What does it look like to create a podcast from scratch?

In our previous introduction to the PRX Big Questions Project, we delved into the origin of our initiative, the foundation of our four teams, and the selection process that brought together these emerging voices to explore profound scientific, philosophical, and spiritual questions. Today, we'll invite you into the workshop, revealing how our podcasting teams are built, what they've accomplished during production, advice that you can use when creating, and the timeline that keeps us all on track.

Assembling a Production Team

Once we had our winning teams, our initial step was to form a production team that aligned with each team’s unique needs. We evaluated every aspect of the Big Questions teams: their audio history, production skills, hosting prowess, team size, podcasting knowledge, writing ability, geographical location, cultural background, and the unique talents of each member.

We interviewed potential production team members from across the globe. Each candidate brought experience in various areas such as host direction, strategic planning, audience understanding, scriptwriting and editing, narrative development, episode structuring, guest preparation, sound design, creative direction, and post-production supervision.

In our capacity as executive producers, we assembled a team for each podcast that included a senior producer, editor, engineer, and associate producer. Their mission? To collaborate with each team from inception to release, crafting narratives, sourcing guests, building season arcs, producing and sound designing episodes, and discovering the audience for each show.

Production in Action 

The creation process began with crafting the pilot episode, essentially a "test run" for each podcast. A pilot is invaluable for evaluating the podcast's concept, format, tone, and technical aspects, as well as for gathering initial feedback.

While crafting the pilot episode, our teams concurrently outlined the remaining episodes for the season. This approach allowed them to structure each show, contact potential guests, and begin molding the narrative to fit within the overarching season story arc. Once satisfied with the pilot, the teams plunged into producing the remaining episodes, armed with a clear foundation and direction.

Production Timeline 

Our aim is that each podcast will launch this fall.A flexible production calendar is crucial in this creative environment, where sudden changes – such as a guest not being available – and unanticipated ideas can flip plans upside down. The calendar provides benchmarks and guardrails to keep us on track and ensure we’re ready for launch.

We dedicated January through March for pre-production, a planning phase where concept development, episode planning, technical setup, and scheduling take place. From April to August, we transitioned into the production phase, executing the actual recording of the podcast episodes, scriptwriting, directing, monitoring audio quality, and capturing additional audio elements. Also this summer, our engineers will sound design and score the episodes.

Advice from the Team

Creating a podcast can be a challenging yet highly rewarding process, but certain strategies can make this creative journey a tad easier for independent creators. First up: organize and transcribe your interviews by topic and purpose. This practice allows you to sift through the mountain of information you've amassed, highlighting key points and honing the narrative structure of your podcast. Think of it like clearing the clutter from your room, which subsequently clarifies your mind. It helps you assess whether the impact of the episode remains consistent from the time of recording to post-production. 

For shows that have multiple hosts, it may be important to define clear roles for the hosts. Assigning specific roles like the "Speaker" and "Reactor" cuts redundancy, keeping your conversation engaging, dynamic, and resembling a well-choreographed dance. 

One more piece of advice: emphasize the importance of transparency about the podcast's goals and the value proposition.

Looking Ahead

In the spirit of sharing this journey, we've endeavored to provide an inside look at our podcast development process. We remain committed to supporting creators who would otherwise lack these opportunities, fostering growth and sustainability in podcasting.

We measure success not only in listening metrics, but in the connection we establish with an audience yearning for these deep, structured conversations. After all, it's all about the journey… and the destination!

Join us as we continue this adventure in our next article, and don't forget to visit us at www.prx.org/bigquestions for more updates.