Iâm decidedly old-school when it comes to organisation. I still use a hard-copy diary to manage my to-do list, I meet invites to Slack channels with a sigh, and the backbone of my work structure is a labyrinth of frenetically colour-coded Google docs. But in the interest of spring clearing, I wanted to share a few organisational tools Iâve found particularly helpful for working in audioâŠ
Ideas and pitches
Staying on top of your story ideas and what stage of development theyâre at â thatâs actually where the colour-coded Google doc really comes into its own. Google Slides is a great option for building pitch decks, and Figma is a free easy-to-use tool for collaborative brainstorming.Â
Keeping track of tape
I once heard Sarah Koenig say that she logs all her tape in a spreadsheet. For each piece she types in a summary, meaning all the clips become searchable. A tape database, if you will. Seems especially sensible for large projects with lots of characters and plot-points.Â
Story structure
If youâve got the wall space to spare, map out the beats of your story using Post-Its on a wall or table. Itâs what my friend producer Sarah Ventre calls a âmurder wallâ (presumably as itâs modelled on what they do in TV crime shows, not because youâre going to put a hit out on your characters). Itâs particularly helpful if youâre a visual thinker. A great online version is Mural.Â
Show bibles
When it comes to podcast show bibles or playbooks, Notion is a good tool for laying out all the details of your show - from logline through to marketing. Itâs clear, logically structured and easily shareable.Â
WorkflowÂ
If youâre working on a show with multiple producers / contributors, Google Drawings is a really simple option for creating straightforward diagrams of workflow / tasks.
How do you keep your workflow organized? Let me know đ
Jobs
đ Senior Producer ~ American Public Media ~ Remote, US
đ General Assignment Reporter ~ St Louis Public Radio ~ St Louis, MO
đ Floating Producer ~ WBUR ~ Boston, MA
đ Production Internship & Apprenticeship ~ Pineapple Street Studios ~ Remote ~ begins 10 July; deadline 1 May Â
Events, workshops and more
đŒ Podcast PR workshop ~ Podcast Garage workshop at KQED in San Francisco ~ 6 April
đŒ 60 Second Radio ~ competition for radio art and sonic collage ~ deadline 9 April
đŒ Expanding audio mixing skills for content producers ~ Online Audiotrain class ~ 14 AprilÂ
đŒ Adjusting to a Changing Audio Industry ~ AIR panel ~ 14 April
đŒ LinkedIn Optimization for the Audio Industry ~ AIR workshop ~ 18 April
đŒ Birmingham Podcast Festival ~ 22 AprilÂ
đŒ University of the Arts London storytelling fellowship ~ programme runs from September 2023 to June 2024 ~ deadline 15 May
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