Planning, or pre-production, is a crucial step when creating an audio project or podcast.
1. Consider your constraints
Be aware of your constraints, which often include:
- The goal(s) of the assignment itself. Examine your rubric thoroughly. Understand exactly what your professor expects from your project. This is the most important starting point.
- A short time limit
- The software and equipment you will be using. (For recommended gear, check out the Production section)
2. Brainstorming
It can be tough to get started, especially if you have a very open-ended assignment.
- Decide on a topic (try to pick something that interests you!)
e.g. "I am interested in Buddhist meditation."
- Narrow your topic by generating questions or new ideas to explore.
e.g. "What are different ways meditation is done in the US?" / "What exactly IS meditation?"
- Do the research. Explore news, academic journals, blogs -- whatever is appropriate for your assignment. Your research will lead to more questions to explore, and interesting new insights.
e.g. "Meditation research shows huge benefits to physical and mental health" / "Meditation is being prescribed more and more by psychologists"
- Summarize what your project will do in one sentence.
e.g. "A self-reflexive podcast that combines excerpts from a personal 30-day meditation journal, and explores recent research about the benefits of meditation.
3. Write a script
A script is the road map that is going to get you to your finished product. Even though the final outcome may differ significantly from your script, it will save you a lot of time and keep you focused.
The goal of scripting is to start putting together ideas for how the story of the piece will come together through its various media components (spoken words, music, etc).
- Start with an outline.
- Consider and decide on what types of media you will use. See the sidebar to the right to find out more about what is involved in using different media in your project.
- Start assembling the script. Use the scripting resources to the right to find a template or format to use.