Making a Podcast

• Speaking and communication skills
• Planning skills
• Audio editing skills including clipping, cutting and reordering audio

• Today we are going to begin to think about our own podcasts and plan out what our podcasts will be about.
• Once we have thought about this we are going to create a script or bullet points about what we want to speak about

• A podcast is normally simply an audio file, although some people like to refer to a video channel on YouTube for example, as a podcast.
• A definition of a podcast is:

a digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new instalments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.

• There are four styles of podcasts:
  • The Interview - questions directed at one person who answers questions about it (generally they are invited into the podcast series)
  • Story Telling - a story is told over several different casts
  • Roundtable Discussions - also known as interviews and conversations, a group of casters get together to discuss their thoughts. Generally, there is one person directing the flow of the podcast. 
  • Solo Shows - one person shares their ideas and thoughts and leads the whole podcast.
• For this course you will be focusing on Roundtable Discussions

• The term podcast comes from the word iPod mixed with broadcast.
• Apple was the first company to endorse the idea of a podcast with the iPod being the first device that enabled on-the-go podcasts back in 2004.

• Podcasts are rarely live and are often scripted so that people know what they are going to be talking about. This is particularly true with Roundtable Discussion-style podcasts.
• Podcasts are now available on multiple platforms, including Windows computers, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux and much more.

• The first part of a podcast is the introduction.
• In the introduction, everyone introduces themselves and the leader will describe what the podcast is about. Often they will say what topics are being discussed as well as giving a rough idea about what is being discussed around the topics.

• Topic questions are what control the flow of the conversation and allow you to segment the podcast.
• Once a topic has been selected, the topic questions are drafted and handed to the participants who will either research or prepare answers to these questions.
• For example, in a podcast about the Xbox Series X when it was new, the topic questions might be:
  • What do we all think about the design?
  • What do we think about the controller?
  • What do we think about the performance?

• Topic questions are also often addressed to the whole group using the word we or everybody.
• For example:
  • What do we think about the new wireless standards?
  • What does everyone think about PCI Express version 4?
  • What do we think about the latest Apple Watch?

• Podcasts also can contain some music to make it more immersive. If you want to use music, you'll be adding this later on when you edit your podcast.
• Whenever you are using music, be wary of copyright laws.

• Podcasts are often also led by one person in the team. This person will make sure that the podcast has direction.
• For example, in the previous ‘podcast’ the leader asks the questions and directs the flow of the podcast.
• The leader will ask topic (or leading) questions that then encourage the others to join in the talk. These questions are often scripted in advance but often the team leader will improvise questions.
• The leader will also participate in the conversation.

Accidental Tech Podcast

Analog(ue)

Clockwise

Rocket

Back to Work

• During our session, you will be able to go to a separate room to record your podcasts.
• The only person who will listen to your podcast is your teacher - unless you want others to listen to it.
• Your podcasts should be appropriate and suitable for school. 
• You only have a maximum of six minutes to talk so try and make your content interesting and also relevant.