To celebrate the launch of Issue #021 of Pod Bible magazine, Scroobius Pip and Adam Richardson caught up with cover stars Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala from RedHanded! The gang discuss podcasting during the pandemic, how to keep consistent and the trick to being succesful on Patreon before Hannah and Suruthi see their cover illustration for the first time!

– Listen to RedHanded here!

– Read issue #021 of Pod Bible here!

Cover illustration by Dan Evans – idrawforfood.co.uk

The post Conquering the True Crime podcast genre with Hannah & Suruthi from RedHanded appeared first on POD BIBLE.

City of Ghosts is a supernatural audio drama that does just that. Set in 1990s NYC, it’s a neo-noir about corruption, murder, and the things that haunt us, and one of the elements that stands out (beyond the quality of the story and the audio) is their beautiful cover art by artist Emilee Graverson. As well as captivating cover art, each episode has its own image, characters are visualised and the scene is set through bonus artwork on their website.

I caught up with Emilee, alongside producer Ryan Patch, and writer Carina Green, to talk about the hidden value of podcast artwork.

Episode 3: The sisters. The artwork draws on 1990s New York.

Why did you decide it was important to illustrate each episode differently?

Ryan: To be honest, for me it was mostly a marketing decision. The internet and social media, where we knew many listeners would be discovering us, is such a visual medium – even text articles need images. Because we’re a podcast, we don’t have a lot of great visual collateral already – and especially because we recorded in quarantine, we didn’t even have great stills of actors in the studio (they were all zoom frame grabs) and we knew we needed something visual. Having Emilee create more content was a perfect solution to help us with this, and we were blessed with having someone like Emilee who was a font of inspiration and great perspectives who could develop new ways to visualize the themes in each episode.

Emilee Graverson: As a listener, I think it’s really fun to have something visually to look at each new episode. Because of that, I was excited the team wanted to do a new artwork for each episode. It also meant that I got to listen to the entirety of the show, and really immerse myself in the whole plot before working on even the main hero artwork.

Carina Green: Echoing what Ryan said, I think it was a good way to help each episode stand out and provide it with a visual for potential listeners, since social media marketing depends highly on visuals. Emilee did a fantastic job capturing the essence of each episode in a single piece of art.

The 90s aesthetic and technology was a big influence on the artwork.

Emilee, why were you drawn to this project?

EG: I was immediately drawn to the era it took place in. I thought it would be super fun to play around with and draw from technology from the late 90s, and I also love drawing spooky environments and atmospheres. It was a match made in heaven!

Is this first time you’ve done artwork for a podcast? How does it differ to other artwork you’ve done?

EG: It’s my first time doing the main artwork for a podcast! Although I’ve worked with my friends at Lunatics Radio Hour Podcast for many years many doing illustrations and merch. I think podcast art is interesting because it’s kind of a secondary medium, after the more important audio medium. It’s like a fun treat to be able to visualize and see elements of the story as you hear them. Its almost like illustrating for a children’s book or comic, because you have a set script or plot and you get to then riff off of it in your own style.

Mr Orange character card. Each character in the drama was given an illustration.

Ryan and Carina, you both have a strong background in drama/film/theatre before starting a podcast. Do you think that influenced your want for very distinctive visuals?

RP: I wouldn’t actually say that it affected my desire for visuals, but I will say that it certainly helped me listen to my gut more when Emilee came to us with stuff that’s really visually arresting. The show art, for example, is brilliant, and it was one of the first concepts that Emilee brought to us (see concept sketch here). It was weird. But it had something about it that made me stop and say “wow, I don’t know why but this is really impactful.” This wasn’t necessarily the design that made the most SENSE for the show, but it was by far the most ARRESTING design, and years of working in film I think has taught me to listen to my gut in situations like this.

CG: I echo Ryan that I don’t think it really influenced my desire for visuals, but I do think it helped form my idea of the kind of art I really envisioned for the podcast. Part of writing is to paint pictures with words, even for film and theater since you always start with just the words in your script. But for podcasts, especially, you are trying to help someone visualize a world. So as I was writing, I was paying a lot of attention to what kind of atmosphere we wanted to evoke with the show. And I think that’s part of why I felt that Emilee’s art could line up so well for it.

What were your influences for the artwork?

RP: First and foremost, the haunted nature of New York City, of course! I was really excited when we interviewed Emilee to do the art to learn that she lived in the city for several years – this was important for me. The character cards (in this folder) – which I’m really proud of – were influenced by tarot cards, so the Rider-Waite aesthetic I would say figures heavily into what I was hoping to achieve. Also, the bold, solid colors of screenprinting were a bit reference point. However, we hired Emilee for her style, as opposed to having her try to emulate someone else, so I’d say that Emilee is our largest influence!

EG: Style-wise, my illustration work is heavily influenced by screen printing, which is an art form that I love doing! I find that the graphic, limited color palette style of my digital work always stems from my work in that medium! For CoG specifically, though, I was super influenced by my memories of living in NYC, riding the train late at night, and the liminal spaces haunting the city. As Ryan said, tarot snuck in as an influence, which ended up being cool because I have experience illustrating my own tarot deck.

