Creation of a Documentary Podcast

Learn to construct a narrative, record stories and build a soundscape to produce and broadcast this extremely popular audio medium.

In recent years, many podcasts have emerged featuring new audio content. Podcasts have become a real cultural phenomenon, opening up a whole new field of possibilities for audio storytelling and conversation. Podcasts feature audio content designed, produced and broadcast exclusively online, which can be accessed by anyone whenever they wish. When we listen to a podcast or a radio creation, we hear voices, stories and soundscapes that tell the world and capture our attention. In this way, podcasts are a powerful imaginative tool. Podcasts are now emerging as a new frontier of storytelling. Through the creation of the first episode of a podcast (artistic content and technical training), participants in this course will acquire knowledge of sound techniques (recording, editing and mixing) and writing in order to launch their own original podcast. 

Target audience
Participants in this course must have a documentary podcast project (theme, outline) to develop in order to register. Registrations are validated on the basis of an application file which includes the prospective title of the podcast and a description of the documentary project (approximately 1 page) which specifies the type of project considered.

Targeted skills
Knowledge of the history and current state of the podcast and radio industry.
Ability to conceptualise a podcast (writing, narrative).
Knowledge of sound recording and sound design techniques.
Intermediate level skills in voice and sound recording.
Basic skills in sound editing and mixing techniques.

Prerequisites
Have a documentary podcast project.

Teaching methods
Theory course, practical workshops in writing, sound recording and mixing in a recording studio. Personal work to be done between sessions (writing and recording).

Equipment:
participants must bring their computer (Reaper software – accessible in open source); HEAD – Genève provides sound equipment (sound studio, hand recorder, etc.)

Certification
Certificate of Continuing Education

Credits
2 ECTS credits

Practical information
From Decembre 2, 2023 until January 13, 2024
Language: French
Course format: seminar and workshop 
Fee: CHF 1,200.
HEAD – Genève alumni CHF 900 
Location: HEAD – Genève, Building Encyclopédie, Rue de l’Encyclopédie 5, 1201 Geneva (ground floor rooms)

Information & registration/admission
Contactfc.head@hesge.ch
Follow this link to regsiter
A document of approximately 3'500 characters describing the desired documentary podcast project, together with the prospective title should be included in the application.
General terms and conditions

Delphine Jeanneret, Module head

Delphine Jeanneret is a film curator, lecturer at Film Department at HEAD – Genève. She holds an MA in Art History and English and American Literature, as well as a DAS in Cultural Management. For more than 15 years, she has been programming films in festivals, art venues and film institutions. She is also strongly involved in programmes that aim to reveal young filmmakers with new aesthetics and has participated in numerous juries and round table discussions at  international festivals such as Cannes, IFF Rotterdam, IndieLisboa, Dokufest, Festival Nouveau Cinéma in Montreal, the Austrian Film Museum, the Warsaw Int. Film Festival, etc. 

Vuk Vukmanovic, Module head

Vuk Vukmanovic studied classical guitar before obtaining his BA in Film Direction at HEAD – Genève and his MA in Sound Studies. After several years spent mainly in production sound, he now works almost exclusively in post-production as a re-recording mixer/sound designer at Studios Masé. He is also a lecturer and coordinator of the new sound option of the BA programme in Film Studies at HEAD – Genève. In addition to his work in film and television, he has created several sound art pieces in collaboration with Swiss public broadcasting and various cultural events in Geneva. He works on projects that explore the barriers between sound and music, a subject with infinite possibilities that inspires him daily. 

Clara Alloing, guest speaker

Clara Alloing is a sound artist and operator. Her practice lies at the crossroads between cinema, radio creation and electroacoustic music. Since 2015, she has been developing creations that give voice to intimate narratives and that seek to represent the space of the world that these voices inhabit. Besides her personal work, she collaborates as a sound recordist and sound editor with artists such as Marie Losier, Sayaka Mizuno or Maëlle Gross. She is also one of the organisers of the first radio art festival in Geneva, Les yeux grands fermés, which takes place at Théâtre Saint-Gervais.

 

Programme & agenda 8 half-days 

Saturday 2 December 2023 from 9am to 5:30pm
#1 – Introduction to podcasts, history and listening.
#2 – Technical basics of sound recording.

Saturday 9 December 2023 from 9am to 5:30pm, 
#3 – Defining a topic, a name and conducting research.
        Choosing the format of the show and the episode.
#4 – Writing the podcast and content.

Saturday 16 December 2023 from 9am to 5:30pm, 
#5 – Scouting and writing.
#6 – Voice, rhythm, diction, intro and outro music, soundscape.

Saturday 13 January 2024 from 9am to 5:30pm 
#7 – Writing and advanced sound recording techniques.
#8 – Recording and editing audio of the first episode.
        Cover design and broadcast tips.