Above is a chronological list off all the parts of my Podcast/Dramatic Reading I have recorded separately so that I can stitch them together into a longer and more complete version. Each part of the list corresponds to 1-2 paragraphs of my script, including a small section for the intro and outro.
This a screenshot of the entire podcast in post production, the larger sections of the waveform at the start and the end representing both the intro and the outro as well as their respective duration.
The ‘Level’ tab below the waveforms, allows me to observe the audio levels and judge whether or not I am required to lower the sound volume.
As a reference for future podcasts, I will again record every paragraph of my script one at a time, as this allowed me before to quickly re-record a line or section that I may have messed up on. It was very useful when I went into pre-production, as I was simply able to locate the sound files and input them in pre-production (including intro and outro) before exporting them to SoundCloud in a completed state.
What I will not be doing again however, is picking loud intros and outros, as without the gradual fade in and out, they just seem to appear out of nowhere and startle the listener. this was not the desired effect, as I wanted the intro to slowly build an atmosphere for the listener to get hooked into the podcast.
What went well with my podcast, would have to be my delivery of the story to the audience, as I tried to sound deep and mysterious without turning so husky that I became impossible to listen to.
What went wrong with my podcast, (other than the loud intros and outros which I’ve already stated) would have to be the amount of times I messed up on a line or stumbled and stammered through a paragraph.
This is the unfortunate problem with my method as once I extracted the files from the recording device, (H1 Zoom Recorder)I had to go through the pain staking process of chronologically reorganising them until they made the story I was trying to tell.
I believe I communicated my topic of “Fantasy Horror” to my audience very well, as I took care in making my words clear and audible so that everyone could understand what I was saying.
‘Audio Only’ was not a significant limitation to getting my message across, as with my dramatic reading, it allowed the audience/listener to visualise in their mind what the characters looked like, how they were portrayed, what was going on in the story ETC. This was added upon with the inclusion of atmospheric noises and ambience, helping the listener to get immersed into the kingdom of “Lothrum” and its frozen maritime city of “Nealport”.
I thoroughly enjoyed working on media production, as it allowed me to further articulate my creative skills and also helped me learn how to record, produce and upload a successful podcast.
Piers's Blog (Audio/Video) 