CG: I really love the tarot influence that we all landed on because I think it brings forward the more supernatural aspect of the show. For me, personally, other inspirations and influences came from the NYC I was picturing as I was writing the show, which similar to Emliee was influenced by my time in the city and all the ways it can feel strange and haunted at certain times of night or in certain places. I wanted our art to capture that same feeling of a world that is recognizable as our own, but has a darker, more stylized feel to it and I think Emilee did an amazing job at capturing that.

Were there any images that you wish you were able to use but just couldn’t find a place for?

RP: Yes, there is. This one. Its just so evocative. Since we used this vibe for the cover art and having a large title was very important to us, we lost the opportunity to use the phone in this setup – but I love it so much. It says so much about the character and the era.

Are there any other podcasts whose artwork you really admire?

RP: I love Wolverine, both The Long Night and Lost Trail – how they give you the setting of the show, but keep the characters in silhouette. The redacted visuals of the Homecoming art is simple and effective. Even something as simple as LORE, where its only the handwritten title are great, because simply the typography tells you what you need to know. Cover art is so small, you really need to have it read very simply upfront. What I love about ours is that I think it reads very simply upfront, but has layers as you start at it for longer.

EG: I always think of the original Welcome To Nightvale artwork. I love a limited color palette (as you can see from CoG) and I think it was so cool how the aesthetic from that really led the rest of the show’s aesthetic and color and vibes. It was also the first time I’d seen something illustrative for podcast artwork.

CG: I really love the artwork of The Black Tapes, which I think is simple but incredibly evocative with its muted colors except for the red of the protagonist’s jacket. Similarly, the artwork of Old Gods of Appalachia is really arresting and has many layers to it the longer you look at it.

Where can readers find more of your work?/Where can readers find out more about you all?

RP: People can read more about me at ryanpatch.me, or follow me at @ryanpatch in IG and @d_ryan_patch on twitter. Don’t forget to follow @cityofghostspod on twitter and @cityofghostspodcast on IG as well!

EG: I am on Instagram @emileehere and my original tarot deck that I illustrated can be found at: personalspacepress.com, along with more of my artwork.

CB: I’m working at having more of an internet presence but folks are welcome to follow me on twitter @cagreenwrites. I’m also writing an online novel for Tapas Media, Return of the Keeper, which will be launching on the 21st of March, so you’ll be able to find me on their website, tapas.io, as well.

Listen to City of Ghosts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast players.

The post Discussing the value of podcast art with City of Ghosts appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

We are Eva Martínez and Linda Talve, the initiators of This is Europe, the Interreg podcast. This is Europe tells a different story about the EU, a story that is closer to our daily lives than to the corridors of the big buildings in Brussels. The protagonists are the Europeans whose lives have been transformed by Interreg, an EU initiative that supports cooperation across borders and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund. In the second series of This is Europe you’ll hear how the Interreg community works with everyone from refugees to reuse pioneers, musicians to doctors, forging stronger bonds across borders, tackling pressing issues such as food sustainability and green mobility.

Why did you decide to start podcasting?

The stories around the EU often involved people in suits making big decisions. We wanted to show a different angle. There is a very real, very tangible EU that is built daily by millions of anonymous citizens across the continent. We wanted them to tell us how they cooperate with other professionals in different countries to solve issues of our daily life that know no borders (climate change, food security, health…). This cooperation makes us Europeans. It nourishes the very foundations of the Union and we thought people should know more about it.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

This American Life – It shows how compelling audio stories can be.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Also This American Life. I love how they manage to plunge you in the stories.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

It would be great to speak with David Sassoli, the president of the European Parliament, about the importance of cooperation for the EU project.

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

‘Culture in crisis’ is a great one to start with. It tells how cooperation across borders has helped artists and workers throughout the cultural sector following the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Make sure you have a good reason to podcast. The world is already a pretty noisy place, so before you start podcasting, be sure to have something special to add.

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

You can find out more on our website, interreg.eu/podcast/

Listen to This Is Europe on SPOTIFY or your podcast app.

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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.

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Christopher Fitton, a clinical hypnotherapist who is the host of Sleep Cove. Sleep Cove is a podcast designed to help people Sleep with specially designed content including relaxing meditations, hypnosis and stories.

The episodes are generally aimed at relaxing the listener and getting them ready for sleep but there are more specific episodes to help people with anxiety and confidence issues for example.

So the idea is to plug in your headphones and relax to my voice as I help you drift off to sleep.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

It’s a little hard to remember, as I think I’ve been listening to podcasts for more than fourteen years. I think it would be either be The Left Lion, Pat Flynn and Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review

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

I love everything about podcasting. It’s audio style and completely free nature means that I can reach millions of people across the world helping people with their mental health and their sleep issues.

Which episode of your podcast means the most to you?

I would say getting my first episode live, as if I hadn’t taken action and got the first one out there, then I would have never gone on this podcasting journey and helped so many people. I had zero expectations for the podcast, so when it became one of the largest health and wellness podcasts within a few months I was blown away.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

The first podcast I heard that helped people sleep was called, “Sleep with me”, where the host helps people sleep by telling them boring stories. Hearing this was a massively successful podcast, and knowing that hypnosis and meditations help people relax, I thought why not give podcasting a go with my skills.

