Podcast Production Steps

Podcast Admin Preproduction

1. Create MTW Music Tech Student Podcast Episode Show Notes Page
   • Gather EPK and Social Channels from guests and co-hosts
2. Invite and confirm guests and co-Hosts
   • Send Reminders
3. Promote and Market the Zoom Webinar date
   • Promote Slido App to collect questions before the show

Preflight Setup

1. If possible, have guests do a sound check before the show and send us a WAV file
2. Remind guests to use headphones
3. Soundcheck with guests 15-30 minutes before the show

Remote Recording Platforms

Regardless of remote recording platforms all guests will also record themselves locally as a double-ender

1. For Audio Only Podcasts with no live audience we use either:
   1. Squadcast
      • More rock solid and user friendly to guests and hosts
   2. Riverside
      • Has more features but the system is buggy
2. For Video Podcasts
   • Zoom Webinars
     • Not Zoom Meetings

Gather Collect Media Assets

1. Send Dropbox File Upload Request to guests and co-hosts
2. Create a new Parent Folder

   YYYY-MM-DD Podcast Name

3. Collect all audio/video files
   • YYYY-MM-DD Podcast Name Source Files
     • YYYY-MM-DD Podcast Name Local Audio Recordings
     • YYYY-MM-DD Podcast Name Zoom Files
   • Consider renaming Source Audio Files
     • YYYY-MM-DD Podcast Name - Person Name

Pro Tools Session Create

1. Import all files into Pro Tools
   • 24 bit 48k Session
2. Rename Tracks
3. Align and synchronize all clips
4. Perform initial edits to prepare for Discript
5. Consolidate Clips
6. Save Copy In
7. Export New Pro Tools session as AAF
8. Import into Descript

Video Production

1. If any of the podcast is intended for Video Production
   • Import Consolidated Audio files from Pro Tools into a new Premier Pro Project
2. Import Video Files into Premiere Pro
3. Synchronize all Audio and Video Files
   • Consider using Plura Eyes if necessary
4. Export Premiere Pro Project as AAF

Descript

1. Import AAF from Pro Tools or Premiere Pro
2. Edit/Remove Ums, Uhs, Ahs etc.
3. Export as AAF

Premier Pro Editing

1. Ripple edit dead time and bloopers
2. Select camera angles
3. Don't spend time with detailed audio editing
   • We will do that in Pro Tools
4. Just get everything in proper sequence
   • with clips positioned in the Timeline
5. Graphics, B-Roll, Lower 3rds, Credits etc.
   • will be done later

Pro Tools Editing

1. Create New Pro Tools Session
2. Import Descript AAF
3. Finish Editing
   • No Plugins yet
4. Update and Edit Show Notes concurrently
   • Be on the lookout for references to people and things we want to link in the show notes
5. Strip Silence
   • But be aware of room tone
6. Check every edit in headphones for pops and clicks
7. Use Clip Gain to optimize levels in each track
8. Add intro VO narration
   • Add highlight teaser clips from engaging parts later in the show
9. Add opening theme music
10. Add additional music throughout the show
    • Document all music used for copyright clearance

Mixing and Mastering

1. Add plugins on all Tracks
   • Mix to taste
2. Route All Tracks to a Stereo Audio Track
3. Print the Mix internally
4. Export and Convert the finished mix to MP3
   • Stereo
   • 256kbt/s