, better record this thing. Tell the world about Mr. Holmes here and yeah, off we went starting with the adventure of The Illustrious Client, and now we’ve got all sorts of cases coming our way.

Podcasting around true crimes has faced controversy in the past. We’ve seen people convicted from podcasting evidence, but also criticism that it can get in the way of the justice system. What are your thoughts on this?

WATSON: It can definitely get in the way. I take my microphone with me on every case and, you know, we’re often on the move and that thing can really get in the way. Clunks around all over the place and a lot of the time people think I’m a weird bloke recording them talking. Yeah.

SHERLOCK: I think they meant podcasting in general obstructing active investigations. Not your cheap microphone being ‘clunky’

WATSON: Oh. Ok. Right- I’ll, let me think of an answer for that one.

How have Scotland Yard taken to you podcasting your work?

WATSON: They said stop that immediately. Then we got a letter didn’t we. And then an officer came round. And then they just forgot about it and we’ve carried on anyway. Very similar thing happened to me once with a parking fine. So, yeah, just stick to your guns. Ride it out.

SHERLOCK: Good lord.

Have you been surprised by the success of the show?

WATSON: It has blown me away. We’ve been at number 3 in the charts a week or so after release. We’re getting more downloads than we expected. Even Gary Lineker listens. Loves it. I think, he might just be checking in on his property to be honest. But yeah, can’t believe it. Rubbing shoulders with the cream of British podcasting. Quite something. What do you think mate?

SHERLOCK: People listening to this show are eavesdropping on my life. End of discussion.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt from making your podcast so far?

WATSON: That there is an audience for everything! You don’t need to be a couple of celebrities chatting about stuff. You can get out into the world, bring drama and entertainment to the ears of your listeners. It’s amazing. So much scope. And you, Sherlock?

SHERLOCK: I said end of discussion.

SHERLOCK & CO is a weekly fiction podcast written by Joel Emery, directed by Adam Jarrell of Holy Smokes Audio and produced by Goalhanger Podcasts. Starring Paul Waggott as Dr. John Watson and Harry Attwell as Sherlock Holmes. Producers Neil Fearn and Jon Gill. Executive Producer Tony Pastor. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Sherlock and Watson from Sherlock & Co appeared first on POD BIBLE.

As a current politics student with a keen interest in podcasting I was delighted to be given the opportunity to work with Pod Bible via an Arts Emergency work experience placement. When I learnt I had the opportunity to interview Alastair Campbell, a huge name in UK political history and co-host of the podcast The Rest Is Politics, I couldn’t have been more amped.

The Rest Is Politics is hosted by both Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, both from two different sides of the political spectrum. Having first-hand experience in the Houses of Parliament, they give an exclusive outlook into British politics as well as politics abroad. The podcast is regularly at the top of the charts so I was eager to speak to Alistair about the show and curious to hear his thoughts about politics in general.

What was it like behind the scenes recording your first podcast episode with Rory Stewart?

We do most episodes online from separate places so “behind the scenes” generally involves me watching Rory struggle to get his headphones to work properly. To be fair the process works really well. We did one pilot just to make sure there was a good flow to the way we talk to each other, and there was, and off we went. We are very different in so many ways but we get on and enjoy the “craic.”

Do you think the podcast has challenged you in any way –  either technically or ideologically?

The only challenge really has been that as it has grown and developed it is probably eating into my diary more than I thought it would. We started off doing one discussion per week, and then added a q and a because we were getting so much positive feedback and questions. And now we do a weekly interview as well. I think it is fair to say the burden of pulling in the guests has fallen more to me! Added to which although we have good researchers and producers I like to do my own research on top. On the plus side it means that when I am reading and travelling and working on different things I can usually find an outlet within the podcast to talk about it all.

Are there any topics you refuse to discuss due to you and Rory’s differences in political opinion?

No. Nothing is off limits.

What do you think is the key to keeping young people engaged in politics? Are podcasts part of the answer?

I hope so. We have both been really encouraged by how many young people listen and also come to our events. When we did the Albert Hall last year over a third of the people who came were under 30. I think people have rarely been more interested in politics yet so disenchanted by what it is doing. So we are trying to show that it is possible for people to be interested, and passionate, and engage in debate without just shouting at each other. I was in a school the other day and listening to the students it struck me that all they have ever known is the politics of recent years which have been a disaster. Politics can be a force for good. We need to harness the passion and intelligence of young people to change the things they know are wrong in the world. I was already working on a book on this theme, But What Can I Do? when we started the podcast. The fact it was a No 1 bestseller at a time we were No 1 in the charts – as well as making me pleased – gave  me real encouragement that people want to be engaged but need support in finding out how.

Young people’s mental health is a big topic, particularly as students return to school and university. Is that something you’d like to discuss on the podcast?

We do from time to time. One of our best received podcasts was about a year ago. I was in Edinburgh and in the middle of a depressive episode. I hadn’t been planning to talk about it. But right at the start Rory asked me “how are you?” In a very small talk kind of way and I found myself explaining I wasn’t feeling great and we ended up having a really good discussion about it. I also think politicians are behind the public  on this one. Mental health is a massive issue with people yet still struggles to get onto the political agenda in the way it should.

In your sister show ‘Leading’ you speak to political figures – do you have a dream guest?

Well I have interviewed Prince William before – for GQ magazine. So I am going one higher up the royal ladder. King Charles! Rory knows him pretty well because he was a tutor to the boys when they were younger and recently told a very funny story about how he locked himself in a bathroom at Highgrove that doubled as an anti terrorism safety zone and Charles had to get help to get him out! I am not a big Monarchist and Rory is and I think Charles is  really interesting figure. To get him talking freely and openly about  things he cares about and the role he now plays would be fascinating.

I also have a bid in with Angela Merkel. She gives very few interviews. And I guess I would like to interview Putin to try to see how the mild mannered rather reticent character we dealt with 20 odd years became the figure he has become.

Actually thinking about it I would also love to interview the artist Banksy. Great mind. Great story.

Finally, what are your favourite podcasts to listen to away from the world of politics?

I listen to a lot of German podcasts because I am trying to get my German back to scratch. So I am going for two sports podcasts –  Prasenmäher (Bild) which is longform interviews with German football legends, and Auf den Punkt, which is done by Süddeutsche Zeitung. I should also mention The Rest Is Football because Gary Lineker is the boss of the company which produces TRIP!