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

Sleep Cove can be found on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. You can also keep up to date with all the latest Sleep Cove news on, Instagram @sleep_cove, Facebook @sleepcove and sleepcove.com

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

I really love catching up with the Adam Buxton podcast. I’ve been listening to Adam for years on the radio so enjoying his podcast show where he interviews interesting and similarly other funny people.

Listen Sleep Cove on the Sleep Cove website, ACAST, SPOTIFY or your podcast app.

The post INTERVIEW // Christopher Fitton from Sleep Cove appeared first on POD BIBLE.

What’s the elevator pitch??

The Guilty Feminist is a podcast about our noble goals as 21st century feminists and our hypocrisies and insecurities, which undermine those goals.

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

It’s radio that nobody stops you making. It’s very difficult for anyone to get a TV or radio show but especially difficult for a woman in Britain. The normal channels are often closed down to us. Podcasting was a revelation because you can find and build your own audience. You can say what you want, when you want.

What‘s the secret to being a good podcast host?

I think I was one of the first hosts to say, “I don’t know if I’m any good at this (in my case feminism) but I want to get better. Do you want to learn with me?” Before that it tended to be experts or people with opinions coming at you with status (which is great too!) I think the appeal of my show is it’s confessional but also we’re trying to build muscle together. Overall it’s making the audience feel they’re with you and part of the gang. Before the pandemic we always had a live audience. Comedians are funnier with audiences – or at least I am – so I miss that part but it there is an intimacy to talking to your guests over zoom and making your listeners feel close.

Which podcasts or podcast hosts inspire you?

I love No Such Thing as A Fish, 2 Dope Queens, Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail and Fake Doctors Real Friends. I find all those hosts engaging and joyful and I love good chemistry in a podcast.

How have you found podding during the pandemic?

Well the good thing is you can have international guests. The bad thing is I miss my audience and being close enough to touch my co-pilots and guests. It’s given me some good “I’m a feminist buts…” because new situations give you new material. For example… I’m a feminist but the first Thursday after the first lockdown I came out at 8pm to applaud my waxer.

Having created a hugely successful live show, what’s the trick to producing a podcast that’s engaging to both the live audience and the listener at home? I think making the audience feel part of your gang, your team, your army is always the thing. Leaning into the mic to tell them something intimate. Laughing with a friend. Really reacting with emotion to what you’re hearing from your guest – rather than giving it the low steady, never-ruffled tones of Radio 4.

Which episode or episodes of The Guilty Feminist mean the most to you?

Nice Girls Don’t was revelatory for me. The story Cal Wilson told. The things we shared that were real and shocking. The hysterical nature of Celia Pacquola’s stand up and the audacity of my audience challenge. It was a breakthrough episode. I learned we can really switch gears and the audience will be right there with us. Also Raising Feminist Boys. Sindhu Vee is magnificent and Jarlath Regan talking about his son was very moving. My challenge was to go into a school and talk to boys about feminism which gave me some incredible material. Both funny and revelatory to me and therefore, I hope, to my audience. Playing The Royal Albert Hall was one of the greatest nights of my – or anyone’s – life. I’ll never forget it. We opened with Cell Block Tango. Ridiculous. The cast was wild. The audience were beside themselves. That’s a two part episode and I’ll never ever get over doing that. Who knows when we’ll be allowed to again?

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring podcaster, what would it be?

What are you dying to say that you don’t hear anyone else saying? Ideally something other people are too scared to say. As long as it’s not undermining anyone else’s humanity or identity – that’s the thing you should say. Don’t worry about the size of your audience. Worry about how much they care about your show. A small loyal audience is a wonderful thing. Take care of them. Also edit, edit, edit. Keep it moving. Edit out ums and ahs and “the Zoom isn’t working”. It might seem funny or cute in the moment but you’ll leave the audience skipping through or switching off. Also try to get it out at the same time every week or fortnight or whatever you’ve promised. Makes a big difference if you’re reliable. I’ve got Tom Salinsky to do all that so I’m lucky. If you’re not good at it, find someone who wants to be part of a team and pay them if you can afford to.

Finally, what are your current favourite podcasts?

David Tennant Does a Podcast is very good. Also GrownUpLand on BBC Sounds – I created and exec produced that so I’m biased but the talent – Sophie Duker, Heidi Regan and Ned Sedgwick are amazing. Also listen to archive episodes with Mae Martin and Bisha K Ali who’ve gone on to huge success. Brilliant funny, insightful stuff. Best Pick – the film podcast about Oscar winning films from Tom Salinsky, Jessica Regan and John Dorney is so well researched and full of joy. How to Citizen with Baratunde Thurston is a must-listen. Talk Art with Robert Diament and Russell Tovey is gorgeous. Brown Girls Do It Too, Have You Heard George’s Podcast and Griefcast are all top drawer. Finally Wheel of Misfortune with Alison Spittle & Fern Brady. So funny I once had to turn it off before a TV appearance because my make-up artist and I were laughing too much to do eyeliner.

Listen to The Guilty Feminist now on SPOTIFY, ACAST or your preferred podcast app.

@deborahFW // @dfdubz

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… Deborah Frances-White appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Ahead of the new season, I sat down with Joel Emery and Adam Jarrell, co-writers and creators of The Offensive, to discuss predicting the future of football, what to expect next from the Premier League circus this season, and what is in store for Ashwood City in the coming months.

