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This community is for podfic meta -- what's an effective way to use music, are certain stories more podficcable than others, what tagging data is good and where should it go, for instance -- and podfic reviews. The goal is not to come to a single consensus about what makes a good podfic, but to articulate and debate aesthetic theories about podfic, in the same way that we articulate and debate aesthetic theories about television shows, music, movies, and, to a sadly lesser extent, fanfiction and other fanactivity.
This community is not for concrit or recommendations; those are valuable, but they also lead the discussion to a really producer-centered place. This comm is for those who like meta discussion and podfic, without regard to whether they read, edit, or listen.
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bluedreamingThere are often discussions about podficcer starter mics and what mics people use (often I see them on discord, but here's an example on Tumblr) to which there will usually be a few varied responses depending on who sees the post, but it's never terribly conclusive. For instance, I feel like there's an impression that the Blue Snowball and Blue Snowball iCE are popular podficcer mics, but is that actually the case?
So, out of curiosity, I put together a mini-survery and simple results interface to answer this question.
Link to the single-question form (Airtable form)
Link to the live(-ish) results! (Airtable interface)
I know this question is maybe a little headed more towards
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podfic_tips/![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
podfic_tips but hopefully with the inclusion of live(-ish) results (I learned my lesson!) it's meta enough to fit here.( Some notes: )
bluedreamingThis was shared by
Elany/
Elany on 20 June 2024 and posted here with permission. I thought it was interesting!
So! The infamous Read by the Author tag, right.
I got curious about whether the state of that tag is really as bad as it seems, so I got some numbers from the past, well, technically past 20 years but past 2006-07 there's no works with that tag and even before then some were very likely backdated. Still, I'm including those also because 2015 marks an interesting shift.
tl;dr it's bad you guys lmao
Podfic Metadata (Headers) in Audio
Nov. 16th, 2023 09:52 pmbluedreamingThere are several questions of the "ask ten podficcers, get ten answers" variety that get asked at least once a week, and one of them is what kinds of metadata are included in the audio of a podfic. Quite neatly, this topic was also the subject of a 2010 post in this community: Tell me something good -- Audible headers. (I also checked Fanlore, but there’s only a single line in the Podfic Metadata article, from what I could tell at least.) So, out of curiosity, I created an informal and very amateur survey about how podfic creators and listeners feel about metadata in podfic audio.
This survey isn't about the metadata in the file properties of a podfic file, or about the metadata included on podfic cover art, or even about the metadata and tags used on a podfic post, though those are also interesting questions!
Eventually, I'll gather up the submissions to create a (very un)official summary and report and share it here, not to provide any kind of guidance, instruction, or suggestion about best practices, but rather just out of curiosity.
Note about the survey: the linked form is not intended to collect any private or personally-identifying information. Please keep any write-in details non-specific. Results will be assembled and shared publicly for curiosity's sake only. In addition, the form is not intended to be comprehensive or conclusive; I'm sure I'm still missing something very obvious! (And have already had to go back to add things.) Any omitted questions are not intentionally excluded.
Update (2-Dec-2023): After very brief consultation, I’ll keep the survey open until the end of the year to perhaps also get some thoughts fromvoiceteam players and other listeners/podficcers.
Update (14-Mar-2024): The form is now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated! I received 96 responses! (A few of these were repeats, due to initial form testing.) I'll update this post again when the results are gathered!
Update (15-Oct-2024): I requested some FTH help with displaying the results, but if that doesn’t end up happening, I’ll definitely have to budge up and do it myself 😅
Update (30-Nov-2024): It looks like I'll have to do it myself 😅
This survey isn't about the metadata in the file properties of a podfic file, or about the metadata included on podfic cover art, or even about the metadata and tags used on a podfic post, though those are also interesting questions!
Eventually, I'll gather up the submissions to create a (very un)official summary and report and share it here, not to provide any kind of guidance, instruction, or suggestion about best practices, but rather just out of curiosity.