Probably my favourite foreign policy podcast is Acht Milliarden which is done by Der Spiegel magazine. I quite often cite them on the Rest Is Politics.

The post EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Alastair Campbell from The Rest Is Politics appeared first on POD BIBLE.

On the back of her huge success with her original podcast, The Really Bitchee Podcast, Christina is back and is in the midst of her latest podcast run alongside her co-host Lily Stewart for the Gin and Toxic podcast. We speak to Christina to find out about some of her personal highlights around the first podcast series and what led to the relaunch of Gin and Toxic:

Christina: The Really Bitchee Podcast was the first podcast I ever put out, so it holds a special place in my heart and gave me my start in the podcasting world. One of the highlights of The Really Bitchee Podcast was having guests that were my friends and not just people in the industry. People love realistic/relatable conversations and content, which is why my episodes with people I already knew personally performed so well; it felt like the audience could jump in the chat at any time and feel like they were talking to their close friends. This is something I want to carry over into my new show, keeping that relatability factor.

Like all of us, there’s an origin tale! So what was the aim of the podcast for Christina when it first started?

To share my stories and life experiences with my audience, and advice on being a 20-something-year-old living in NYC.

I love to talk and blabber about all sorts of topics and B.S., and I do consider myself a very open person. With this podcast, I wanted it to be an open, vulnerable space I could share with my audience in the form of long conversations. This is all quite ironic because now, looking back at the show, it ended up not being that at all. That’s exactly why I decided to stop that show, take some time to determine what I truly wanted to talk about, and then start my new show.

It didn’t take long to make an impact with the relaunch and the now titled Gin and Toxic podcast charted on Spotify in the Top Comedy Podcasts in the USA, but why the change? And what can we look forward to that’s a little bit different?

Gin & Toxic is a play on the classic Gin & Tonic, which is my go-to cocktail on a night out. The name embodies the show as a whole, representing a crazy, carefree environment. After taking a break from the podcasting world for a few months, I decided it was best to do a complete rebrand to allow myself to be even more open and vulnerable with my audience, which then let me share crazier, more chaotic stories with them.

As I said previously, the purpose of having a podcast for me was to create an open, vulnerable space to share my stories and life experiences with my audience. Although that was my purpose, I felt I wasn’t genuinely doing that with The Really Bitchee Podcast. The podcast came out when I was in a very weird stage in my life, I couldn’t keep up with the show consistently, and I also couldn’t speak my mind on situations I would’ve liked to. After taking a break from the podcasting world for a few months, I decided it was best to do a complete rebrand to allow myself to be even more open and vulnerable with my audience, which then let me share crazier, more chaotic stories with them.

Christina – and her moniker BeautyChickee – is well used to hosting conversations from an elevated platform as she has over 1.5million followers and subscribers across social media, but Christina also has her own clothing line, Bitchee. With life as seemingly hectic, it’s clear that the inspiration for her Gin and Toxic podcast conversations would never be too far away – even if it’s an deeply personal take on the subjects at hand:

Our tagline sums everything up: “a show about the messy adventures and life lessons of two un-hinged best friends, living life in NYC throughout their 20’s”.

As for the extended version, the show is a collection of stories from our crazy adventures and nights out that Lily and I have experienced. An even more significant part of the show is discussing topics and tying our life experiences into those topics to either A) inform the audience, or B) to entertain.

For example, when we did our episode on cheaters, we talked about the concept of cheating as a whole and then tied in our personal experiences with cheaters and shared those stories. I think this adds a relatability factor to the show, considering that Lily and I are just like any other 20-something-year-old navigating life. 90% of our stories are messy; we don’t have it all together. I could go as far as to say we are a couple of hot messes! But that’s what we want our audience to see: the good, the bad & the ugly: the great decisions and the not-so-great ones. In a nutshell, we’re just navigating life alongside the audience & sharing our experiences.

What’s the reaction been like to the new podcast? And are you personally enjoying the experience and the openness of the dialogue?

People love the new show from what we’ve seen! It’s been getting incredible feedback. Like I said earlier, we’ve been way more open on this show, and we share all of the crazy experiences we have together, and people enjoy hearing about that & relating to it. It makes them feel like they are part of the show. We will get DM’s from girls that say something along the lines of “I just listened to your last episode, and here’s my similar story,” which we love receiving, because we love seeing how people relate to the show. The audience sees this new, crazier, more vulnerable side of Lily and I that they haven’t seen before, and they are just eating it up!

The experience creating Gin & Toxic has been so incredible, and now doing a podcast alongside a co-host has made the podcasting experience that much more enjoyable. Before, I was doing a solo show, and it’s tough to build off of topics and ideas on your own. A co-host makes it way easier to bounce those ideas and jokes off of, overall making for a better conversation within the show. The experience has been incredible, especially since my co-host is my best friend and we get to share the experience.

There’s an indefatigable energy which comes from Christina and Lily and their Gin and Toxic podcast, so presumably the future for the show looks good – what can we expect?

More “taboo” topics to be discussed as we open up more with our audience.

We also recently started recording our episodes on video! You can now watch future full-length video episodes on YouTube and Spotify, which is incredible for people who prefer to have a visual while listening. We’re going to have some great guests as well and we already have quite the roster of guests lined up to record with! We’d also love to eventually do some live-streamed live shows, as well as some live in-person shows around NYC and any significant cities where Gin & Toxic streams are high. Overall, we are just evolving the show every day and building it out to give our listeners the best possible listening/viewing experience.

Listen to Gin & Toxic now on Apple Podcast, Spotify and other podcast apps.

The post INTERVIEW // Christina Harris from Gin & Toxic appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

Hi, I’m Jay Ludgrove the managing director of GLProUK a podcast content creation agency and the host of The Jaily Show. Each week we sit down with business leaders and talk about marketing, leadership, mental health, marketing, social media, content creation and whatever else comes to mind.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

The first time I ever heard of “podcasting” was about 8 years ago when my now-business partner Tony asked me to host a podcast he had started. I quickly did some research and found that one of my favourite film directors from my childhood, Kevin Smith, had started multiple podcasts! The first show I listened to was Jay & Silent Bob Get Old, I had no idea how varied podcast subjects could possibly be back then!!