Have there been times where something you’ve scripted in the show has then happened in the real world?

JOEL: When it comes to writing the plot for the show, you think to yourself: “What is the most cynical thing the board of directors at a top football club could do?” And as soon as you enter that thought process, you invariably end up predicting the patterns of elite-level football. We predicted the Super League a month before it happened – except I think we called it ‘The Gazprom Super Euro League’. When the pandemic shut down football, Ashwood City’s Chief-Executive Patrick Nolan furloughed all the staff – around 4 days later in the real world so did Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle… much to the disapproval of football fans. Liverpool reversed that decision, the fallout was that bad.

ADAM: We built our storyline last season around grassroots fan ownership, in the coming months the same things happened at Rangers and Newcastle – among others. Our favourite ‘prediction’ (if you can call it that) was during a Europa League episode where we had a story about the club’s left-back walking out with a mascot who was taller than him. 3 hours after the episode aired, it happened to Man Utd’s Dan James in a game versus AZ Alkmaar.

Has it become harder to satirise football ownership – particularly in the last six months with the European Super League saga – when so many owners and CEOs seem to be as villainous as Patrick Nolan now?

J: I think it’s left us feeling somewhat vindicated, to be honest. There’s always the worry that our characters will go too far, be too cruel, be too greedy or callous but the football world always reflects people back at us that are – somehow – so much worse. Patrick is an Old Etonian, Cambridge educated, a former banker with a hatred of football fans and a desire for money and power… Is he that far removed from other football club owners? No. Not at all. In some cases, he’s actually one of the nicer ones, which is worrying.

A: The challenge with the satire around the ESL was how it launched and crashed so emphatically. As well as football goings-on, our show also specialises in PR disasters, social media faux-pas, egg on the face of the wealthiest elites in football… and all of a sudden when the ESL popped up and managed to collapse in the funniest and most humiliating way for all parties involved we were left scrambling to outdo them in a way.

How do you expect the tension between fans and owners to play out this season and beyond – both at Ashwood City and in the real world?

J: This is going to be a bleak answer… I can’t see how fans get a meaningful foothold on the game again. Fan ownership will roll on for a few more years, but I can’t see a fully fan-owned Premier League club. We’ll come to a point where fans purchase a piece of their club, but not a controlling stake. And if you thought club owners were bad enough already – wait until they have access to money that isn’t theirs.

Where do you see your next rich source of material coming from this season? In other words, what do you think football’s next big fuck-up will be?

A: Well… the answer there is probably the road to Qatar 2022! Amidst football’s genuine attempts from fans, players, brands and charities to find a heart and soul, there is also the colossal and unstoppable wealth of Manchester City and PSG, the impending collapse of football institutions like Barcelona and Inter Milan and of course the race for mid-table sides to sell their soul to the Saudi Arabian wealth fund. As real social change happens at the bottom in football – with inclusivity, mental health awareness, social responsibility – the opposite is happening at the top.

J: The next big fuck-up is the super-owners versus the super-organisations like UEFA, Premier League and FIFA. What do the brands caught in the middle do? Is it right for a brand that celebrates Pride Month to sponsor a tournament in Qatar? Is it right for a team that works with men’s mental health charities to brand themselves head-to-toe in Chinese gambling websites?

A: I realise this all sounds really gloomy, but I promise we’ll find an amusing way to poke fun at it all.

Can you give us a teaser about this season of The Offensive?

A: This season, Ashwood City are going to be pushed into areas they could never have dreamed of – thanks to the shady and devious activity of their Chief-Executive and his anonymous financial connections.

J: For those that remember Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano suddenly turning up at West Ham – you’re in for a treat.

For both connoisseurs of the beautiful game and fans of comedy, The Offensive is unique entertainment – with a bite. The new season of The Offensive is live! Listen via the Stak website, ACAST, and Spotify.

This article was written by Finn Ranson, an Assistant Producer at Stak, as part of a paid advertising package.

To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com

The post The Offensive: The Premier League meets The Thick of It appeared first on POD BIBLE.

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

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Hey! Most folks will know you from TikTok but tell us about your show! What’s your elevator pitch??

Our podcast is full of energy, laughter, and celeb secrets and is perfect for all podcast listeners, we largely talk about all things social media based but we also chat with celebs about what’s going on in their lives right now. The audience also gets a much deeper insight into our lives than they will on any other platform, so it’s definitely worth the listen if you want to find out about our secrets!

How does it feel to be back for a second series?

It’s so great to be back for this second series, the first series was so great for us because we’d never done podcasting before so it was amazing for us to learn and develop ourselves in that area, the second series of the podcast is now what we always hoped it would be and we can’t wait for people to hear from all the guests we have lined up

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

We actually didn’t think anyone would particularly care about us talking at first, until Spotify approached us to host an Original podcast of theirs, and we took on the opportunity as we’ve always wanted to just be able to talk about things with no filter, and we really do!

Are there any episodes coming up you’re most excited about?

We’re excited for every episode as we never know what’s going to happen, all the guests we have are so exciting and so unpredictable in the best way.

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

For me I’ve learnt how to actively think about how to keep conversation flowing, you can’t have a podcast without conversation, and I’ll always make sure there’s something to talk about.

What’s the most embarrassing moment in podcasting so far?

