August 3, 2007 18 Comments

Records and Miniseries

recordalbumguy Most times, podcasters and videobloggers think in terms of creating shows. They have an idea for a format, and they decide to turn up the mics, get out the videocamera, and start a long series of shows. But shows are marathons. They are a commitment to a project without a determined endpoint. People talk about “podfading,” a term used when producers can’t sustain their show’s production over time. Sounds daunting for someone considering making media for the first time. My suggestion? Think in terms of records and miniseries.

Records

Before iTunes downloads and CDs, there were these plastic circles called records or albums. They contained two sides, and had a finite length. Mainstream music producers still think in terms of “making a record” when they contemplate projects. You could, too.

When conceiving an audio project, why not consider a finite number of episodes or “tracks?” Maybe 10 or 7 or whatever the number is that makes sense. Make them roughly X-minutes long each, and then you’ve got a format. The format can help you structure the information you’re seeking to convey. It might give you a needed sense of structure to keep going.

Miniseries

Same concept, only in video. Consider building your video project to have a discrete beginning and ending, and then determine how you want to split the information across how many episodes. You can then structure your information, and decide how to present it. Your production can have a finite topic, with a beginning and an end.

Benefits of This Method

Thinking in terms of records and miniseries means that you can create more targeted media. You can build a fun series on a local personality for one “record,” and then do a five-part series on fitness for the next. Coupled with the mindset of you as a production company, this means that people get used to subscribing to YOU as the brand, and your output are the productions you pass along.

Let’s Try It Out

I think I’ll put this in action here, with a twist. I want YOU to suggest what kind of projects you might want to see from me to prove this out. Should I make a “record” of networking tips? Do you want a miniseries of interviews? And what will YOU contribute to the project? Do you have some short series ideas?

What do you think? How about you people with ongoing shows?

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Photo Credit, Hold That Tiger

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  • http://www.linkerjpatrick.com linkerjpatrick

    These are good ideas on really putting focus to your work and message. I know I prefer the mini-series as opposed to the series that goes on longer than it should. I really wish more TV shows would be brave enough to do this. I’m a big Lost fan and glad they have a definite story end in mind. The only thing that concerns me on the Internet is good stuff getting lost in the chatter of newer stuff. What do you think about “repurposing” such content into other media such as downloadable pdfs, DVDs, etc?

  • http://www.spinningsilkmultimedia.com/blog Patrick

    These are good ideas on really putting focus to your work and message. I know I prefer the mini-series as opposed to the series that goes on longer than it should. I really wish more TV shows would be brave enough to do this. I’m a big Lost fan and glad they have a definite story end in mind. The only thing that concerns me on the Internet is good stuff getting lost in the chatter of newer stuff. What do you think about “repurposing” such content into other media such as downloadable pdfs, DVDs, etc?

  • http://TheFemGeek.com thefemgeek

    Hey Chris. Wow what a question that stirred up the old cranium to thinking. Speaking of what “I” would personally want, I would love to see you have a show interviewing (podcast or video) people who are doing the shows and finding out what they started with and what they have now. I find that looking in many forums their are constant questions on equipment, what problems did you face, how much are you spending to get your show going, how do you find people and events to talk about, etc. I think if there was a show (miniseries) concentrating on that it would be like the old techtv shows that was a reference on how-to’s with the tech world, your show could be that with the podcast/video world. These questions are sometimes answer by the host of the shows on the go or quickly because they need to get their own show going. This is just my take and I’ll have to say whatever you do I’ll listen because you are a great motivator and informer (not like the jamaican rap song song by the white guy :).

  • http://thefemgeek.com TheFemGeek

    Hey Chris. Wow what a question that stirred up the old cranium to thinking. Speaking of what “I” would personally want, I would love to see you have a show interviewing (podcast or video) people who are doing the shows and finding out what they started with and what they have now. I find that looking in many forums their are constant questions on equipment, what problems did you face, how much are you spending to get your show going, how do you find people and events to talk about, etc. I think if there was a show (miniseries) concentrating on that it would be like the old techtv shows that was a reference on how-to’s with the tech world, your show could be that with the podcast/video world. These questions are sometimes answer by the host of the shows on the go or quickly because they need to get their own show going. This is just my take and I’ll have to say whatever you do I’ll listen because you are a great motivator and informer (not like the jamaican rap song song by the white guy :).

  • http://www.ldpodcast.com Whitney

    How about a short series of five minute/10 minute podcasts about creating community? You could even talk to other people who are community developers about best preactices….

  • http://www.ldpodcast.com Whitney

    How about a short series of five minute/10 minute podcasts about creating community? You could even talk to other people who are community developers about best preactices….

  • http://justinkownacki.blogspot.com Justin Kownacki

    Actually, any “miniseries” idea I could suggest would actually seem like an idea I wouldn’t want to see end. Community, motivation, creativity, passion… these are all topics that could be fruitful for years.