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

To be honest my best friend and I were working pretty full on corporate jobs and podcasting was a brilliant excuse to see each other once a week and interview the most amazing people. Off the back of that first podcast we now run an international podcast production company GLProUK and have helped hundreds of podcasts launch over the last 6 years.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Most of the podcast I listen to personally are either comedy of business based shows. I’m a huge fan of Brian G Burns The Brutal Truth About Sales and I love Joe Rogan’s long form interview style but its hard to pin down one particular podcast.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I’d have to say Bill Burr. I’d probably be a terrible host as I would be laughing so much as Bill has a direct line to my funny bone but that would be an epic guest!

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Podcast has really taught me a lot, after interviewing so many people I have learned how to listen more actively and how to help a conversation continue without interrupting your guests flow. Ultimately podcasting has allowed me to have conversations with incredible people that I would have otherwise have had a reason to speak too. Its been an amazing journey and a phenomenal experience to learn from such a variety of interesting people.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

The next one. Our show is focused on finding out about our guests and digging into their thoughts on the world around them, which means every episode really is completely different from the next.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

You can find me @JayLudgrove on all the major platforms, our podcast is available by searching GL Cast, or on YouTube by searching for GLProUK. We love talking to podcasters from those who have been doing this for ever to those looking to launch a new show so if you have any questions around podcast production or how to launch a podcast from scratch then please get in touch.

Listen to The Jaily Show on the GLCast on ACAST, SPOTIFY or your favourite podcast player.

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This article was produced as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com.

The post The Jaily Show: A GLProUK podcast speaking to business leaders appeared first on POD BIBLE.

The podcast is a co-production between the ETT (English Touring Theatre) and Storyglass. We usually do host interviews for new podcasts, but with multiple famous hosts taking on their own parts of the 6-part series, we decided to speak to the people on the other side of the microphone. So we asked some questions of Jen Bakst (Commissioning Editor) and Robert Delamere & Richard Twyman (Executive Producers.) Here are their amalgamated answers:

What does a producer consider when taking on a new podcast job – what appealed to you about THAT PODCAST?

We’d never heard of a project quite like THAT PODCAST… That’s what got us excited about the idea.

A magazine-style podcast which meshes together journalistic storytelling, comedy, interviews with experts, testimonials from the public and creative storytelling? It was like a chemistry experiment – it was either going to blow up in our faces, or it was going to result in a really interesting new format. So we thought we’d give it a go!

Plus, what with ETT being a theatre company, we were really keen to keep working with playwrights and creative freelancers who had had their projects cancelled due to the pandemic, to enable these brilliant visionaries to keep making imaginative and important work and share it with a broad range of audiences. So together with Storyglass, we paired these writers up with some of Britain’s leading comedians, journalists and commentators to synthesize fact and fiction in a new podcast.

We were relieved and delighted to find out that this content all sits side-by-side really well. There’s an exciting alchemy in combining factual material with humorous commentary and artistic perspective.

In terms of the actual content – these are obviously very strange and unexpected times to be living in, so we just wanted to really interrogate how the pandemic has influenced every aspect of our lives: from our dreams, to our love lives, to our communities, our news, our travel, our grieving rituals…

Did you take inspiration from any podcasts in particular before you started (either as a team, or an individual)?

When we first started this project, it was the summer of 2020, and everyone was still trying to wrap their minds around how the pandemic had changed the world overnight. At some point in a meeting, one of us said something like: “I wish the UK had a version of This American Life to explain it all to us!” It was a joke, but as with all jokes made in frustration, there was a definite kernel of truth in it. The idea stuck with us.

This American Life is so iconic in the world of podcasting, with its deep-dives into existential state-of-the-nation questions, how it features voices of the public in a meaningful way, and how it goes into the minutiae of the constantly changing landscape of daily life. We wanted to do a British version of This American Life, but made from a mostly cultural perspective instead of a journalistic one. We wanted to try and put together a creative insight into the complex and mercurial question of what it means to be British today, by telling stories from contemporary life reimagined by some of the most exciting voices in fiction.

Also, an absolutely huge shout out to Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger and Charles Parker, the geniuses behind the radio ballads of the 50s, who gave us the idea for mixing artforms in audio.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned producing this type of ‘magazine’ podcast?

We learned two big headline things: number one is – there are just crazy amounts of talent out there in every facet of British cultural life, in every nook and cranny. I mean, we obviously had a pretty good sense of that before we started. But I don’t think we were fully ready for the total breadth and depth of how the UK’s cultural scene is bursting at the seams with fascinating, diverse, imaginative, wild and wonderful artists. It was such a privilege to work with people from every discipline – performance artists, spoken word artists, drag artists, theatre-makers, storytellers, singer-songwriters, sleep scientists, journalists, sex historians, refugee human rights advocates, sex workers, app developers, novelists, travel writers, data scientists and spiritual leaders… We worked with over one hundred people on this podcast and we would have worked with a hundred more if we could have, but I think it would have broken the budget (and the team).

The second thing is – when you’re making a project that involves over a hundred people, it takes time. As the project grew and developed, we started uncovering more and more material, more stories, and more content from all our contributors. We realised pretty quickly that this was going to be a massive project that would need some deep thought and some proper nurturing of the many different pieces and artforms that were going into it. Ultimately, we’re really proud of what we’ve put out – but we also still have so many stories, testimonials, facts and ideas for creative commissions that didn’t make it into the podcast because we had to make cuts for the edit. Fingers crossed we get a season two so we can share some of our best-loved but as yet unheard materials!

You have different celebrity guests presenting each part. How did the collaboration work with the presenters?

It was such a joy to work with an amazing line up of different hosts – incredible comedians like Sophie Duker, Desiree Burch, Chris McCausland and Nish Kumar, film legends like Terry Gilliam, and top-shelf journalists like Remona Aly. Each one of them is so politically engaged, so smart and switched on, and with such a unique voice and perspective on things. It felt like, thanks to these collaborations with different hosts, each episode was refracted through a different lens, making the overall effect of the thing feel like a kaleidoscope of viewpoints. Which is exactly what we wanted for this project that is supposed to reflect the diversity of our nation.