The most embarrassing moment would’ve definitely been when Max got rejected by our producer Helena on Valentine’s Day!

Finally, what are your current favourite podcasts?

We love JaackMaate’s Happy Hour podcast and think that they’re doing a really good job and would love to be on their level of podcasting at some point in our career.

Listen to The Max & Harvey Podcast now exclusively on SPOTIFY.

The post Max & Harvey // Tiktokkers to podcasters appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I got my start in life as a personal trainer over two decades ago and woke one day to find myself as the CEO of a $1 billion dollar company living in Chicago! After a massively adventurous childhood my life lost its adventurous edge, work and other commitments quickly took priority and my passion and desire for adventure was suppressed. After a series of life changing moments something had to change. Soon my family and I were heading home to the UK to hit reset. I am a father of 4, in my mid-40’s and I had just discovered I was seriously depressed despite all the trappings of success. I was suffering with anxiety and knew I needed to change trajectory. I began reconnecting with nature, in the great outdoors, to make space to think and soon began to reignite that adventurous joy from my childhood. In 2020, to share how transformational it had been for me, I launched the 28 Summers podcast – inspired by an interview with Jesse Itzler on the Impact Theory podcast. What started as a passion project quickly evolved – my story and those of my inspirational guests is already helping people from all walks of life reignite their spark and passion for adventure. After launching in July 2020 I have just released my 25th episode!

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I don’t really recall the first ever podcast I listened to but I do remember the first one which had a really profound impact on me. It was 2018 and Tom Bilyeu was interviewing Jesse Itzler, a super successful serial entrepreneur and author. They were discussing where Jesse’s zest for life and passion for optimising every moment came from. Jesse explained that he had just turned 50 and that the average life expectancy for a male in the USA was 78 years. He shared with Tom that he had recently become fixated with the idea he might only have 28 summers left. For days after watching that interview I grappled with the idea that our individual atomic clock is counting down and we have no idea when it will hit zero. But what if we did? If we did know, what decisions might we make? How might we live our lives differently? In that moment the idea for my podcast was born – in its simplest form, it’s focused on the idea of living everyday adventurously and embracing the wonder of life; as we never know when the ride may be over.

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

I wanted to share inspirational stories of people doing incredible things to help others looking to live more adventurously. For me, recapturing my adventurous inner child has been genuinely transformational in terms of both my physical and mental health and I felt that others might feel the same. So far the feedback has been incredible and listeners are already sharing amazing feedback with me.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

My go-to podcasts are the Toughgirl Podcast (with Sarah Williams) and Chatting to a Friend (by Catie Friend) – both interview exceptional and inspirational women and help spotlight their stories; as a father of two girls I love that these incredible women have these platforms to share their stories. I also love the High Performance Podcast with Jake Humphreys and Damian Hughes which gives an amazing insight into the minds of some of the world’s best performers.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

It’s so hard to pick one! I’d love to have Ben Fogle, Jason Fox, Ranulph Fiennes or Laura Bingham join me to chat all things adventure!

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

Probably that consistency is key. I have only been going since July 2020 but I am now up to 25 episodes and hitting a regular weekly cadence of releasing the podcast and am finding that rhythm is really good for growing the audience and meeting their expectations. When I find a podcast I love I always get disappointed if they miss a release day so I’ve tried to keep that top of mind with my own podcast.

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

I would say the interview with Max Woosey (Season 2, Episode 13). The episode with Max is actually quite short but it perfectly sums up the notion of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Max is 11 years old and was given a tent by his terminally ill neighbour under the promise he had to have an adventure in it. Max has slept outside in his garden for a whole year inn that tent and raised £500K for the hospice that cared for his friend. It’s the perfect example for the podcast; Max has had an incredible adventure and done something truly exceptional, all from his back garden!

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

The best place to connect with me is on Instagram @1dayadventurer and @28_summers – but you can also find out more about the podcast, find my blog and much more at www.28summers.com.

Listen to 28 Summers on SPOTIFY or your favourite podcast app.

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Tell us about your show! What’s your podcast elevator pitch??

Jessie: Our podcast elevator pitch is a mother and daughter duo invite a guest round to their house for a ‘friday night dinner’. Friday night dinner was always a big thing in our house. I’d have friends over for dinner and mum would cook, but she couldn’t resist joining in the conversations we’d have and the podcast basically became a continuation of that. We’ve been lucky to have some really amazing and fascinating guests round to mums for dinner – it’s great fun – a great meal and a chat!

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

Jessie: I don’t like to call it an interview as it’s a free-flowing conversation over the dinner table, but the longform lends itself to a much broader and interesting conversation. We always want the guest to feel comfortable so it’s very relaxing and natural. We always end up chatting about the most random of things and that’s what I love. we like to hope we get something different out of people.

What’s the secret to being a good podcast host?

Jessie: A good editor!! My producer/editor is magic and manages to cut out a fair few ‘f*cks’! She’s the one that makes me look good.

What do you think makes a good podcast guest?

Jessie: Someone who is up for it, open and says the magic words ‘I’ve never told anyone this before’. Someone who knows what they’re walking into & in our case, good table manners! We’ve had some amazing guests on the podcast; from all sorts of backgrounds and people who do all sorts of different jobs. We especially love it when we have a comedian on! We had Michael McIntrye on recently and we did not stop laughing from start to finish.

