Most of us have listened to a podcast or two (thousand) at this point, but how are they put together? We find out from a behind-the-scenes expert…
I’ve been a podcast producer for a little over a year now. A lot of people assume my job is simply cutting and sticking bits of audio together, but there’s much more to it than that.
Podcasts have only recently become a big thing. When I first started studying Broadcast Journalism at Nottingham Trent University, I’d barely even listened to one. The industry basically came out of nowhere.
Of course, this definitely wasn’t what I expected to do. I assumed I would end up working for the BBC or something, and throughout my degree I played around with a bit of radio work. That’s where I found my passion for audio.
During COVID, I found it especially hard to find a permanent job. I did a lot of freelance work, which helped me to find my feet in the industry and gain some decent experience. Eventually, I started chatting with a company that wanted to start a podcast, but wasn’t sure where to begin - so I jumped at the opportunity and said, “Let me run this.”
Now, I generally work from home. Typically, a big chunk of my day is spent arranging interviews with potential guests for the show and getting all the admin tasks done. The podcast I currently work on is very business-related, so most guests either own a business or are struggling with a particular problem they’d like advice on.
I think one of the most attractive qualities about podcasts is the way it makes you feel immersed in a real, natural human conversation
One of the most important parts of my job is ensuring the podcast is being recorded correctly. Guests are usually connected through Zoom, so it’s critical to check both parties know how to record their own audio. Occasionally, it can only be our end of the recording that’s working, or someone will sit too far from the mic - which can be a total nightmare for me when trying to edit!
When the recording is complete, I piece the audio together and check it flows seamlessly. This is the simple bit for me, as it’s the part I most enjoy. It may sound bizarre, but I make sure not to edit out all the ‘ums’, as I don’t want it to sound too scripted. I think one of the most attractive qualities about podcasts is the way it makes you feel immersed in a real, natural human conversation.
Once the episode is scheduled to be released, my work doesn’t stop there. I create graphics for social media, which generally advertise the new episode and help to maximise its reach.
At the moment, I run everything myself - I’m a producer, editor, and administrator. It’s a lot of hard work, and definitely less glamorous than I expected, but being a team of one helps to make the job a lot more streamlined: I know exactly what the client is looking for and how I’m going to get them there.
In the past, I could never really switch off from work. If I was out for dinner and a work email popped up on my phone, I wouldn’t be able to resist checking it. Additionally, while it’s great having the freedom to choose my own working hours, it can make it especially difficult to set boundaries. When I was editing a podcast for someone living in New Zealand, we were both working on completely different time zones. I would stay up really late working on something that easily could’ve waited until the next day. It’s especially important to find a good work-life balance and, now that I’m no longer freelancing, I’m a lot closer to achieving that.
When I was editing a podcast for someone living in New Zealand, we were both working on completely different time zones. I would stay up really late working on something that easily could’ve waited until the next day
In some ways, I’d say this job can be a bit repetitive, so I’m excited to start working on some new projects, which will help to mix things up a bit. My next venture is a lifestyle-based podcast with an amazing female host who will be covering some really important feminine topics. When you sit down to edit audio, you can’t play music or have the TV on in the background - you have to have your full attention on listening, so editing a podcast I have a genuine interest in will be much more enjoyable.
Starting your own podcast is a great way to demonstrate you have what it takes to record audio, edit, and put the whole package together. Even if you don’t publish it online, gaining experience and building a portfolio is particularly important when trying to get into such a competitive creative field.
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