For each one of them, we had an early-doors chat with the hosts to discuss the theme of the episode, and get their input. Then, based on those chats we’d set to curating content for the episode – interviewees, testimonials, creative commissions, etc. We eventually drafted a script for the episode and they’d change it round and make it their own.

What is something you haven’t managed to do yet with THAT PODCAST, but you would really like to work on?

Something that was new for us on THAT PODCAST was the testimonials from members of the public. So many people were really generous and honest with us in sharing their lived experiences, which ranged from the hilarious, to the unexpected, to the really really difficult.

The bummer though is that because of COVID restrictions, we couldn’t get any audio from live community events, from people on the streets, from people’s homes, things happening in the moment. Maybe in the next season, if we’re not making it in a lockdown this time, we’ll be able to fulfil our dream of having a roving reporter gathering audio from live events and gatherings, rather than doing it remotely via the internet.

How do you experience other podcasts as a listener? Can you turn off your editing ear and just enjoy shows, or do you always tune in to the things you would have done differently yourself?

We’re really happy to just enjoy what pops up in our feed, and celebrate the rich range of the podcasting world.

Because it’s still a relatively early medium, content is made at really different levels of professionalism. Some podcasts are really home-brewed and sweet, whereas others are much more thoroughly researched and supported have higher production values. There’s a really wide range out there, and no “right” way to make a podcast.

Where can Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

You can listen to THAT PODCAST… on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Acast, and wherever you get your podcasts. To find out more about ETT, visit www.ett.org.uk. For more on Fremantle and Storyglass, go to www.fremantle.com.

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m a stand up comedian who did what every comedian in lockdown probably contemplated, and started a podcast. It’s a panel show that brings together three interesting people to contribute anecdotes based on random topics drawn from a bingo ball. The whole point of it was to bring new people together talking about things they might never have talked about before. It’s been mainly stand up comedians so far but I’ve enjoyed blending in other personalities for fresh perspectives.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I have been listening to Radio 4 packaged up in podcast form for years – Infinity Monkey Cage and Friday Night Comedy have been staples of my listening calendar for as long as I can remember.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I am a massive podcast fangirl but the quality and scale of the ones I was listening to was pretty intimidating and I initially didn’t really know what I could bring to it that was unique enough to justify joining the noise. I started doing a Twitch panel show in the first lockdown while I was looking for a way to stay relevant – and get attention – with stand up off the cards, and it gathered a small but quite devoted following. On one of the shows, the tech failed but I still had the audio file so I sent it out to the people that normally watched it, and they really enjoyed it.

It put an idea in my head that maybe I had found a concept that might work. There weren’t that many panel shows cutting through so felt like I might finally have something that could work. It also offered me an opportunity to be the change I wanted to see in the world, women don’t get enough representation on panel shows, now not only do I now host one, but I also have booking rights. 67% of guests have been women and non binary so far, yet my demographic skews slightly towards male listeners (56%) We’re funny, give us more shows.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Drunk Women Solving Crime is one of my stand outs, the dream is that I can create something like that where people love it, and them, so much as a concept that even if they don’t necessarily know the panel, they’ll still listen. One of the big things I’ve enjoyed about this is mixing in established personalities with up and coming talent that I’ve worked alongside on the open mic circuit and helping people discover their new favourites. I also love Women Talking Bollocks and Rich Wilson’s Men Brain / Fem Brain – my favourite type of podcasts are the ones where you really want to join the conversations, and I always do with these.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I’ve been really lucky that I’ve already had quite a few of them on my podcast already but Sue Perkins, Eddie Izzard, Joe Lycett, Nicky Wire and Joel Golby are all on my list. There is also a pernicious rumour amongst my friends that the whole podcast business has been an elaborate long range scheme to have an excuse to legitimately talk to Nick Cage. I can neither confirm nor deny that this was in the mix when I was deciding whether to do this.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

No matter how prepared you are, you can’t completely control how things will go. If you have guests, how they perform can vary based on so many internal and external factors, and if you have multiple guests then the odds of keeping control are so ridiculous not even a bookie would take your money. Also, once it’s out there, you can’t control how people will respond to it. Control the bits you can, let go of the bits you can’t and lean in to the unpredictable moments.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Every single one has had a slightly different feel but the episode with Russell Kane, Katy Brand and Stuart Whiffen was an absolute joy to do and Elf Lyons, Taylor Glenn and Daniel Clarkson was so much fun none of us wanted to leave the Zoom recording. They’re a great starting point to get a sense of what it’s all about.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

@PRvix on Twitter, and @comedy_arcade for the pure podcast stuff and for more from the guests. Arcade also has it’s own Instagram, @Comedyarcadepodcast.

Listen to Comedy Arcade on ACAST, SPOTIFY or your favourite podcast app.

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In Alan Cumming’s Shelves, Alan take a trip down memory lane via items on the shelves in his house. Each episode, he chooses one item and tells the story behind it with the help of mega stars (Sir Ian McKellen, Monica Lewinsky and Cindi Lauper all appear) as well as the lesser known individuals that have impacted his life, like the perfumier who created Alan’s fragrance ‘Cumming the Fragrance’ (and the soap ‘Cumming in a Bar’).

We asked Alan a few questions about his new podcast.

Tell us a bit about the new podcast – what’s your elevator pitch??

I spent most of the pandemic in my house in the Catskills Mountains [in New York], where I have a lot of shelves and they are a repository of all my travels, work and personal things. I put things up there that remind me of things, little mementos and weird things. I would pass them every day… and see something, and it would kind of click a little memory. I thought, “Wouldn’t that be a good idea, if I told those stories in a podcast?”

So, it’s actually a pandemic inspired podcast. It was about missing people, thinking of the past and happy times I’d had. That’s really what it is, and I thought it would be a fun thing to get in touch with people again, and remind them of an experience we’d shared in the past.

Your other podcast, Homo Sapiens, is a favourite of many interviewees. But how have you found it being a solo host?

