The post Shaping Tomorrow: Breaking down barriers for the deaf community appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>Who are you and what is Shaping Tomorrow the video podcast about?
Cindy: I’m Cindy Sasha, co-founder of Hear Art alongside Rachel Shenton. Hear Art is an inclusive platform dedicated to empowering the deaf creative community by educating the arts and entertainment industry and breaking down barriers to collaboration and employment. Our video podcast, Shaping Tomorrow, brings together deaf and hearing professionals from the same industry for insightful conversations about their careers and experiences.
Sam: Hi, I’m Sam Arnold, a filmmaker and member of the board of directors at Hear Art. I also directed the first series of Shaping Tomorrow, a video podcast that brings together deaf and hearing professionals to discuss and share deaf experiences with a broader audience that can be accessed by deaf and hearing people to enjoy.
What were both of your experiences with podcasts before working on Shaping Tomorrow?
Sam: I had never done a podcast before, nor had I been given the opportunity until Cindy approached me with her vision for Shaping Tomorrow. The main reason for this is that most mainstream podcasts don’t consider making it accessible or engaging for deaf audiences, who often lack access to podcasts that educate and engage them visually rather than just audibly. So we want to change that through Shaping Tomorrow, engaging hearing and deaf audiences.
Cindy: I’m a big fan of podcasts because there is such a diverse range of content to explore. However, podcasts often exclude deaf audiences, leaving yet another marginalised community without access to a meaningful human experience. This made me wonder, what if there was a podcast that both deaf and hearing people could enjoy, creating connection through deaf awareness? I shared this idea with Sam, who provided invaluable insights and helped give direction to Shaping Tomorrow.
Cindy Sasha and Sam Arnold
Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place? What is your aim for Shaping Tomorrow?
Cindy: There seems to be a significant and positive shift happening in the creative industry, especially in TV and film, where deaf creatives are now being given more opportunities to work on set and gain valuable experience. Hear Art has been at the forefront of this movement for the past five years, even pioneering a 50/50 model that balances deaf and hearing cast and crew on set. At Hear Art, we strive to stay ahead of the curve by challenging creative spaces and making podcasts the next accessible platform for the deaf community. Shaping Tomorrow is focused on changing mindsets around employing deaf individuals, addressing the need for further positive changes in employment and training, while also highlighting the challenges deaf people face and celebrating their achievements.
Sam: Shaping Tomorrow focuses on the challenges deaf professionals face in the creative, sports, and entertainment industries. We provide them with a platform to share their experiences and educate the industry on making positive changes. Our goal is to address their needs, celebrate their achievements, and break down barriers, shaping a better future for both the industry and the deaf community.
What challenges have the deaf members of the Shaping Tomorrow team faced when creating the podcast?
Sam: Most of us had never done a podcast before, so the real challenge was making sure our hearing guests felt welcome and comfortable. Many had never worked with deaf people, so we focused on creating a space where they could ask questions freely and communicate openly.
What are some steps that podcasters could take to ensure that their podcasts are more accessible for deaf people?
Sam: Deaf people don’t have that option and are often stuck watching long, non-visual podcasts that are hard to engage with while hearing people can listen to a 45-minute podcast while multitasking. Podcasters should also think about how to make their videos more visually engaging for deaf audiences. This can be done by using visual elements like archival footage, different camera angles and accurate subtitles instead of auto-captions, which are often wrong. Including deaf guests to share their views on various topics – like science, politics, and facts – can also help.
At Shaping Tomorrow, we aim to create series that are interesting and enjoyable for both deaf and hearing audiences so that everyone can learn and engage with the series.
Shaping Tomorrow recording session
What advice would you give to a deaf person who wants to start a podcast?
Sam: Think outside the box about how you can make your podcast engaging and educational for the deaf community. Focus on creating a topic that not only teaches them something interesting but also motivates them. It’s also important to plan out the structure of your podcast journey before you start recording. This way, you can guide your guests and help shape the narrative of each episode effectively.
Cindy: Don’t be afraid to create content for both deaf and hearing audiences. Keep your topics engaging, provocative and inspiring, with a strong narrative that clearly conveys what you want to share and reveal. Be open and vulnerable and take pride in your deaf experiences.
Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?
Sam: I don’t watch many podcasts because, as I mentioned, mainstream podcasts often don’t consider accessibility or engagement for deaf audiences like myself. However, I’ve been inspired by Variety’s Actors on Actors and Directors on Directors.
Cindy: I take inspiration from podcasts that tell true inspirational stories like This is Love or Woman’s Hour and YouTube interviews such as Hot Ones and Variety’s Actors on Actors. I love hearing about people’s journey, where they draw their strength from and how they find beauty in their failures.
Do you have a favourite guest or episode from the Shaping Tomorrow series?
Sam: I don’t have a favourite because each episode shares unique story and perspectives on individual career journeys and the industry. I’ve learned so much from each episode, which has made it a great privilege to direct the Shaping Tomorrow series.
Cindy: Every guest brings their unique personal story, making it impossible to pick a favourite guest or episode. Each guest on Shaping Tomorrow is remarkable – comparing them would not do justice to the diversity and depth of our video podcast.
