PODCASTING // Reflection

Reflection of semester

As the semester once again draws to a close I find myself met with arduous task of reflecting the trials and tribulations, wins and losses and personal development experienced throughout the course. 

My reasoning for selecting the studio as was clear from the outset, an avid, borderline obsessive podcaster, I jumped at the opportunity to immerse myself in podcasting just that tiny bit more and give justification to the hours a day which I spend consuming audio. 

The first week I was met with some initial skepticism about the process of the course. I was personally more interested in analysing the content of successful podcasts and dissecting what exactly humans are drawn to and why. Furthermore; I was more heavily interested in analysing the intricacies of successful podcasts which ultimately differentiate between what succeeds within a booming market and what fails. 

Whilst it was clear that we would be utilising class time to analyse podcasts as I desired, we would have a large portion of class time also designated to analysing web series and production of film for web. 

My skepticism quickly subsided as we entered week two and began analysing podcasts presented by fellow peers. Each week, a pair would be tasked with presenting an aspect of podcasting or web series and generating discussion about that specific series in order to spark debate and creativity. 

Alongside this weekly class discussion, we began in class assignments in order to develop and build our skill set. I found the assignment in which we had to create a story with only the use of sound scape and no dialogue the most engaging of all in class assignments. It was a great way of expanding our horizons and forcing us to look at sound in a different way. 

As the semester progressed we began integrating film equipment into our classes and looked at a range of basic techniques, integral to creating aesthetically pleasing, functional film.

We looked at the importance of lighting and the way in which film can be altered drastically based on the tiniest variations in lighting. I found this exercise very beneficial as I have relied on natural lighting in the past, which whilst has been useful, it is often beyond ones realm of control and thus to posses the knowledge on how to control and balance light with simple equipment and positioning will be very beneficial in the future.

Soon we began working toward our pitch for our final project. I developed two podcast pitches with very varied content and genre. The first podcast idea I presented to the class was a light hearted six part mini series exploring ‘Firsts’. I would have a range of guests on each episode, each discussing common experiences shred between many human beings. I would aim to discuss positive and negative experiences whilst presenting it in a humorous, easily accessible format. I would focus on topics such as the first time you got fired from your job, the first time you fell in love, the first time you experienced heart break and the first time you truly failed. I would aim to have a range of guests on each episode with varying degrees of fame, socio economic status, sexual orientation and religious backgrounds to break down borders between humans and reveal the truths within.

The second idea I presented to the class was a true crime, investigative style podcast in which I would explore the case of Sydney man Luke Lazarus who was recently acquitted of the rape of a young girl outside his family owned nightclub in Kings Cross in 2013. The man admitted to brutally forcing himself on her and utilising a range of social pressures to instigate the relationship in the first place. I would focus on the injustice presented within many systems in Australia which give leeway to those of high social class and economic status. This case is a clear indicator of the participial society we live in which often disallows the voice of young females to prevail.

I continued to develop both ideas and concluded that the first podcast would be more appropriate to focus on for my final project. Whilst I will continue to refine my second idea, I believe I would need the assistance of professional investigative journalists in order to present the case clearly and honestly.

Pitch

“The First Time” is a podcast exploring the commonality of human behaviour. The mini series will focus on shared human experiences through short interviews with a range of guests who attain a varied range of socio economic status, age, sexual orientation, fame, and gender. I would attempt to break down barriers and beliefs surrounding minorities and the ever glorified ‘celebrity’.

The series would focus on topics such as the first time you got fired from your job, the first time you fell in love, the first time you experienced heart break and the first time you truly failed.

Series synopsis

  • First time you fell in love with your partner
  • First time you made an astronomical mistake and had to take ownership of your actions
  • First time you experienced rejection
  • First time you got fired from your job
  • First time you experienced heart break
  • First time you lost your virginity / had a sexual encounter with another person

Target Audience

The target audience for my podcast is extremely broad as I would be aiming to bring people from all walks of life together to explore easily accessible topics. I would aim to attract the attention of males and females aged between 14 – 65 (inclusive of people older than this age bracket, however given the nature of the technology I would not expect people much older than 65 to make use of podcasts.)

Similar podcasts

Invisibilia is a podcast produced by NPR which explores the invisible forces that shape human behaviour. The podcast explores topics such as the history of thought, the way technology can impact ones life and the way in which expectations can have astronomical impacts on outcomes of scenarios, both positively and negatively.

The podcast differs in that invisibilia is heavily scientific in content whilst my podcast will focus more so on human emotion and the power of well told stories.

The Moth Podcast

Similarly, The Moth podcast is a podcast which selects various topics weekly and allows humans to take a live stage and tell stories centred around this vast array of stories.

Point of difference

I would aim to have celebrities on the podcast, drawing in a wide range of audience and breaking down the barriers often felt between the upper echelon of the entertainment industry.

Possible Broadcasters

NPR, Gimlet, ABC

Sponsorship

I would aim to be sponsored by local businesses who align themselves with similar morals to my own. I would not discriminate based on anything rather than a personal identification with the brand in order to ensure I feel an honest rapport with the brand and continue to instill trust in my audience.

Series Two

The second series would expand in content and guests, aiming to develop a large audience of dedicated listeners.

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