It’s a completely different thing, interviewing on Alan Cumming’s Shelves, as opposed to Homo Sapiens, which I’ve actually stopped doing now – I’ve finished all the interviews, we did a ton and backed them up, so I’m actually kind of done with Homo Sapiens now. The people that I speak to on [Shelves] are people I know, all of them are people I know because they’re people from my memories and have a relation to the items on my shelves. So that’s kind of different, when you’re talking to someone that you’ve had a shared experience with. There’s an ease there. What was great about Homo Sapiens was meeting all these fascinating people, but most of them I didn’t know, I had to find about them and do a bit of research on them. There’s less research on Alan Cumming’s Shelves [laughs], because the research is actually me.

What is it you love about podcasting and podcasts?

I think what I’ve really come to love about podcasting in general, both as a listener and as a podcaster, is the intimacy that you can get. You really feel as a listener that you’re eavesdropping on people and that you’re a part of a conversation often. In my show, what I wanted it to be was, you know, “You’re a part of my memory.” You’re literally taking a trip down memory lane with me, with someone else, all based off an item. That’s what I really like that intimate moment that’s being shared by people, that you are a party to. I guess you find out people’s authentic selves as well, when they are unguarded and talking about themselves. That’s something I really strive for in all areas of my life, to be authentic.

All of the conversations in Alan Cumming’s Shelves are very personal to you, but we’ve got to ask – do you have a favourite episode we should get excited about?

Oh gosh, I can’t say I’ve got a favourite episode! That’s very Sophie’s Choice-y. I mean, everyone I speak to, I am speaking to them because I love them, and I’ve got this shared moment in the past [with them]. Sometimes the moments are very different, and the things I talk about are very different. They go from a yoga mat to a bracelet that Ian McKellen bought for my dog… There’s various different things like that.
What I really like about this show is that it goes from very famous people, to people you’ve never heard of, but I have the same connection with them. What’s great is that some of the best episodes are with my friends who are not used to doing things like podcasts, so they’re more genuine almost, more unguarded, more enjoying the novelty of it. I’m just really happy that I have a show that spans
that spectrum.

Are there any items on your shelf you didn’t get around to this series that you want to do episodes on?

Oh my god, my shelves are voluminous. I’m in my house in New York City now, and I’ve also got tons of things on my shelves here. I’m a bit of a hoarder of memorabilia and little items that speak to me. There’s a lot of stuff on my shelves [laughs]. There’s a couple of things as well that are not technically on my shelves. There’s a picture, on my wall, and I talk to the painter of that, Christian Hook, who painted me when he won the Portrait Artist of the Year and painted me for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. So I kind of, slightly, steer away from my shelves a little bit, but there’s a long way to go [laughs]. There could be several series before I have to start inventing new things on my shelves…

Finally, what is your current favourite podcast you would recommend to readers?

I’m really loving a podcast right now called You’re Wrong About. It’s a couple who just talk you through various things, culturally, historically, that we are wrong about. It’s taking a fresh look and a, perhaps, more accurate, with the benefit of hindsight, on certain things. There was a really great series about the OJ Simpson trial, about Princess Diana, but there’s also one about The Dark Knight film. So, I’m really enjoying that.

Alan Cumming’s Shelves was released on 18th May with episodes out every Tuesday, in the usual places and through ACAST. 

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Discovering Dementia is a podcast that was started in 2017 by Penny Bell. From episode one, Penny brings the listener into her family as they learn to live with her mum’s dementia. Episodes are a mix of an audio documentary and interviews with people live with dementia in different ways, and the organisations that help them. It’s a podcast worthy of more attention and we asked Penny more about it.

Tell us about your show! Who are you and what’s your elevator pitch??

The podcast began after my mum was diagnosed with dementia. At the time, we weren’t given a lot of information about the road ahead and what to expect, so I started doing my own research. Then I thought it might be helpful to share what I found out with others who may be interested or going through the same thing. One story seems to lead to the next, so it really is a journey of discovery.

Why podcasting? What is it about the format that appeals to you?

I’ve worked as a nurse and as a radio journalist. Two very different careers but both centre around people and their stories. After bringing up a family, it was this that drew me back into the world of audio, just as podcasting was taking off. I love its free nature, that there are no hard and fast rules, no limitations. You can appeal to a niche group and set your own schedule and format. Episodes are there forever for the audience to dip into whenever they’re ready. Now, there are so many affordable ways to record and produce audio yourself. Podcasting has really opened things up to allow new voices, new stories and new creative ways of telling them to emerge.

I’ve already learnt a lot about dementia from listening to the podcast. If there was one thing listeners took away from your podcast, what would you like them to learn about dementia?

My mum has always been keen to break the stigma that surrounds dementia. It is progressive in nature but there is so much you can still do, especially in the early stages, and you should continue to do the things you love for as long as you can. People living with dementia become experts at living in the moment. Life may be a little bit different, but you are still the same person.

And I think in this instance it is also poignant to ask: do you have a dream listener? Who do you think needs to hear these dementia stories?

This podcast is for anyone who want to know more about dementia for whatever reason. It could be someone living with dementia, a family member or carer, or even professionals working in the field. It has been so comforting to connect with people who really understand the experience of dementia. It’s important to know about the ups and downs so you can feel better prepared and I hope by sharing stories, people will realise they are not alone.

Is there a particular episode that means the most to you?

Each one is special because of the people I’ve met through doing it. But episodes like Season 2 Episode 1, where I am talking to my mum and hearing what she really thinks about living with dementia have been very powerful for me. In this one I also interviewed a scientist about the hopes for future research into dementia. We also talked about the importance of social interaction, something that has been so difficult through the current pandemic. Wherever possible, until covid, I have been out and about recording, so listeners can come with me and learn about things at the same time as I do.

Which podcasts inspire you most?

I am inspired by podcasts that make the most of all that audio has to offer, using creative sound design to build mood and emotion. Today in Focus uses these techniques to tell real life news stories, like in its recent Freshwater mini-series. I also admire podcasts that share the reality of difficult life experiences, like Griefcast. I am constantly amazed by the huge variety of podcasts on offer and try to listen to as many as I can.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

To get in touch, email hello@discoveringdementia.co.uk
Twitter: @dementiapodcast
Instagram: @discoveringdementia
www.discoveringdementia.co.uk

Listen to Discovering Dementia on ACAST, SPOTIFY or your favourite podcast platform.

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Tell us a little bit about yourself and Skylark Collective – what’s your elevator pitch?