Shaping Tomorrow recording session
Who would be your dream guest for the podcast?
Sam: In this Shaping Tomorrow series, we’ve had fantastic guests who bring insightful conversations and a passion for making positive changes for the industry, giving deaf community to shine their talents.
Cindy and I want to continue this with even bigger names, in our Shaping Tomorrow conversations. We have a few big names, both hearing and deaf, on our list, but we don’t want to spoil the surprises.
Cindy: There are a few people I would love to have on the show, which I have discussed with Sam, but everyone will have to wait for series two and fingers crossed the guests we want will say yes! If I had to drop a name though, it would be Cher, purely for selfish reasons as I am a huge fan!
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?
Cindy: Producing a podcast may seem simple, but it requires a tremendous amount of work and careful planning. From researching topics to developing a brand identity and understanding your target audience, every detail needs thoughtful consideration to create a successful show. The biggest lesson I have learned is that so many communities have untold stories that need to be heard. I hope our podcast will inspire others and encourage people to share their own stories and experiences.
Sam: I’ve learned how crucial it is to build a strong narrative structure for the podcast. This helps the crew and guests understand our vision for Shaping Tomorrow. With that structure in place, the magic happens, allowing us to bring out the best in our guests as they share their untold stories. It’s been an enriching experience for us to be part of Shaping Tomorrow.
Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?
Cindy: This is a hard one, but I think the first episode we filmed with Christopher Laing, a deaf architect having a conversation with Wayne Hemingway about design and accessibility. It set the tone of the podcast and what to expect from the other episodes. I would like to know what Sam thinks, as this is something we have not discussed yet.
Sam: It all depends on what you’re looking to learn from the episode, whether you share similarities or work in the same industry, or what interests you have. That’s what would make a great introduction to your podcast. Everyone has their own taste, and that’s the great thing about podcasts, to give people a choice on what they want to listen to or watch.
Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you/the podcast?
Cindy: Pod Bible readers can find out more on our website hearart.co.uk or follow us on social media @shapingtomorrow or @hearartproject – our podcast will be released on the 26th September via YouTube and Spotify.
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]]>The post Video podcasting: Is it right for your show? appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>Podcasts are traditionally audio only, but I’m not a purist and I don’t think we need to limit ourselves by defining exactly at which point a podcast ceases to be a podcast. Sure, labels help us categorise the things around us – food, human, lightbulb – so we can understand the world more easily. But they aren’t strictly necessary, they can be subjective, and they can sometimes draw focus away from appreciating something as it is.
I think we can probably all agree that a podcast is a podcast if 1) the content makes sense when you listen to it without seeing any visuals 2) there are audio-only episodes to listen to.
There are a number of reasons to create a video podcast – you may reach new fans on YouTube because a lot of fans of your podcast genre live on YT, you can cut the video down and repurpose clips for different platforms which in turn may help you reach more people, you might get access to more monetisation opportunities, or you might offer video as a subscriber perk to paying community members to strengthen your relationship with them. Regardless of the benefits, it’s worth understanding what’s involved before you dive in.
If you’re considering creating a video podcast, consider first whether your podcast lends itself to the visual medium easily. Chat shows, like The Colin and Samir Show, have been some of the first podcasts to make the switch to video but many genres are more complicated. Such as narrative documentary podcasts which have so many different audio elements that creating visuals would be complex. Take just the contributor element for example – contributors may not want to be filmed, you might have recorded pickups with them that blend in seamlessly audio-wise but don’t work as a visual edit, and the hundreds and hundreds of fine edits in a contributor’s tape just wouldn’t work if we could see the person talking on the screen. You could film them doing something in their daily lives whilst their tape plays over the top, you could film abstract scenes that make sense emotionally with the tone of the overlaid audio, you could just film their hands, you could cut to a static image with text, or you could create animations like The Midnight Gospel, My Favourite Murder, this short clip of a Love + Radio episode, this QCODE teaser, and StoryCorps. There are many excellent creative visual workarounds but they take time, skill and money to execute – which is kind of at odds with the low barrier to entry of podcasting. That being said, if you need to cut costs, consider only producing videos for special episodes or looping the same animation as in this QCODE video.
If you’re forging ahead, remember quality is the priority. Do justice to the story you’re telling and don’t give people the opportunity to ‘skip’ the story just because the visuals are poor.
Here are my tips for those stepping into video podcasting:
- Cameras. Ensure you’re filming on a good camera, but be aware that a fancy expensive camera doesn’t automatically create great visuals, you need to understand how to use it and you need to understand lighting. This video from Peter McKinnon is a great place to start.
- Remote recording. An alternative to getting everyone in the same room with cameras set up is a dedicated remote recording programme. I’ve been using Riverside.fm, for years. It’s simple to use, records the video and audio locally so it’s high quality, and is ideal if you and your guests aren’t in the same location. I suggest linking your laptop to an external camera. The audio is also recorded as a .wav so you’re not compromising on the quality of sound either. Bonus: you can invite listeners to watch your recording live so you can build community relations at the same time!
- Background. Set up your camera and figure out what is in the shot, then tidy and dress the set.