    A miniseries should break off a specific part of a story with a defined (by you or by the topic itself) beginning, middle and end. Say, “a monthlong look at community in Boston startups.” That way, you can have a thesis, use the miniseries to test the thesis, and then draw conclusions. By that rationale, Ze Frank’s “The Show” was a (yearlong) miniseries.

    Oh, and as a video producer, yes, I agree: break your show down into manageable mini-chunks. That’s why STBD has moved to 10-episode arcs, which allow us a breather in-between. Easier to grasp, for viewers and for us.

  • http://justinkownacki.blogspot.com Justin Kownacki

    Actually, any “miniseries” idea I could suggest would actually seem like an idea I wouldn’t want to see end. Community, motivation, creativity, passion… these are all topics that could be fruitful for years.

    A miniseries should break off a specific part of a story with a defined (by you or by the topic itself) beginning, middle and end. Say, “a monthlong look at community in Boston startups.” That way, you can have a thesis, use the miniseries to test the thesis, and then draw conclusions. By that rationale, Ze Frank’s “The Show” was a (yearlong) miniseries.

    Oh, and as a video producer, yes, I agree: break your show down into manageable mini-chunks. That’s why STBD has moved to 10-episode arcs, which allow us a breather in-between. Easier to grasp, for viewers and for us.

  • http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com Christopher Penn, Financial Ai

    The mini-series within the existing series also lets you break format without disrupting your audience too much. I took off a week of the Financial Aid Podcast to create the Starter Pack, a five episode miniseries on reviewing the basics of financial aid, and have it split out. People tuning in that week knew that the mini-series was different from the regular show, and that the change was only temporary.

  • http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com Christopher Penn, Financial Aid Podcast

    The mini-series within the existing series also lets you break format without disrupting your audience too much. I took off a week of the Financial Aid Podcast to create the Starter Pack, a five episode miniseries on reviewing the basics of financial aid, and have it split out. People tuning in that week knew that the mini-series was different from the regular show, and that the change was only temporary.

  • http://www.loudmouthman.com Nicholas Butler

    Spot on , I was worried about getting started and then I found that by using something like Kyte.tv I could create content quickly without focussing on production. I am still playing with other sites to do this but for the moment I am building my social network ideas up here

    http://www.kyte.tv/social_networking

    I would love to hear from you about building and cultivating communities via blogs and social networks.

    What would I contribute ? how about content from my own channel ?

    Cheers

    Nik

  • http://www.loudmouthman.com Nicholas Butler

    Spot on , I was worried about getting started and then I found that by using something like Kyte.tv I could create content quickly without focussing on production. I am still playing with other sites to do this but for the moment I am building my social network ideas up here

    http://www.kyte.tv/social_networking

    I would love to hear from you about building and cultivating communities via blogs and social networks.

    What would I contribute ? how about content from my own channel ?

    Cheers

    Nik

  • http://trafcom.typepad.com/blog Donna Papacosta

    Great post, Chris. The record analogy is perfect.

    I too am a proponent of the limited-series podcast. I wrote about it last year: http://trafcom.typepad.com/blog/2006/11/podcasting_secr_1.html

    Often I recommend it to clients who don’t want to commit to a “forever” podcast and then fall victim to podfading.

    I would love to see you do a series on community building. And FemGeek’s idea is wonderful.

  • http://trafcom.typepad.com/blog Donna Papacosta

    Great post, Chris. The record analogy is perfect.

    I too am a proponent of the limited-series podcast. I wrote about it last year: http://trafcom.typepad.com/blog/2006/11/podcasting_secr_1.html

    Often I recommend it to clients who don’t want to commit to a “forever” podcast and then fall victim to podfading.

    I would love to see you do a series on community building. And FemGeek’s idea is wonderful.

  • http://www.superspud.com/spudcast Daniele Rossi

    I’m doing something similar with my podcast (as long as I have content). It’s kind of both a record and miniseries (I guess!)– every 2nd show is about the same topic.

    It’s hard to choose what I’d like to hear on your show because you already write about interesting topics on your blog. I did enjoy your show about confidence and I’d like to hear more on topics like that (lifehacking?).

  • http://www.superspud.com/spudcast Daniele Rossi

    I’m doing something similar with my podcast (as long as I have content). It’s kind of both a record and miniseries (I guess!)– every 2nd show is about the same topic.

    It’s hard to choose what I’d like to hear on your show because you already write about interesting topics on your blog. I did enjoy your show about confidence and I’d like to hear more on topics like that (lifehacking?).

  • http://www.shainemata.net Shaine

    Excellent idea to create as a miniseries. This allows you to experiment more frequently. Although you could refine your one show to perfection, it would still be the one show. If you have discrete projects, you may stumble upon something fun on occasion. If it’s not fun, you know that it’s only a limited series. I like that.

  • http://www.shainemata.net Shaine

    Excellent idea to create as a miniseries. This allows you to experiment more frequently. Although you could refine your one show to perfection, it would still be the one show. If you have discrete projects, you may stumble upon something fun on occasion. If it’s not fun, you know that it’s only a limited series. I like that.