I started my first podcast, Smashing The Ceiling, back in 2018 as a challenge to myself after having a bit of an unsettled time in my professional life as a vet. Things were a bit up in the air work-wise, so I decided to set myself two personal goals instead: to launch a podcast and to run an ultramarathon. Sarah Williams, founder of the Tough Girl podcast, was my mentor and taught me everything I needed to know. She helped me to get started in podcasting and prepare for the ultramarathon, and things have gone on from there.

I’ve recently founded the Skylark Collective, which is a global collective for women in podcasting. Skylark is a place for women to connect, collaborate and celebrate their achievements, with the aim of raising the profile of female podcasters worldwide and levelling the playing field in the industry. There are womens’ networks across the UK in a range of different sectors – Women in Film & TV, Digital Women, Women in Football to name a few – and I thought it was time to start one for women in podcasting too.

Tell us about the name – why ‘Skylark’?

I spent AGES coming up with a name! I was torn whether to choose something obvious and quite ‘Ronseal’ like ‘Women Who Podcast’. But I really wanted to incorporate the word ‘Collective’ into the name, as what we’re building is an incredible community of like-minded women, with a passion for collective action and co-operative enterprise. After going through various iterations, I landed on using the name of a bird – I live in the countryside and I love to listen to the birds when I’m out walking the dog or running in the hills.

The skylark seemed like an apt choice, as they reflect the kind of women I wanted to attract to the Collective: they might look unassuming, but they are strong, they soar high in the sky, and their voice is clear, powerful and distinctive.

Who is the Skylark Collective for?

The collective is for women who have a vision for their podcast – whether that’s more listeners, recognition, opportunities or earnings. Membership is open to anyone who identifies as a woman and is involved in podcasting; whether you’re a host, writer, editor or producer, if you’re looking to find your tribe to accompany you on your journey in podcasting then Skylark is the place for you. It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice podcaster learning the ropes, or a seasoned professional with a background in audio, we are here to support you, and we would love to hear your work for the International Women’s Podcast Awards.

One of my passions in life is meeting new people and connecting others, and I’m aiming to create a place where women meet like-minded friends and contacts for collaboration and quite honestly, a bit of fun. I think we all need that post-Covid!

The International Women’s Podcast Awards – what is it and who can enter?

I am so excited about this! A significant part of our offering at Skylark is the International Women’s Podcast Awards, which is a unique event celebrating the work of women in podcasting, both behind the mic and behind the scenes. I really believe women have important things to say, and that they deserve to be recognised and championed, and currently there are no awards anywhere in the world exclusively celebrating the work of female-led podcasts.

The International Women’s Podcast Awards are open to women from all over the world in five categories, and entries are now open – the ceremony is at the Allbright in London in September 2021 and entries are open until mid-June so there’s plenty of time to put your podcast into the mix. We very much encourage self-nomination; after all, if you don’t put yourself forward in life then other people rarely do either!

The categories are a bit different to those you’d usually find. How did you decide the themes?

To me, the joy of podcasting lies in the atmosphere created between the host, guest and listener, and in the moments of incredible sensitivity, humour or honesty that keep people engrossed. I talk all the time about these intimate moments, and decided that rather than rewarding genres or categories of podcasts, we would make the awards about individual moments of brilliance. You might not be the most well-known or most successful podcaster out there, but you may have captured that one piece of audio, that one moment in time that deserves recognition because it’s so brilliant. That’s what we’re after.

The categories for podcasters are based around four intimate moments: raw emotion, comedy gold, cliff-hanging drama and touching honesty, and there’s one separate award for editors, producers and writers for ‘Moment of Behind-The-Scenes Brilliance’ which rewards a moment from any of the other four categories that a woman has masterminded from behind the scenes. I felt it was important to recognise women working quietly away from the limelight as well as podcast hosts themselves.

What are you most excited about with Skylark Collective going forward?

I’m so excited about developing the bursary scheme, which will launch later this year. It will be open to young women aged 16-24 to pitch an idea they have and take it forward to production. It’s so interesting to me that the GenZ demographic haven’t yet adopted podcasting in the same way that they have TikTok and YouTube, and I think there’s a large pool of untapped talent there.
I’m also very excited about our first in-person events, which will be happening once restrictions lift – I’m so looking forward to meeting people and getting back out there as the Collective grows and develops.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers?

We are launching the Skylark Collective membership very shortly. for We’re looking for 100 founder members initially, who will be key to shaping and influencing the direction that the Collective takes. Whilst we’re inviting women from across the industry, we would love to hear from anyone that is interested in joining – we’ve been delighted with the amount of support and interest we’ve received so far but are very open to new members and would love to welcome anyone that would like to be part of our community!

Where can people find out more about you?

Our website is www.skylarkcollective.co.uk and we’re most active on Instagram where we’re @theskylarkcollective. I’ve also been on Clubhouse for a few months and have found that a useful place to network with other podcasters, particularly in the US – I’m @naomimellor on there.

Apply for the International Women’s Podcasting Awards on the Skylark Collective website now.

Naomi’s podcast, Smashing The Ceiling, has just returned for its third season, and you can listen now on Spotify, Acast or elsewhere. Naomi also hosts and produces two veterinary podcasts, Veterinary Woman and Borborygmi: Noises From The Veterinary World.

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Adam, an actor, voice artist and podcaster based in New York City. I host The Spark Parade podcast, where I chat with top creative minds about the cultural work that sparked their inspiration.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

After the 2017 presidential inauguration, the Trump administration threatened to cut public funding for the arts. That made me think about why art and entertainment are important to me personally and to humanity writ large. I wanted to speak to other creative people about the cultural touchstones that have shaped their lives and careers, so I launched The Spark Parade.

What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?

Savage Love, a sex and relationships advice podcast. Quite different to The Spark Parade!

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I love Song Exploder. Each episode features a musician or a band describing the process involved in writing one of their songs. I also love The Read, which is basically just two friends hanging out, but their humor and keen observations make it really engaging.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I would love to have Stevie Wonder on the show and find out about the cultural work that sparked his inspiration.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

In one of my favorite episodes, Roisin Murphy spoke to me about drawing inspiration from Terrence Conran’s The House Book. I’m a huge fan of her music and she was very high on the dream guest list. She told me some incredible stories about her passion for interior design, architecture and travel. My favorite part was hearing about an architectural tour she took with her boyfriend across Europe when she was 17.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

It’s really important to focus your podcast on something that excites you. I’m an arts and entertainment obsessive, so speaking to my guests about their cultural inspiration is a thrill every time!