- Microphones. If you need to mic up a few people and don’t want to deal with the faff of hiding cables, setting levels and recorders, there are plenty of new solutions to this – for example the Nomono Sound Capsule has four wireless mics that you can clip on and auto uploads all of the recordings to the cloud.
Post-Production:
- I mainly use Reaper to produce podcasts but that doesn’t work for video so software for video is essential. For those already working in Adobe Audition there is that option, and I’m teaching myself how to use Davinci Resolve to edit and colour grade videos. I highly recommend it and there are some great tutorials online.
- If you have the resources then be playful with your edit to make the visuals more engaging – multiple camera angles, B-roll, cutaways, animation, creative subtitles, and so on. Don’t overwhelm the viewer, but don’t be afraid to try something different.
- Subtitles. The other aspects you can experiment with what works for you, but if you’re going to create visuals to accompany your audio, then subtitles are non-negotiable.
Sharing stories orally is an ancient practice and there’s only one way I can think to describe how I feel about audio storytelling – bare-bare, a Japanese phrase that (according to the book I was reading) translates as ‘the sound of being so invested in something that it leaks into everything you do’.
I’m up for embracing video and experimenting if it elevates a story/show, but there’s something special about audio that other mediums can’t capture. As Pod Bible’s Digital Editor says: “it is – and always will be – okay to make an audio-only podcast”.
Want to try video podcasting – as a podcaster OR a die-hard listener? Check out Meera’s recommendations for video podcast about video podcasting:
- The recent Cumulus Media and Signal Hill report about consumer preferences and video podcasting has been put out as a video podcast.
- The Colin and Samir Show has diversified into video with its popular YouTube channel – this episode features Tim Ferriss talking about the evolution of long form video podcasts.
- The Midnight Gospel – this animated video podcast is about a video podcaster in space
- If you’re after some tips for setting up your video podcast, YouTuber and Photographer Peter McKinnon explains background and lighting here >>
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]]>The post BRKIN Bread: An audio-visual podcast for the hungry mind appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>The topics discussed in BRKIN Bread are wide-ranging. From colourism and Idris Elba, to Arsenal or Manchester United, and asking ‘Should Ukrainian refugees be sent to Rwanda?’ the conversations are feeding curiosity. Meanwhile, host Sabrina feeds her guest, making these episodes an insight to a dinner-party with a difference.
Who are you, and what’s your podcast about?
I am the Founder of Lateral Theory, an independent digital media company where difference creates. I created, produce and host BRKIN Bread. BRKIN Bread is an audio-visual podcast for the hungry mind. I invite dinner guests to dine and debate over a three-course African or Caribbean meal expertly curated by a Chef. My guests do not know each other or topics until they are at the BRKIN Bread table. BRKIN Bread is about the art of conversation and demonstrates we can disagree without being disagreeable. All opinions, politically correct or counter-cultural, are welcome at my table.
What was the first podcast you ever listened to?
Revisionist History
Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?
When I discovered podcasting as a medium, I knew it would be the future. I also know that I have a perspective and a voice that is uniquely mine and creates a space for dialogue, debate, and education, for which podcasting provides an avenue. As an outlier, podcasting gives me the opportunity to explore and stretch my creativity while edutaining. As a Founder, I get to create jobs and support local businesses, which is essential to how I operate.
Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?
At the moment, The Shop UNINTERRUPTED.
Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?
For BRKIN Bread, this would be a table. To have a spicy conversation, my table would be Michelle Obama, Trevor Noah, JK Rowling, Andrew Tate, Piers Morgan.
Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?
This is like asking if I have a favourite child. All episodes are a perfect introduction to BRKIN Bread. Tune into any episode, and you will get a flavour.
Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?
You can find out more about me at sabrinaverse.com. You can catch BRKIN Bread on all audio platforms and on YouTube @lateraltheory.
Listen to Brkin Bread: For The Hungry Mind on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular apps, or watch the conversations on YouTube >>
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]]>Adam Richardson caught up with Dane Baptiste and Howard Cohen to discuss the origins of their podcast, the types of questions they get into and more. You can hear this conversation on episode 93 of the Pod Bible Podcast but for the full unedited version, check out the video above!
Listen to Dane Baptiste Questions Everything on Acast or Spotify.
Listen to the Pod Bible Podcast on Acast or Spotify.
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]]>Alex Lopategui caught up with Kambi Thandi, Executive Producer of The Crate 808 Podcast, for a special extended episode of the Pod Bible Podcast. As well as talking about the show and how’s it’s made, the pair also go deep into their love of hip hop and the records that sparked their passion.
Listen to Crate 808 on Acast or Spotify.
Listen to the Pod Bible Podcast on Acast or Spotify.
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]]>The post Pod Bible Podcast – Dan Snow’s History Hit appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>Adam Richardson caught up with Dan Snow in August 2021 to discuss his podcast and the network of show’s that spawned from it. You can hear this conversation on episode 91 of the Pod Bible Podcast but for the full unedited version, check out the video above!
Listen to Dan Snow’s History Hit on Acast or Spotify.
Listen to the Pod Bible Podcast on Acast or Spotify.
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