Note about the survey: the linked form is not intended to collect any private or personally-identifying information. Please keep any write-in details non-specific. Results will be assembled and shared publicly for curiosity's sake only. In addition, the form is not intended to be comprehensive or conclusive; I'm sure I'm still missing something very obvious! (And have already had to go back to add things.) Any omitted questions are not intentionally excluded.
Update (2-Dec-2023): After very brief consultation, I’ll keep the survey open until the end of the year to perhaps also get some thoughts from
voiceteam players and other listeners/podficcers.Update (14-Mar-2024): The form is now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated! I received 96 responses! (A few of these were repeats, due to initial form testing.) I'll update this post again when the results are gathered!
Update (15-Oct-2024): I requested some FTH help with displaying the results, but if that doesn’t end up happening, I’ll definitely have to budge up and do it myself 😅
Update (30-Nov-2024): It looks like I'll have to do it myself 😅
accessing podfic via mobile devices
Jul. 20th, 2022 10:13 pmbluedreamingI was randomly on the Fanlore page for podfic and came across the following line (no attached citation) at the end of the Distributing Podfic section:
For listeners accessing podfic on their mobile devices, streaming is much easier than downloading.
Fanlore contributors, "Podfic," Fanlore, https://fanlore.org/wiki/Podfic (accessed July 20, 2022). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic License.
The rest of the paragraph above the line links back to a 2011 post from this community, Streaming Podfic, which is more about the reasons one might consider offering streaming.
Obviously, there are people who both access podfic via their mobile devices and find streaming much easier. However, I know I'm not the only person who prefers to download as my mobile access. This conversation (different perspectives on access preferences) tends to come up cyclically, but I don't recall reading any meta about it (if you know of any, I'd be very interested), and of course, things change a lot as phone operating systems get more flexible.
So, it would be very interesting if anyone would like to share in the comments about their preferences for accessing podfic on mobile devices, as well as tips if they have any (favourite apps, basic steps), or things that make downloading or streaming difficult on mobile. To clarify, if you do access on mobile and prefer streaming, it would also be interesting to know what makes that easier or harder. (Breaking streams into certain lengths? Certain hosts?)
Per the profile (and I also checked after posting), anonymous commenting is enabled for this community, so you don't need a Dreamwidth account to comment, but the guidelines note that "they must be signed in some fashion".
Collaborative Podfic
Jun. 25th, 2014 01:02 pmpandor4Hello fellow podfic readers!
I was wondering if there might be a podfic community out there somewhere that focuses or helps readers come together in order to create collaborative podfic, either through dramatic readings or each reader taking a specific chapter.
If anyone knows of such a community, I would happily participate. If there is not, I would like to consider making a dreamwidth community that could focus on collaborative podfic (and would admittedly probably need some help to do so)!
Thanks,
Pandor4
__________________________
Update: After looking around over the past +month, I decided to go ahead and make a community to promote multi-voiced podfic!
I was wondering if there might be a podfic community out there somewhere that focuses or helps readers come together in order to create collaborative podfic, either through dramatic readings or each reader taking a specific chapter.
If anyone knows of such a community, I would happily participate. If there is not, I would like to consider making a dreamwidth community that could focus on collaborative podfic (and would admittedly probably need some help to do so)!
Thanks,
Pandor4
__________________________
Update: After looking around over the past +month, I decided to go ahead and make a community to promote multi-voiced podfic!
Introducing a new community... Collaborative Podfic Promoting the creation of multi-voice podfic. Post ideas for new collaborative works, find open casting calls, and explore the wider community of collaborative podfic! [Visit us on DreamWidth] |
An invitation
May. 7th, 2014 07:19 pmjelazakazoneI have been interested for a while in remixing podfics. I have one thing I am going to try to do, but have been somewhat blocked in other regards. So, if you want to remix podfics and have been feeling the same way (ie, lack of podfics to play with), feel free to use anything I have written and then podded. I recently podded several Merlin fics for the camelotremix challenge.
You can find all my podfics at AO3 here:readbyjela
I don't care what you do with them. If you are interested, go for it and have fun!
camelotremix challenge.You can find all my podfics at AO3 here:
I don't care what you do with them. If you are interested, go for it and have fun!
luncheeAll the things I know about obtaining the best possible sound quality using Garageband. Deals with popular question: "how do I eliminate background noise" (spoiler: the solution is probably not what you want to hear.) What are your feelings when it comes to sound quality?