Where can your audience find out more about you?

I’m @sparkparade on all social media and you can download or stream episodes at thesparkparade.com.

Listen to Spark Parade on ACAST, SPOTIFY or ELSEWHERE.

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ACAST: Let’s kick things off: how did your podcast come about?

Dane: Howard, aka “The Hza”, approached me while I was doing my group podcast, Quotas Full, with some other comedians. It was already an idea I had, but Howard came with some microphones and a free room, and then I came with a series of questions and ideas for guests. We put it together and hey presto, podcast!

Howard: I couldn’t cope with people not hearing Dane talk like he does! We were having lunch and he was speaking his mind about
something and I told him the world needed to hear this side of Dane Baptiste — he embodies the ‘question everything’ mantra.

What do you love about making a podcast?

Dane: I love people watching; it’s a natural part of the comedian’s complex in my opinion. Having a podcast allows you to ‘people listen’, which always allows you to have a much more rounded idea of who somebody is. As children, only slumber parties gave people the opportunity to be intimate with friends and acquaintances — podcasts bring that opportunity back.

Howard: For one hour or so we get to connect with a guest in a totally unique way, not knowing whether we’ll end up going deep or just having a real laugh. Some funny people have come on the show and talked really seriously, which has been amazing. The format of the show keeps it fresh and different every week.

How do you plan an episode?

Dane: It’s a collaborative effort between the Hza and I; we basically look at people we think are both interesting and iconic to our listeners, and we do our best to curate these people for the best meeting of minds.

Howard: Our questions are generated in different ways. I’ll usually know the guests’ questions before the show, and I’ll think of my question in a way to balance against theirs. Dane just does his thing, which works!

Once it’s recorded, what’s the process for getting it out to your listeners?

Howard: It always feels like a chore, but it’s not that bad! I’ve taken a few notes as the show records, but I’ll always edit it from start to finish just to get it flowing as best it can. Someone always coughs, don’t they? Once I’ve edited it we send the individual tracks over to our sound mix master Dee Dhanjal at Audio Culture, so it sounds perfect. Without the mix the show just isn’t the polished product the audience loves. Dee is our unsung/sung hero!

Do you do anything to connect with your listeners?

Dane: Well, the show’s ethos is for listeners to hear what’s being discussed in the hope they’ll question their reality more often. We encourage them to question us and their environment and, when we can via live shows, we can include them in the conversation. In the meantime keep your questions coming, folks!

Howard: We push the socials pretty hard every week and love to mention to our listeners during the show that they should contact us with their questions. The opening of the show is a question from one of the audience, which is a brilliant way to connect with the listeners.

What’s one hot tip for budding podcasters out there?

Dane: Choose a subject or guests who you’ll enjoy speaking about and to, respectively. Keep things exciting and, if not, brief — as the attention span isn’t what it used to be. Think of who you want as listeners and think about how best to engage them. Most of all, have fun — it’s really supposed to be a conversation that interested people wanna hear, so keep it informative and inclusive.

Howard: Grow your show in your own way, tweak it along the way, and just keep going! And enjoy it!

You can listen to Dane Baptise Questions Everything on Acast and all other podcast platforms. Got a podcast or thinking of starting a podcast? Join the world’s biggest podcast network to grow your show and make money. Find out more about joining Acast.

This article came from Issue #013 of Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop.

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Laura Kidd, a music producer, songwriter and solo artist known as Penfriend, beaming songs and podcast episodes into peoples’ ears from my home studio The Launchpad in Bristol, UK. With “Attention Engineer”, my mission is to encourage creativity in every listener by sharing deep, honest conversations with some of the artists I admire the most. We talk about where ideas come from, celebrate the magic of making things and travel through topics like productivity, mental health, balancing online and offline life and everything in between. It’s aimed at listeners who are interested in how things are made, who might want to be more creative in their own lives and would appreciate a friendly nudge in the right direction.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

An “attention engineer” is someone who works for a big tech company, deploying sneaky techniques to keep you stuck to your screens as much as possible. After building up a sizeable audience for my music using the internet, I started feeling concerned that not only was I expected to spend all day on social media telling people about myself, but that I was encouraging my audience to do the same thing. After reading books like “Deep Work” and “Digital Minimalism” by Cal Newport, amongst others, I’ve been working to retain better control over my time and attention, two of the most valuable resources we have.

I’ve always been a performer who wants to meet the people in the audience after the show – the idea of the person on stage being more important than those who paid to come and see them has always felt weird and wrong to me. With my podcast, I want to keep breaking down these barriers by really humanising the artists I speak to – there’s no room for starryness or a load of PR hot air and selling on “Attention Engineer”.

At its basic level, my podcast is an attempt to create something more meaningful, resonant and valuable than a bunch of tweets about my face, and it means so much to me that listeners have found it helpful as well as entertaining.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

It was the Ricky Gervais Show – I was an extra on his show “Extras” around the same time as the podcast began (yes, that’s me standing next to David Bowie in the singalong scene!). The first to make a deep impact on me, though, was WTF by Marc Maron. I was introduced to it on a UK tour in 2012 and have listened loyally ever since.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

WTF is a big inspiration – Marc has always asked such great questions about the craft behind creative careers, and I love discussing that sort of thing because I always want to learn how other people make their work. It was due to hearing many guests on WTF talk about their experiences of meditation that led me to try it, which was life-changing. My new interest in mindfulness led me to another podcast that has had a profound effect, “Hurry Slowly” by Jocelyn K. Glei. It’s about mindful productivity, slowing down and going deeper, and I’ve come across so many great people through that series, like Austin Kleon, whose books on creativity are really wonderful. My other favourite is “Creative Pep Talk” by Andy J. Pizza, which is a must-listen for artists of all stripes. I love how Andy’s goals are so clear – each episode is packed with really practical tips on how to supercharge your creative practice and get your work out there. I highly recommend all three.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I have to say, I’ve had several dream guests on the podcast already – Tanya Donelly, Corin Tucker, Miles Hunt, Mark Chadwick, Lemn Sissay, Bernard Butler…BUT early on in the planning stages for the series I made a list that had Shirley Manson from Garbage at the top of it. I’ve loved her work since I was a teenager, so it would be a total dream come true to have a conversation with her.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned so far as a podcaster?

