The world of podcasts has been exploding over recent years. Over 100 million Americans listen to podcasts on a regular basis, and individual shows can have tens of millions of fans. We’re not just talking about nonfiction works like THE DAILY or SERIAL; fiction podcasts are also having a moment as more writers are turning to the audio medium to tell incredible stories. Forebearers like HOMECOMING, LIMETOWN, THE BRIGHT SESSIONS, and WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE have opened the door for a cavalcade of new, exciting, innovative, and truly great audio storytelling. And as the number of fiction podcasts increases, so does this medium’s fan base as millions of people consistently tune in to their favorite fiction programs. Even as film and television production has slowed down or come to a halt, the doors are still wide open for recording podcasts since they can easily be produced remotely and from the comfort of one’s own home. The water’s warm when it comes to creating your own podcast and joining this vibrant community, but it’s still important you make something that’s not only written well but sounds great.

The prospect of sound design and audio quality can be daunting for those considering venturing into podcasts. It’s not unusual to believe that you’ll be unable to make a high quality and sharp sounding podcast without expensive equipment and a state-of-the-art recording studio. How good can a podcast sound if it’s being recorded in your closet or kitchen, after all? As it turns out, it can sound pretty good, and it can sound good without you needing to break the bank. But it’s not something you can just put together willy nilly. There’s a delicate, precise science to sound design and it’s something that requires a good amount of wherewithal, and forethought. Yet with this understanding in place, it is absolutely possible to create a professional sounding podcast wherever you are and under any budget.

Mischa Stanton is an award-winning and sought after podcast sound designer & producer who has created immersive soundscapes for some of the biggest and most popular podcasts of all time, including LEVAR BURTON READS, Marvel Entertainment’s blockbuster podcast MARVELS, and celebrated science fiction podcast cult hit THE BRIGHT SESSIONS, which is currently in development to be adapted as a television show. Their work has been featured by Wired, Vox, Polygon, Popular Science, The AV Club, and The New York Times, and has garnered 10 Audio Verse Awards for Podcast Sound Design in just 4 years. Mischa has quickly become one of the foremost experts on podcast audio and is prepared to share what they know exclusively with the Stage 32 community.

Mischa will walk you through what you need to know to make your own podcast sound professional on a limited budget, from preparation all the way through editing and finalizing. They will begin with a quick introduction of the human ear and a rundown of what psychoacoustics is and why you should consider it moving forward. They will teach you how to build your own home studio, including finding the right place in your home, the inexpensive but effective ways to sound proof your space, and additional purchases you can make to improve acoustics. Next Mischa will give you a rundown of the recording equipment you will need and smart purchases that can work with your budget. This will include microphones, interfaces, mixers, and headphones. Then they will delve into actual techniques to use while recording your podcast, including near/far and mono/binaural techniques and how to effectively record your podcast remotely. They will provide tips on directing your podcast from an audio perspective, including how to properly cast to ensure everyone sounds different and finding the balance between stage and screen styles. They will then walk you through actually running a recording session, how to make the most of your rehearsals, and documents and spreadsheets you should follow. Mischa will also explain how to edit pacing and feel the flow while directing your sessions. Next they will teach you about sound design, including where to get sounds and effects and how to actually lay out a session. They will run down specific techniques you can use to improve your podcast’s soundscape, including EQ, reverb sends, and accessibility. They will also explain the best and worst editing software to use. With Mischa’s knowledge under your belt, you’ll be able to create your own podcast with a sound quality that can stand toe-to-toe with the best of them.

Praise for Mischa's Stage 32 Webinar:

"This was a tremendously informative and helpful webinar -- well done and time very well spent!!!"

-Peggy K.

"Well done! Tons of good info!"

-Kathleen O.

"It was very informative, especially how Mischa explained and demonstrated step by step the process on making a podcast."

-Sandra R.

• A Quick Intro of the Human Ear
• Psychoacoustics in 30 seconds
• Building Your Own Studio
• Finding the right space in your home
• Inexpensive but effective ways to sound proof your studio
• Additional purchases you can make to improve acoustics
• The Recording Equipment You Will Need (And Smart Purchases That Can Work With Your Budget)
• Microphones
• Interfaces & Mixers
• Headphones
• Recording Your Podcast
• Techniques
• Near / Far
• Mono / Binaural
• Recording by remote
• Directing Your Podcast
• Casting from an audio perspective
• Finding the balance between stage and screen styles
• Running a session
• Making the most out of rehearsals
• Spreadsheets are your friend: Creating and following a recording document (with a real example)
• Editing pacing: feel the flow
• Sound Design the Right Way
• Where to get sounds and effects
• How to lay out a session
• Techniques
• EQ
• Reverb sends
• Accessibility
• The best (and worst) editing software to use
• Q&A with Mischa

All levels of directors (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to make your own podcast sound professional on a limited budget, from preparation all the way through editing and finalizing.

All levels of writers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to make your own podcast sound professional on a limited budget, from preparation all the way through editing and finalizing.

Producers looking to learn how to make your own podcast sound professional on a limited budget, from preparation all the way through editing and finalizing.

Actors looking to learn how to make your own podcast sound professional on a limited budget, from preparation all the way through editing and finalizing.