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Lockdown has granted me substantially more time to sink my teeth into my university subject of making media, offering a vector of action on something that’s been kicking about in my mind for some time.

I settled on my conduit promptly as I have a desire to create my own podcast which is currently titled, Plot holes and Ecstasy. Find it here. I came to this name as it feels like an anecdotal expression of my life and in this initial phase where my content creation will stem from. I listen to a myriad of podcasts such as;

• http://www.duncantrussell.com/
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/overheard
• https://www.vice.com/en/topic/the-vice-guide-to-right-now-podcast
• https://www.aubreymarcus.com/blogs/aubrey-marcus-podcast
• https://www.nytimes.com/column/the-daily
• https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/everyday-alchemy/id1550483694

I digress, my adoration of the oral tradition of podcasting permits an exploration of another sense to both create and edit with. By engaging in a variety of podcasts I can emulate styles that speak to me and also learn through ‘how to podcasts‘. Double whammy! Though this doesn’t immediately equate to knowing which angle I want to explore in my own podcast and how this will transpire, hence the post-it idea storm and ideating blogs. I initially couldn’t decide what I was shooting for (and this still remain open) so I opted to practice 3 different styles and lengths of episodes or as @unicorndispatch calls it, buffet style.

My first task was to sort out gear and practising using it, so I talked about myself, listen, delete, repeat and played around with new hardware and editing tools, cue the youtube videos. I also created a very short pod capturing my friend in a funny situation and did an interview style cast on cryptos. These 3 different approaches were fundamental is onboarding basic skills, figuring out things like copyright law in regards to music and respecting slash defining my scope. Despite being in lockdown, my Einstein window is still only so large (or small).

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What has tripped me up so far is getting sucked into the comparative vortex of twitter and the like O’sphere. Pretty redundant in a project base class where everyone is on vastly different paths. In reflection I have hit the steps I need to at this point of the project in regards to my own parameters and adhering to the weekly material. I have worked through a number of project statements to process and anchor my thoughts and potentially assess the idea of an audience beyond friends and family and of course myself. But currently my focus looks like this as I’m in the learning process of podcast creation.

Failure to me at present looks like the following –

• Not consistently learning a new software skill (at the moment I’m transitioning from Hindenburg to Audacity and breaking down the pro’s and con’s of zoom interviews verse other modes. Trial, error and #fist!
• Not regularly creating content for myself; when I do, it allows me to listen to the finished piece on soundcloud in the car and get a new feel for it…the editing continues.
• Not sending out the tendrils for interviews… I have connected with a lot of people but actually getting that time from them poses another obstacle.
• Getting distracted by being comparative. Stay in your own lane Bambi. I am present to the fact that this podcast will include more plot holes then ecstacy at this point but I’m truly enjoying the process.
• Not maximising on the knowledge of my teachers.

This also sums up my resistance thus far and allows me to acknowledge the simple idea that if I enjoy listening to what I create then that is a productive start. I’m aware of my own limitations at this stage, that this a new area for me, both equipment wise and the art of managing a project that I define.

I have on boarded advice to keep my podcast short for the first few which was mostly a harsh reality lesson on how I sound and the nuances of how a script translates auditorily. A few weeks in and my I’m feeling more habituated to my voice and the basics of editing which is still a timely process at this initial phase. I’m pleased with my what I’ve produced and the slow evolution although I recognise I’ve just dipped my toe in.

Feedback existing outside of my own echo chamber has been minimal although I appreciate the mini ego boosts from friends and will continue to check in with this audience as I can garner observations around how the podcasts are coming together and any adjust to any commentary on length or content etc. I love that someone said they hate podcasts but I will reserve throwing energy into the outside audience realm for now as we are all just emanations of the universe experiencing itself and the universe loves creation.

In saying that I have explored and observed the conversation commonalities in subreddits for podcasts and topics that I wish to utilise in my project and this allows me to tether together an idea of what my potential audience may be seeking content wise and also where potential audiences exist. This is my first time actively understanding how to locate and decode this part of a media making project and comprehend that analytics is essentially a bunch of malarkey.

My mind maps seem to allude to fungus ingesting/ explorer types, that have read breaking open the head and enjoy getting weird at a festival on occasion. Through repetition of this step, I hoping to locate the all important patterns. Great quotes dont grow in nature so I’ll persist in interviewing friends as they return from the renegade Burn and playing with story creation finessing my producing skills. This will be coupled with feedback integration primarily from myself, whilst remembering not to self edit too fiercely at this stage. All ideas have potential.

Lockdown has allowed for solid cAT stocks at this point and whilst I still feel like I’m existing on the 36 floor of the Hilton in quarantine limbo (maybe there’s a cast in this?) who knows how long this window of time freedom exists.