Problem Solving
Educational Resources
I feel as though deciding to do an audio-based project, may not have been the best thing to do considering my educational resources.
I feel as though deciding to do an audio-based project, may not have been the best thing to do considering my educational resources.
As there are no active teachers in the college, who specialise in audio production. So, I didn't have anyone in college that could've helped; this was made clear to me at the start, this added the extra pressure of learning a new skill and programme on my own. However, when I did look for advice on possible research tasks, my teachers were more than happy to help.
In response, I found advice and resources through websites and professionals in the field. Podcasting is generally new format of presenting media, so it's a hot topic in the audio/ radio broadcasting community. When you google the term "Podcasting" About 112,000,000 results [44] (as of 17th April 2018 at 10:30 am) come up. There are a lot of resources on the topic; it was more so just refining my search through specific questions. Such as "What are the established podcasting formats?" Asking this question allowed me to write my variants and formats essay.
In regards to the professionals I got in contact with KevinCryptids, The Guilty Feminist and Girl Talk, Only Kevin Cryptids replied to my emails, and he gave me advice about making a podcast and also contributed to my primary research by responding to a questioner I sent him, which can be read on my research page. In the questionnaire, he expressed how long it took him to make the first season, which took around 2 to 3 years to complete.
In reflection learning about podcasting all alone allowed me to have the independence on a project that I feel as though I thrive on, I also believe this is the nature of the FMP in your second year. Doing a project based on a specialism that is unknown by my peers, meant that I had to be utterly self-directing through the project process.
As there are no active teachers in the college, who specialise in audio production. So, I didn't have anyone in college that could've helped; this was made clear to me at the start, this added the extra pressure of learning a new skill and programme on my own. However, when I did look for advice on possible research tasks, my teachers were more than happy to help.
In response, I found advice and resources through websites and professionals in the field. Podcasting is generally new format of presenting media, so it's a hot topic in the audio/ radio broadcasting community. When you google the term "Podcasting" About 112,000,000 results [44] (as of 17th April 2018 at 10:30 am) come up. There are a lot of resources on the topic; it was more so just refining my search through specific questions. Such as "What are the established podcasting formats?" Asking this question allowed me to write my variants and formats essay.
In regards to the professionals I got in contact with KevinCryptids, The Guilty Feminist and Girl Talk, Only Kevin Cryptids replied to my emails, and he gave me advice about making a podcast and also contributed to my primary research by responding to a questioner I sent him, which can be read on my research page. In the questionnaire, he expressed how long it took him to make the first season, which took around 2 to 3 years to complete.
In reflection learning about podcasting all alone allowed me to have the independence on a project that I feel as though I thrive on, I also believe this is the nature of the FMP in your second year. Doing a project based on a specialism that is unknown by my peers, meant that I had to be utterly self-directing through the project process.
The Easter Break
for a workaholic like me it can be very damaging.
Having two weeks off is often considered a great release, for a workaholic like me it can be very damaging. I promised myself that I would have a week off because I've worked hard on this project. This was scheduled at the start of the project so that it wouldn't interfere with my work plan or meeting the deadline.
One week, soon became two. The second week of the holiday was spent napping and feeling generally very depressed, which I felt set my project back. I was meant to record three episodes over the holiday but only recorded two.
In response to this, I decided to evaluate how far I have left in the project and agreed that it is time to be excited. At the time of coming back, we only had around two months left at college, and it would be very disappointing to finish off the three years I've been at Stanmore in a lousy mood. Luckily rescheduling the recording session gave me more time to think about the post-production process of the two episodes I've recorded, giving me more time to edit the episodes. For example Instead of spending an hour to edit an event, I have instead spent two hours on editing the growing up episode. This has given me the time to listen more carefully to breathing patterns and random floor sounds.
Through the project, I've been ahead of my schedule, so the reschedule has meant that I'm producing content on time and not a week before. Overall, I feel to some this may seem like a disadvantage but I feel as though it has helped me evaluate the project as a whole and has immersed me in the creation process.
