Objectives
I’ve been a fan of video for a long, LONG time. Ever since I was little, my father’s early vlogs during his tours in Iraq inspired me to make my own creative ideas come to life. But rather than just make a short film here and there, I also want to have an influence on the industry. There’s a new generation of directors, videographers, editors and more coming into the fray, but they’re arriving at a time of great upheaval in the entertainment industry. Many like myself aren’t sure where to move forward in their careers. We’re lost, in a sense.
To help resolve this, I decided to create a podcast that would bring the knowledge of the professionals and the experienced to the beginners. I wanted to do so in a way that would be both entertaining and informative to those who weren’t sure how to approach working in video, and so I followed a simple methodology: casual interviews with all kinds of video workers around our generation’s age range.
The Project
When designing the podcast, I wanted it to have appeal to younger generations. I decided to play into a psuedo sci-fi aesthetic for the design, while keeping the overall tone of each episode simplistic: have fun, talk about video, and keep it engaging. This made it easy! Production was quick, recording was fun, and I quite enjoyed making every episode. Plus, the idea of exploring a new world reached out to my demographic, and I wanted to keep that feeling for my listeners exploring the world of video work. Hence, the official logo was born.
The title of each episode focuses on the creator, with the next phrase being an emphasis on the primary topic that was discussed in the interview. All episodes thus far are under half an hour, which makes for easy listening.
Challenges
Something unexpected came along while I was figuring out how to match the required time needed from this project before the deadline: I was working too fast! Scheduling extra interviews was a quick endeavor, though it definitely accelerated the rate at which the episodes were produced respectively.
The Project Process
My interviewees were varied from all around the videography world. All are from my generation; they all work in the industry in different ways. The main intent behind interviewing them all was to bring experienced people closer to the rising generation, giving them hope, excitement, and guidance.
After contacting them for an interview, I would set up a basic Zoom call and talk with them for an amount of time that wasn’t really set. My primary guideline was to be quick, so at most the guest’s interviews would not last over 45 minutes. Below is a list of each guest and their line of work:
- Bransen Pass: Independant Videographer
- Wyatt Whittier: Independant Videographer
- Lana Stevens: Editor for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Media Team
- Alex Browning: Videographer, Editor, Company Head
- Savannah McCauley: Director, Audio Engineer, Radio Host
When the interview wrapped up, I’d work on the editing process. Each episode evolved in how I wanted it to flow with the introduction, primary content, and the final call to action, which helped me to better understand how the podcast itself was growing as an intellectual property and a concept as a whole. Finally, I would publish them and post a follow-up advertisement to draw attention to each new episode on my social media platforms. No specialty platforms were used, though I feel that if this endeavor is to continue, that would be a necessity.
Experiences
As of writing this, the podcast in total has over 60 downloads, with simple advertising based on posts via Facebook and Instagram. I suspect that if this had a more dedicated push for further content behind it, that number would continue to grow.
Each guest I had was based on a previous contact I made while at BYU-Idaho or in a previous encounter, and I feel that I was able to strengthen these connections with each interview. They are good friends of mine, and I look forward to potentially working with them all again in the future. Each is talented, and I’ve learned much from their wisdom shared in these episodes.
Things I’ve Learned
Perhaps the biggest thing I’ve learned in making this project is that there are audiences out there in need of information, especially in the rising workforce. In a world full of misinformation, it’s good to have a collective source of personal guidance to help the future movie-makers excel in their work.
I’m so glad that I decided to take this opportunity to share knowledge with the next generation. This podcast has helped me expand my skillset, forge stronger networking connections, and even presented potential business opportunities! It’s a dream that I’m glad to have fulfilled in a working environment.