If you could go back to before you started out and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Jessie: Don’t interrupt people & don’t try to fill the pause after a question with another question. I wish I could say I’ve learnt my lesson!

What’s been your worst podcast moment so far?

Lennie: The podcast is really fun and there are no really bad moments, we always laugh a great deal. I remember setting myself on fire with a blow torch trying to outdo Jessie with crème brulee. A tricky time was when we had the lovely George Ezra. My other daughter Hannah opened the door to him and said “Hi I’m Jessie!” Don’t know why she said that but he was immediately confused. The short ribs we’d prepared were inedible and we had to order a takeaway!! We’ve also had a guest who ordered a takeaway in advance when we’d already cooked for them!!!

Which episode or episodes of your podcast mean the most to you?

Lennie: I have loved all the episodes. I was proud to have Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London who broke his fast with us over Ramadan. It was very special to have Nigella Lawson who really is a goddess. I loved talking to George Aligiah – who wouldn’t with that voice. I think to have kept going during lock down and have some amazing guests has been wonderful. We couldn’t cook for them but we certainly talked about food with Nick Grimshaw, Mel and Sue, Munroe Bergdorf and John Legend. Florence Pugh and Dua Lipa both had their dinner while we were all on Zoom!

Which podcasts or podcast hosts inspire you?

Lennie: I think The Griefcast is really important and helps unite people who are grieving – it is definitely inspirational. I love Jane Garvey – a completely wonderful host. Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes too but my big favourites are Chris and Rosie Ramsey.

Finally, what are your current favourite podcasts?

Jessie: How To Fail with Elizabeth Day, Keep It!, Dear Joan and Jericha, Dolly Parton’s America, Distraction Pieces with Scroobius Pip, Homo Sapiens, The Guilty Feminist and Human with Jess Mills.

Lennie: The Daily, That Peter Crouch Podcast, Homo Sapiens, Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed. I also like Modern Love.

Follow Table Manners, Jessie and Lennie on Twitter: @tablemannerspod // @jessieware // @thelionlennie.

Listen to the Table Manners podcast on Acast, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

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Why do you love podcasts?

Podcasts are a great way to learn and a great way to escape your day to day environment. I never thought I would be a podcast listening type of person, so you can imagine my surprise when I listened to a podcast for the first time and I felt like I was instantly part of the conversation taking place and I looked forward to listening to the next episode. There are different podcasts for different activities in my life. There is the podcast I’ll listen to while running or if I’m at the gym. There is also the podcast I’ll only listen to when I’m cooking or doing household chores. Then there is the podcast I listen to only when I’m on my commute. There’s a podcast for literally everything and that is why I love podcasts so much!

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

The Read by Kid Fury and Crissle was the first podcast I had ever listened to. It was recommended to me by a woman I used to pole dance with. She tried to explain to me why it was so good and I just wasn’t grasping the concept of listening to people I don’t know chatting in my
ear for ages. During the Christmas holidays that year I was bored and decided to listen to one episode, by New Years Day I think I had listened to about three years of the podcast episodes. I was clearly a podcast convert.

Which podcaster makes you laugh the most?

Definitely Kid Fury! I have a very deadpan sense of humour at times but I think his style of deadpan cuss you out type of humour far outshines mine. I love that he is so informed yet he delivers the things he knows in a really witty and irreverent way. A true King of comedy.

Which podcast has educated you the most??

Ooooh, this is a tough one. I think I’ve been educated the most by Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations because of the wonderful guests she has on the podcast and the amazing life experiences they share. It truly humbles me to know there are others out there on a spiritual journey and I could potentially learn from the things they’ve encountered and implement the lessons into my own life. The other podcast that has educated me is Esther Perel’s “Where Should We Begin” because I’m a no nonsense type of girl and Esther is similar in her approach to therapy. I’m a big advocate for mental health awareness and it is brilliant to listen to real people talk about the very human challenges they face in their relationships and how they are guided by Esther to work through them and to live through them.

Can you recommend a podcast our readers may not have heard of?

Shades of Black podcast is one that people really need to get into. I think in the landscape of podcasting it is dominated by white male voices. The reason I enjoy this podcast by Sam and Ola is because they shine a light on Black British parenting which is often left out of the narrative of mainstream parenting podcasts. One of my favourite episodes is the National Anti-Bullying Week feat Woke Babies because in this episode they explore how parents navigate the reality of their child being bullied in school especially if the bullying is also racialised. They are true, true Baby Girls and deserve to be celebrated.

Kelechi Okafor is the host of Say Your Mind. Tune in every Monday for her unique and hilarious take on Tarot, current events and pop culture sprinkled with bad language and an abundance of straws. Listen now on APPLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY and ELSEWHERE.

Read more Podcast Disciple articles in the Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop. 

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“While the world fell apart, I knew I had to build, focus and create something unique & positive for the community. Gigs were cancelled, everything was closed but construction remained open. It was a no brainer.” Sophie explained that she used to live on the boat for many years, not only was it her home, it became a space to broadcast regular radio shows and mixtapes.

“The boat has always been a creative hub, many musicians, producers, artists, would pass through over the years. We would exchange and build ideas. There was always a sense of freedom & fun. Everyone loves the boat!”