One week, soon became two. The second week of the holiday was spent napping and feeling generally very depressed, which I felt set my project back. I was meant to record three episodes over the holiday but only recorded two.
In response to this, I decided to evaluate how far I have left in the project and agreed that it is time to be excited. At the time of coming back, we only had around two months left at college, and it would be very disappointing to finish off the three years I've been at Stanmore in a lousy mood. Luckily rescheduling the recording session gave me more time to think about the post-production process of the two episodes I've recorded, giving me more time to edit the episodes. For example Instead of spending an hour to edit an event, I have instead spent two hours on editing the growing up episode. This has given me the time to listen more carefully to breathing patterns and random floor sounds.
Through the project, I've been ahead of my schedule, so the reschedule has meant that I'm producing content on time and not a week before. Overall, I feel to some this may seem like a disadvantage but I feel as though it has helped me evaluate the project as a whole and has immersed me in the creation process.
Episode Themes Changing During Production.
Weeks before the production of the podcast episodes, I decided to plan and construct each episode very clearly. Without taking into consideration what will happen if our discussions come off topic. When recording the "Growing Up" episode with Frith, we mostly spoke about his role in the army and his growth within it. As the host, I should've tried to steer the topic back to the original theme, but I was so stricken by the experiences he had through his training that it was all I wanted to talk about.
Instead of re-recording the episode and keeping it on the theme I pre-planned I decided to keep the episode as it is when thinking about things people my age would be doing I completely overlooked the option of training with the army or navy. I feel as though keeping the episode as it gives a different perspective on life I will never live it will also educate my audience about army training from a first-hand perspective. With only 8,194[45] soldiers training under the army, it isn't a first-hand experience everyone would be able to hear but with my podcast episode, they now can.
In response to the change of theme, at the end of the episode, I give the audience a little disclosure "as you heard we generally spoke about the army and us, kind of as people just because that's not very interesting". I decided to instead end the episode on a light-hearted note, acknowledging that we didn't follow the planned theme.
Sadly I won't be able to re-record the episode with private Frith as he is now finishing his training and I won't see him for 30 weeks, but if I decided to carry the series on after the FMP season, I would record a growing up episode.
Instead of re-recording the episode and keeping it on the theme I pre-planned I decided to keep the episode as it is when thinking about things people my age would be doing I completely overlooked the option of training with the army or navy. I feel as though keeping the episode as it gives a different perspective on life I will never live it will also educate my audience about army training from a first-hand perspective. With only 8,194[45] soldiers training under the army, it isn't a first-hand experience everyone would be able to hear but with my podcast episode, they now can.
In response to the change of theme, at the end of the episode, I give the audience a little disclosure "as you heard we generally spoke about the army and us, kind of as people just because that's not very interesting". I decided to instead end the episode on a light-hearted note, acknowledging that we didn't follow the planned theme.
Sadly I won't be able to re-record the episode with private Frith as he is now finishing his training and I won't see him for 30 weeks, but if I decided to carry the series on after the FMP season, I would record a growing up episode.
From Religion To The Future.
When asking her religious guiders on the topics she discoverd they suggested that it was the work of the devil.
After some consideration, I've decided to change the topic and guest for the fifth episode which was initially titled Religion. The episode was going to focus on Maria's specific experience of religion, going from a Catholic to an atheist. The change was promoted by a range of experiences that Maria had growing up, including seeing the priests home and how lavish it was compared to what he supplied and bought to the church. We were also going to touch on another person's experiences on religion, Kim (mother to my partner) recently had a religious revolution. As a Jahovous witness, she accidentally stumbled onto a series of YouTube videos about ex-Jahovous and why they left. Expressing things about the religion that Kim had never considered before. When asking her community and religious guides on the topic, they suggested that it was the work of the devil. Since then she has discovered parts of the religion she doesn't agree with or has questions about.
