Plan a Podcast: Good Ideas to Great Episodes

There’s a big difference between a great idea and a great podcast. Just ask Jeff Emtman, who founded the successful documentary podcast “Here Be Monsters.” Before he ever picks up the microphone, Jeff has an elaborate preparation ritual, a process involving bathtubs, strategic forgetfulness, and good old-fashioned journaling.

Jeff will show you how to zoom in on the important parts of a story and forget the fluff, conceptualize sound and a story’s “dream tape,” and use self-doubt and existential dread as a creative tool. You’ll come away with real-world techniques for preparing for your podcast so that you can make your best work.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Get over your fears of actually starting work on an episode and take the first leap.
• Compartmentalize and benefit from pre-production jitters.
• Focus on research at the beginning, not story structure.
• Prepare for the interview, both practically and conceptually.
• Use sound to deepen the impact of an episode.
• Doubt your story so you can find its flaws and improve it.
• Experiment with and subvert conventional structures.

• Class Introduction
• Sparking Your Idea
• Imagine Your Dream Tape
• Leverage Sound
• Doubt Your Story
• Experimenting
• Writing the Prep List
• Q&A