We thought we’d ask Sophie a few questions about setting up The BoAt Pod.

Was a podcast studio always the long term vision for the boat?

Podcasting wasn’t even a thing when I was exploring all the various ideas for the boat. Radio station had obviously sprung to mind, pop up location, ice cream parlour, nail boutique. I knew I wanted the boat to be a space people could enjoy and experience. The podcast vision came about in 2018. I kept visualising it.

How long did it take to complete the boat transformation from start to finish?

9 months. We started in March 2020 and finished in December.

Was it a smooth sail?

Far from it! We gutted the vessel back to an empty shell which presented a huge amount of challenges along the way. Everything was built from scratch. Planning and attention to detail was essential to make the most out of the confined space. I had an amazing team on board to help bring the vision to fruition and spent 9 months in my overalls carrying a paintbrush and toolbox.

So, talk us through the design and lay out

I wanted to keep the boat minimal and classic. Interiors are another passion of mine so it was a lot of fun sourcing the right pieces for the boat. I went for a 60s/70s mid century modernist design. My favourite items on board are the leather egg chairs (so comfortable!) and the 60s cocktail bar which displays the boat’s wireless turntable and play five speaker kindly gifted to me by Sonos. Sounds incredible!’

You’ve branded the boat as Podcasting and Multimedia Production Studio/Creative Space. How else do you think the boat will be used in addition to podcast/vodcast rentals?

I would love to bring art, music and culture into the space. We’ve seen the rise in live streaming since the pandemic and the boat would be a great space to host intimate music sessions either pre recorded or live/interactive with a global audience. The space is flexible so it’s just a case of moving things around. We have stage boxes on board to accommodate a wide range of creative concepts. I’d like to feature events to help raise money to help musicians and to support mental health. I’m always open to ideas.

Is The BoAt Pod currently open for business?

Yes! Absolutely. We’ve just finalised the website where you can book online. We always have an engineer on board to assist. For any specific requirements or questions simply ‘Email Us’

Have you had anyone use the studio as yet?

Jumping Jack Frost, legendary drum and bass DJ/Producer started ‘The Frost Report’ monthly series on board. Due to social distancing we have had Frost host the shows with his guests projected onto the boat wall via Zoom which has worked really well. It’s been a joy to produce this Vodcast series and we look forward to more!

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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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Flixwatcher is set to hit 200 episodes, but like any good film series we need an origin story – how did Flixwatcher come about? Helen and Kobi explain:

H&K: We met after we joined a film quiz team together in London and talked about starting a podcast after a few months. We came up with the idea at Kings Cross after we’d been to a Guardian Masterclass hosted by Helen Zaltzman. We chose films on Netflix as pretty much everyone has it and letting guests suggest the films would be more interesting than us just picking our favourites.

The early days: How were the first few episodes?

H: We recorded our pilot remotely, and that was a complete disaster! Kobi kept dropping out, one of the guests was making too much noise and it was all quite chaotic. We decided then that recording four people was best done in person. Thankfully tech has improved massively and recording remotely online at present has been mostly without too many problems. The format hasn’t really changed much over the years but the film selection on Netflix has probably improved as some of the earlier film picks were a bit hit and miss. We do try and encourage people to pick “half decent” films. It’s not as fun to record when everyone is down on a film!

K: We haven’t really struggled to get interesting and fun guests on the show but I often think back to those first few recordings where a few lovely people (especially Dave and Jen from The Family Tree Pod, Dave and Cathy from The Cinemile, Tony and Jay from How to Write a Tune and Felix and Tom from Wooden Overcoats) took a gamble on us and joined us even though we hadn’t released an episode. We wouldn’t be anywhere without those guys so thank you!

Are you both film fans yourself – what do movies mean to you personally?

H: I’ve really missed going to the cinema this past year. Watching a film at a cinema is such a special experience, it’s not just getting to see a film on the big screen, it’s everything from picking your favourite seat, guessing the trailers and overhearing people’s reactions when they’re walking out. They’re the ultimate escapism for me.

K: Of course! You can’t have a film podcast and not love films. It’s been tough not being able to go to the cinema over the past year. I’d probably watch 2-3 films a week in the cinema and hadn’t realised how the experience had been an important part of my self care until it was gone!

What are some of the personal highlights from the previous episodes?

H: We rarely have really, really terrible films to review but when we do it’s usually hilarious – like Ciara Baxendale from Wooden Overcoats podcast picking Bee Movie and when Dave from The Cinemile picked Arq.

Being introduced to Agnès Varda by Jeanette from Sudden Double Deep with Faces Places was an absolute joy.

Having directors like Mat Whitecross for The Other Side of the Wind and Gareth Evans for Enter the Dragon was fascinating! Getting to hear them talk about film from the perspective of directing and creating was so interesting.

Hannah Dunleavy from Standard Issue on the Creed episode describing Sylvester Stallone as a ‘sentient piece of corn beef’ still makes me laugh. I really enjoy it when listeners send their Twitter reviews with creative emoji ratings too.

K: Adam Buxton making a song up on the cuff still makes me laugh when he first came on the show. But I love when people choose films that I would never have chosen in a million years and they turn out to be great and these can be as varied as “All About Eve” to “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”.