In an ideal world, I'd have Kim on the episode, but she has young children and other commitments. So, it wouldn't be suitable for her. Also, the recording space is an hour away from her home.
In response, I decided that I would instead change the episode entirely to the future. I will invite Suzy (My mother) to come and speak about the future. She will work as the voice of reason in regards to insecurities about going to university, being away from home and how it's affecting her.
We will also talk about where we see the future of the general population in the world. As things are currently going, we'll probably be in a world war, at least that's what I think. Myself and Suzy (my mother) have a great relationship so can talk about a topic, and the future is something we've spoken about recently so it'll more so be an adlibbing conversation then something scripted which mirrors the way I've produced the other episodes. I've also changed the graphics work to accompany the episode.
In an ideal world, I'd have Kim on the episode, but she has young children and other commitments. So, it wouldn't be suitable for her. Also, the recording space is an hour away from her home.
In response, I decided that I would instead change the episode entirely to the future. I will invite Suzy (My mother) to come and speak about the future. She will work as the voice of reason in regards to insecurities about going to university, being away from home and how it's affecting her.
We will also talk about where we see the future of the general population in the world. As things are currently going, we'll probably be in a world war, at least that's what I think. Myself and Suzy (my mother) have a great relationship so can talk about a topic, and the future is something we've spoken about recently so it'll more so be an adlibbing conversation then something scripted which mirrors the way I've produced the other episodes. I've also changed the graphics work to accompany the episode.
The change of episodes and guest means I'll lose a very interesting topic, but I feel as though I'll gain one through the eyes of a caring mother.
I also feel as though that it makes poetic sense to finish the series talking about the future.
Rescheduling.
In response working on another person's schedule has made me aware of how un-reliable people can be.
Working on other people's schedules can always be hectic, especially when the other person holds the keys to the place you need to record. Due to the hectic schedule of my parents, it's been hard to document the various episodes required for my project. My father owns the recording studio which the episodes have been recorded in so through the project I've been coordinating various schedules to make the episodes. For example, on the 27th April 2018, episode four and five were scheduled to be recorded after class. Sadly, my parents were also expecting a considerable delivery which required for both of them to be home on the same day, so we've had to reschedule the episode to the following Thursday (3rd May 2018). Luckily, I'm on top of my work and will have the episodes done and distribution plan finished by the 10th.
In response working on another person's schedule has made me aware of how unreliable people can be (even if it's done from a kind place). I planned for this at the start of the project, so it hasn't hindered my project.
In response working on another person's schedule has made me aware of how unreliable people can be (even if it's done from a kind place). I planned for this at the start of the project, so it hasn't hindered my project.
Why do I always have to talk so loud?
I later found out that this was a disadvantage, as I talk louder than most of the people who are on my show.
When recording the various episodes myself and the producer decided to use one mic. We decided to use the RODE NT2 mic in the setting of figure 8; the figure 8 setting would enable the mic to record from each angle. Meaning myself and the co-host would be heard clearly. We decided to do this because the vocal booth isn't huge and didn't have much space, I also would've found it more difficult to edit the product using two audio files instead of one.
I later found out that this was a disadvantage, as I talk louder than most of the people who are on my show. So there was a range difference when mastering the podcast episodes I was able to quickly was quickly solved by logic, so there wasn't any real issue.
However, in the future, I would like to record using two mics instead of one so that I don't have the same problem. I do hope to continue the podcast series after leaving Stanmore, so this is something I will keep in mind for the future.
I later found out that this was a disadvantage, as I talk louder than most of the people who are on my show. So there was a range difference when mastering the podcast episodes I was able to quickly was quickly solved by logic, so there wasn't any real issue.
However, in the future, I would like to record using two mics instead of one so that I don't have the same problem. I do hope to continue the podcast series after leaving Stanmore, so this is something I will keep in mind for the future.