Pod-Crashing Episode 45: On The Road
Taking your podcast out on the road truly is far from being an original concept. NPR mastered that magic trick decades before well edited blogs evolved into a vocal approach. Look at what CBS was doing with Charles Kuralt. Even Stern got into the action with his birthday bash and on the spot reporting that usually featured a huge guest list.
We can’t leave out terrestrial radio who’s always tried to play street games of the everyday world at sporting events, news conferences, live on location remotes to promote a business and I’ll never forget taking a microphone to backyard parties, weekend blowouts and other gatherings just to get real sounds for promos, sweepers and other local features that made us come across as connected.
When I first got into podcasting in 2012 the idea of leaping outside the warmth and comfort of the studio is a distant thought. I wanted to have complete control. Giant buses and trash trucks crashing against metal didn’t need to be part of the one on one conversations being planted on the digital platform.
Then May 11, 2014 I took note of a large group of people gathering outside the historic Park Terrace Movie Theater. There wasn’t anything new out. Had there been a crime? It turns out the theater was celebrating its 50th anniversary. Part of the celebrating was digging up a time capsule. (((sound bite)))
Nobody knew what was inside. I instantly went live on Spreaker which was hooked up to the iHeart Radio podcast Unplugged and Totally Uncut. (((sound bite)))
I did seven live breaks from Park Terrace. All of which drew a very large global listening audience. The experience opened the door for me to take the system to the infield of Charlotte Motor Speedway. (((sound bite)))
I honestly didn’t know what I was doing except screwing around with a new tool from the shed. I’m a bare to the bone roots driven hardcore terrestrial radio guy that wanted to feel that energy created by being live. Once again the numbers proved to be in the winning circle.
One problem. Podcasting wasn’t going to serve me or clients in the way radio and television had already seized with a call to action. That’s when advertisers can tell you how you can save money right now. But wait! There’s more! Radio sales people sat down with me and asked client questions. How will a Charlotte business serve a Denver Colorado listening audience? By the time listeners truly caught up with the Charlotte Motor Speedway podcast the winner had been crowned two weeks ago.
I wasn’t going to quit the live concept. There was something in my approach. It didn’t sound like I was sitting in cold lonely production room. So I took the conversations to the patio at Panera Bread. I invited guest hosts where we collaborated in gaining valuable content from people like Dennis Quaid (((sound bite))) Hec even Mike Nesmith of the Monkeys (((sound bite)))
I also created an Actors Studio style episode process where future Broadcasters and I recorded a huge amount of artists on the move. Nobody seemed bothered by it until a producer on their side said it caught them off guard that I was not inside a sound proof arena of fun. Then I did one during an unexpected invasion of children ran into my podcast area and that’s all we heard. Until you got into post production and the person being interviewed sounded perfectly fine. Only because I left right my channels. I’m on the right. They’re on the left. When it doesn’t sound right I re-record the question.
Now that I’ve added the Zoom L-8 to my fun little things to play with, it increases my reasons for wanting to be even further away from the studio. So much so I quickly reached out to tour promoters and managers about doing podcasts from the green room or just off the stage. It took no time for them to bite into the picture. Fans and followers want to be taken somewhere. As podcasters we can move in any direction and be prepared for the worst.
Like Gilbert Godfrey totally disappearing off the microphone. (((sound bite)))
Even Marc Maron has bad days and when those situations unfold you’ve gotta keep the show locked on forward motion.
So what’s the moral of the story? Podcasting is about being present. No matter where you’re standing or drawing mental pictures take the extra step and see if you can leave those you’ve invited as guests in their own environment. Guests coming to my studio turns them into worry warts. In the most recent Podcast Magazine publication Katy Couric touches on that subject. If doing interviews on camera people are horrified of how they may look but with podcasting those involved are totally unseen. Which invites people to drop their guard and get into the moment. It gets even better when you take the equipment to their safe zone. Best conversations every time.