I thought I knew what I was getting into, because I’d already made a podcast series for someone else before starting my own, but the additional workload was an adjustment. I was already a very busy person before I started “Attention Engineer”, but I’m glad I decided from the start to publish consistently every Wednesday. It’s a real commitment, especially as I make the whole thing myself, but it’s so rewarding to get regular feedback from fans of the show. I love hearing that someone has been inspired to pick up the guitar again after years of not playing, or that something discussed on the show sparked an idea, or encouraged them to give something new a try. That’s what it’s all about.

What episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

That’s a tough one, but I’d go with ‘Episode 18 – Miles Hunt (The Wonder Stuff)’. I’m thrilled to have known Miles for nearly a decade now, after being a fan since I was kid, and he’s been a big supporter of my music over the years. I’m always very happy to delve deep with guests, whether I’ve met them before or not, but listeners have told me this episode felt like they were overhearing a chat between friends down the pub. We talked about the magic of songwriting, how the internet has changed musicians’ careers and how Covid-19 dashed Miles’ dreams of becoming a long distance truck driver.

Where can Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

Visit my website penfriend.rocks and you’ll find my music, writing and all the podcast episodes, of course. I’ll even send you two free songs immediately when you sign up to my friendly online community. I’m @penfriendrocks on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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In July, Rob won Best Daily Podcast at the British Podcast Awards and the judges were effusive in their praise: “Dripping in charm, the deadpan delivery elevates this daily podcast to one which should surely be regarded as a must-listen. In a subset of daily podcasts that, when faced with an ever-distorting world force themselves into a position of either editorialising and at worst polemicising, this creator opts-out and is here to create and to entertain – and there can be no virtue more universal than that.”

As 2021 approaches and the project comes closer to completion, I caught up with Rob to ask how he’s found the process of releasing a daily podcast during such a challenging year…

Rob! The finish line is in sight! How are you feeling?

I think that’s one of the elements of this year I’ve struggled with most, not knowing how to feel. Normally I have a bit of structure to doing gigs and writing for Edinburgh and writing a new show to preview from January but with all that wiped away there is definitely a side of me that has become comfortably numb.  How are we supposed to feel at the moment? Optimistic? I can’t do that with the people we have in charge at the moment.  I was watching some watchalong videos of the Pink Floyd song Comfortably Numb and the woman at the end said “what is making you feel comfortably numb?” And I thought “yep this was definitely filmed before 2020.”  How am I feeling about the podcast? I haven’t looked back yet as I’m just finishing the last episodes but when I’ve got them done I think I will feel proud of it. That’s been the best thing about working on the podcast this year, it has enabled me to feel something, I have had to mine for feelings that aren’t worry or despair but I have found them and I’m thankful to the podcast for that.

Producing a podcast for every day of the year is quite the achievement, did you ever come close to missing a day or wishing you’d gone weekly instead?

Ben and Naomi from Plosive Productions have been great at producing it and it has felt like quite a smooth process really.  They have done a lot of work on it and that has been really good. I’ve had to be quite disciplined with getting them done which has meant forcing myself to work when I didn’t want to.  Those times were the most rewarding for me, sitting down and thinking “I haven’t got anything to write” and then getting a bit lost in the writing in a good way. That’s been a big lesson for me. Just start writing and put the hours in and something good might happen or it might not but it’s definitely not going to if you’re not doing it and you’re just playing on the computer getting baths in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Podcasts have provided a wonderful form of escapism in 2020 and many people cite your show as the perfect antidote to the 24 hours news cycle and endless references to ‘the virus’. Has the routine of producing a daily podcast helped you to navigate such a crazy year? 

It’s definitely been a difficult/almost impossible year to navigate for a lot of people and doing the podcast has given me a bit of direction for sure. A lot of direction I would say. Maybe I’ll never know how much it really has helped me through the year. It’s probably been absolutely massive for me to be honest.  Making it has been a constant source of refuge and I am pleased it has been a part of my life. Would you say that spending more time at home this year has made the whole process easier, or did lack of inspiration become an issue? I need to be in life to be able to write about it.  Normally when doing shows or travelling around ideas form when walking, seeing signs or overhearing glimpses of conversations.  I will never know the ideas I might have had this year if I had been out in the world, but I’m going to make up for it soon I hope.  I’ve tried to be quite strict with what we’ve put out as episodes. There hasn’t been any we’ve put out where I’ve thought “this is awful but you’ve got to put it out.”  They all have some sort of thought in that has meant something to me. If something means something to me I want to see if it means anything to anyone else too. That’s the whole point I think, because if someone says they like one of the thoughts it makes me feel less isolated. Connection is absolutely everything and it got taken away for a lot of people this year.

Are there any episodes you’re particularly proud of that may not have existed if it wasn’t for the year we’ve had?

I wrote a short piece concerning the death of George Floyd in June. As many people were, I was really struck over the head by that murder and wanted to try to say something/anything to express my dismay at that.  The brutality humanity expresses sometimes just makes me realise as a species we are maybe not as smart as we think we are.  Seeing our teeth and other animals having teeth, we are not that far removed, it’s a reminder that people can behave savagely much like our not too distant relatives in chimpanzees and apes.  You know sometimes you see a nature documentary and it’s all nice in the jungle and then all of a sudden the animals are ripping each other apart?  I wish we were better and I hope one day we can be but it’s going to take a few more million years of evolution I think. We are a long, long way away from being the finished article.

You won Best Daily Podcast at this year’s British Podcast Awards, what advice would you give to anyone considering creating a daily show?

Make sure you have somewhere quiet to record it.

Finally, what’s on the horizon for you in 2021? Could we see you return with a new, less demanding podcast?

I think there will be a monthly best of the Rob Auton Daily Podcast maybe half hour episodes for people to listen to if they like? Ben is that correct? Can you answer here in italics? YEP ROB, THAT’S THE PLAN. Other than that I’m going to be doing some shows hopefully and have been working on something else but will talk about that in the new year.

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