Want to make a podcast? One that you can listen to on long car rides or listen to like a meditation? Want to make something that people can hear and relate to, and one where stories can be shared in a safe setting? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
Step one: Figure out what you want to talk about! What makes you unique, or what is something you’re passionate about? Some podcasts are geared towards certain topics, but you don’t have to follow that route if you don’t want to. Kate and Lauren Stenger ’22 run a podcast called “Double Take.” What makes them unique? Lauren says, “Being identical twins, Kate and I have a very close relationship. We work well together, and our ideas and questions bounce off of each other.” However, you don’t have to search for that “unique-ness” or set of topics if you feel you’ve hit an idea roadblock. Just talk, ease into conversations – how was your day? what did you do yesterday? what are you doing after this? – and most likely you and whoever you’re interviewing will have something in common. Chase Mathis ’21 runs a podcast called “Voices of Deerfield,” geared at getting to know the Deerfield community better. He says, “Doing the podcast, to be frank, was all for me and the guest.”
Step two: Map out how you hope to run your podcasts! How are you going to interview people? How are you going to record, edit, and produce the podcast? Evaluating the pros and cons within podcasts is an important step in figuring out your plan. “To someone who wants to start their own podcast, my advice would be to have a focus,” Lauren Stenger recommends, “For Kate and me, we are interested in business, community service, and wellness.” Having a rubric will help keep you in line when you are recording, and will also help you figure out who you want to interview and what you want to talk about. In regards to the recording process, Mathis recommends, “I just use the Apple headphones and they seem to work as well as I need them to.” Sometimes simple tech is best.
Step three: Have fun! Podcasts do not have to be stressful; they are simply an open space to share ideas. Mathis says, “I love making podcasts. I’ve done two where the things we’ve discussed were not meant to be put on air, and therefore both of us just have these shared private conversations.” Enjoy yourself and enjoy what comes out of them!
Editing can be a hassle, but as Kate Stenger adds, “Although it is a lot of work, it is super rewarding when the podcast is up and running.” If anyone is looking to learn about podcasts or to create their own, this list can be a good place to start!