As mentioned by Kobi, Flixwatcher has hosted podcast royalty in Adam buxton and Joe Cornish, but what other guests have they particularly enjoyed?

H: One of the best things about our podcast is we get to meet so many interesting people and hear what they’re up too. Difficult to name only a few but we nearly have a full house for the Wooden Overcoats and Empire Magazine. Recording remotely this year has meant we’ve gone global with guests joining us from New Zealand and America… we had to do some timezone maths to get that to work. For our 100th episode special it was great fun to have Cathy and Dave Cinemile host while we picked the films. We’re looking forward to Sam and Louise from 90 Minutes or Less Film Festival hosting the 200th episode specials.

K: Aww man… I’ve loved every one of the episodes! We really appreciate that people take the time to pick films that we all watch – most people have busy lives! It’s lovely to meet new people, especially as we know very few of them before they join us and we’ve made some really good friends as a result and love being part of the podcast community.

Like anything in life, expect the unexpected…

H: For our first live show at Latitude Festival the original guest couldn’t make it and Aisling Bea was (pretty much a) surprise guest for us and the audience. Back when we used to record in Camden there was a didgeridoo performance in the room next door – that was a surprise for us!

Any dream guests that they would like?

H: The podcast community is amazing, we’ve been really lucky as pretty much everyone we’ve asked has said yes. Kermode and Mayo, Louis Theroux, Edgar Wright, Tailenders (Jimmy Anderson is a big Sandra Bullock fan!) would all be fun guests.

K: Absolutely! From the podcasting world I’d love all of the “How Did This Get Made” crew to join us. Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham from “Still Processing”, Lauren Lavern and Kirsty Young as current and past “Desert Island Discs” presenters would be amazing, as would Zach Braff and Donald Faison from “Fake Doctors Real Friends” and also Hrishikesh Hirway From “Song Exploder”. From the film world it would be great to hear from more directors, producers and writers so people like Kate Herron, Amma Asante, Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Lin Manuel Miranda…. We’ve also had most of the “Wittertainment” stand-ins join us now so it would be lovely for Sanjeev Bhaskar to join us, but yes, Kermode and Mayo would be lovely to get a “Full House”.

Flixwatcher celebrates – they hit 200 episodes! How does that feel to reach such a landmark, and are we able to look forward to more episodes… another 200 perhaps?

H: It’s an amazing achievement! As long as more films get added to Netflix, people keep listening and guests want to come on we’ll continue!

K: It’s great to be here! I have no idea how many episodes I would have thought we’d get to, but I would have laughed my ass off at the notion of 200 episodes when we started this! We’ll definitely keep keeping on…

Listen now on  ACAST, SPOTIFY, or LISTEN ELSEWHERE

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Why do you love podcasts?

They make a squished train journey or an airport delay far more bearable. They keep you company during a sleepless night or a mentally trying time. They showed me ideas and voices and stories I’d otherwise never know about. They brought me together with people all over the world, virtually and really. They gave me a living where I can do what I want, no permission or commissioners required. They forced me to do the best I can, creatively and intellectually. They’re free to hear.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Before I started podcasting in 2007, the only podcast I had heard was couple of episodes of Adam and Joe’s XFM Show. I didn’t actually start listening to podcasts until about a year into making podcasts myself, when my brother gave me an iPod for Christmas in return for babysitting his daughter while he played football on Tuesdays. The first podcast I listened to that wasn’t a rebroadcast radio show, but was made specifically as a podcast, was probably the late lamented Guardian’s Media Talk.

Which podcaster makes you laugh the most?

I rarely listen to funny shows, but in person, Hrishikesh Hirway of Song Exploder and The West Wing Weekly makes me laugh. On his shows he seems so cool – which he is, frankly he lives a dream life – but behind the scenes he’s a big goofball with an extreme aptitude for puns. I hate puns, but I have to appreciate the artistry. My brother Andy also makes me laugh on and off The Bugle, but he’s a comedian so if he didn’t, he would be bad at his job.

Which podcast has educated you the most?

99% Invisible made me see the world differently, and think about things I’d never consciously thought about before. Even when episodes are on topics I thought I knew about, they’d bring a whole new perspective. The show also taught me how to make a different kind of podcast to what I knew: chopping up an interview to create a narrative; dropping in links after; trying to make listeners feel feelings whilst delivering a dose of information; making a factual show that’s very unlike how Radio 4 would do it. My original pitch for The Allusionist was “99% Invisible but about language”.

Can you recommend a podcast our reader may not have heard of?

Mostly Lit is a podcast I’m actually jealous of! They’re so smart and well-read and witty; their brains are just lightning-fast. I’m also jealous of Imaginary Advice, because it’s so amazingly written and conceptualised and delivered. It is unlike any other podcast out there. I only started listening to 10 Things That Scare Me yesterday, and blew through several episodes on the bus. They’re really beautifully produced, and they’re only five minutes long. More podcasts should be only five minutes long.

You can listen to adventures in language with Helen Zaltzman on The Allusionist podcast on Acast, Spotify and all other podcast apps. Or you can hear Helen alongside Olly Mann host the award-winning podcast Answer Me This! which has been answering the world’s questions since 2007. Listen now on Acast, Spotify and all other podcasts.

Read more Podcast Disciple articles in the Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop. 

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