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Podcasting For Biz:
Telling The Story
Kathy Gill
22 April 2008
How Audio Differs From Print
• Don't tell. Show.
– Concrete language
– Evocative language
– Effective use sound (don't say it's noisy,
provide background sound)
– Active tense
– Edit, edit, edit!
Tips For Good Story
• Listen!
– That's why I've asked you to subscribe to podcasts
this quarter!
– Close your eyes right now -- what do you hear?
• Be Authentic.
– If you don't care, why should we?
– No "gotchas" (don't edit to change meaning
– Use sounds from the site, not from somewhere else -that is, don't put train whistle in the background if
there was no train
Chasing Fire In The Amazon
• NPR reporter Christopher Joyce on fires in
the Amazon
– Story told in three separate forms: traditional
NPR radio story … still photos with captions
… text for the web
– http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?s
toryId=16182652
Why Use Sound?
• Interviews capture voices
• Ambient sound can establish mood or
provide a sense of place
• Sound effects can focus attention
• Music can signal transition or establish
mood
• Voiceover – the narration – weaves the
elements of a story together
What Stories Lend Themselves?
• Almost any story!
• Well, court cases, stock movement, IPOs
… these may be more difficult … unless
you’re preparing a background piece
Before You Begin
• What is the story and why do you need
sound?
• How long should it be?
• Develop open-ended questions
• Encourage stories, anecdotes
Recording Plan
• Before you head for the interview or event,
brainstorm possible sounds to record at
the primary location as well as any
secondary ones
– Prioritize them!
• Always record “white noise”
Sounds & Interviews
• The location of the interview becomes
more important than with a print story
• Restaurant feature
– Interview in the kitchen?
– Interview where customers are seated?
– Interview in an office?
– All have different ambient sounds
• Ask open-ended questions … and NOD
(don’t “ummm” over their voices!)
Ambient or Natural Sound
• General sound that fills the background of
the primary recorded sounds (cite)
• Ambient sound can set mood
– “Background” noise like conversation in a
coffee shop
• It can also provide context
– Espresso machine, construction site noises
• Be sure to record a minute or two of
background “silence” as well
Sound Effects
• Artificial sound, such as thunder or an
explosion, which is usually “artificial”
– An effect that imitates a sound in a play,
video or audio recording
Be Flexible
• If your primary source isn’t very talkative
… or is hard to understand … then this
material may become part of your voiceover
• Ask for suggestions for others to interview
About Music
• Use with purpose
• More often associated with bookending
episodic features
• Copyright!
When You Forget
• Is it ethical to grab background sound from
a service or from some other restaurant?
Getting Good Quotes
• You’ll need full sentences for an audio
quote (usually) … where a phrase would
work for print story
• Say ‘tell me more about that’ or consider
asking to repeat answer in full sentence
• Ask questions that elicit word pictures!
Gear: The Mike (Form)
• Lavaliere microphones are clipped to
clothing, close to mouth, and are
unobtrusive
• “Opposite” of the image we have of
microphones
• All can be wired or wireless
Gear: The Mike (Sound)
• Omni-directional mikes pick up sound from
all directions
• Cardioid (dynamic) mikes pick up sound
only from one direction: where they’re
pointed
• Super-Cardioid mikes are used when a
specific sound is needed in a noisy
environment
Gear: The Recorder
• MiniDiscs and DAT recorders
– Hold high quality digital audio (DAT = digital
audio tape)
• Direct To Disc
– Save on flash memory; sometimes proprietary
format; audio may not be as high in quality
• In a pinch: your cellphone!
Gear: What Else?
• Cables for every mike connected to the
recorder
• Headphones to check recording levels
• Batteries!
• Media
• Notebook & pen
– Notes may help you find key quotes more
quickly
• A bag to hold it all
Recording Tips
• “Ps” and “Ss”
– Avoid having mike directly in front of the
source’s (or your own!) mouth
• Getting The Right Sound
– Arrive early; close your eyes and listen; ID the
sounds you hear – now record them! How do
they help you tell your story?
Production Process
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•
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•
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Creating The Log
Paper Edit
Scripting
Narration
Edit & Mix
Creating The Log
• Create a rough transcript for each
interview; mark times (min/sec)
• It’s the fastest way. Really.
Paper Edit
• Start assembling the story from the log file
– Copy & paste favorite clips (actualities, in
radio parlance) into the document
• Try to keep them short-ish (10-30
seconds)
• How many? Depends upon how long the
story is and the style of the show
Scripting
• Write your lede
• Arrange the quotes
• Develop your transitions
– Should not repeat what’s in the interview
– Here’s where you may add sounds you have
recorded
• Write your conclusion
• Conversational, Conversational, Conversational!
• Balance clips, voiceover, sound
Narration
• Voiceover can be “over” ambient sound or
“in the clear”
• Practice
• Drink Water
• Remember mike placement
• Long pauses when you mess up … to
make it easier to edit out
Resources
• Sound In The Story - Poynter (pdf)
• If you need sound files to practice editing
your proof of concept personal podcast – I
have some from Poynter