Tutorial suitable for users running Garageband versions prior to Garageband X (came out with Mavericks) that has stripped out podcasts as a function. X's interface is completely different, sorry.
anna_unfoldingHi, all! I created a bit of meta about what my thought process is as an artist when I am turning the author's words and character headspace into a performance. It involves me reading a section of a fic I'm currently podficcing a few different ways. The fic is In the Stretch, by sophiahelix, who gave me permission to post this meta.
This is a 500 word section of a baseball rpf fic, pairing Tim Lincecum/Buster Posey. The rating for this scene would be R for sexual content. No AO3 archive warnings apply. Buster is distracted at batting practice by the memory of what happened with Timmy the night before.
It's all one file, but has a few sections, so I'll give the timestamps here, which will have the dual purpose of also being a sort of an outline for you to know what is in the meta.
DL link (with an option to stream) here.
0:00 I introduce my project and what the goals are.
1:36 Take 1. An edited reading of the scene without "performing." Just the author's words, read aloud.
4:08 I discuss what you just heard and introduce what Take 2 will be.
5:22 Take 2, a raw cut of me doing the same scene but as a performance. Includes "director's cut" commentary interspersed throughout the takes.
18:20 My concluding remarks.
19:37 Take 3. An edited retake of the whole scene where I attempt to incorporate all the things I mentioned in Take 2.
22:37 End.
Would love to hear thoughts on this meta, and also I encourage others to make a director's cut of a scene they are working on. I'd love to do it again, next time in a scene with more dialogue. Oh, and if you're interested in the full podfic of this phenomenal fic, it's coming! It's 40k and I'm through recording and editing 20k, so the whole thing will be posted in a couple of weeks. <3
This is a 500 word section of a baseball rpf fic, pairing Tim Lincecum/Buster Posey. The rating for this scene would be R for sexual content. No AO3 archive warnings apply. Buster is distracted at batting practice by the memory of what happened with Timmy the night before.
It's all one file, but has a few sections, so I'll give the timestamps here, which will have the dual purpose of also being a sort of an outline for you to know what is in the meta.
DL link (with an option to stream) here.
0:00 I introduce my project and what the goals are.
1:36 Take 1. An edited reading of the scene without "performing." Just the author's words, read aloud.
4:08 I discuss what you just heard and introduce what Take 2 will be.
5:22 Take 2, a raw cut of me doing the same scene but as a performance. Includes "director's cut" commentary interspersed throughout the takes.
18:20 My concluding remarks.
19:37 Take 3. An edited retake of the whole scene where I attempt to incorporate all the things I mentioned in Take 2.
22:37 End.
Would love to hear thoughts on this meta, and also I encourage others to make a director's cut of a scene they are working on. I'd love to do it again, next time in a scene with more dialogue. Oh, and if you're interested in the full podfic of this phenomenal fic, it's coming! It's 40k and I'm through recording and editing 20k, so the whole thing will be posted in a couple of weeks. <3
Blanket Statement Troubleshooting
Aug. 25th, 2013 12:04 ammaryaminxSo, permission statements and/or transformative works policies. Extraordinarily handy things, cause of so much confusion and controversy. Here’s a guide for what to do if your stance on podfic and permission statements are anything less than “yes, please, everything!” written by me, maryaminx, and everything here is the opinion of me and me alone.
( Read more... )
maryaminx, and everything here is the opinion of me and me alone.( Read more... )
Being the Change...
Jun. 27th, 2013 07:11 amnikoSo, between tracking the previous post here and being an ffa reader, I'm a little worn down by permission angst (not in a "Stop talking about it" sort of way... just sayin' :) ). Can we have some shiny, happy meta to balance our chi?
I don't have a couple paragraphs in me on any particular topic, but have a bullet list of some of the ways podfic has made me happy lately.
I don't have a couple paragraphs in me on any particular topic, but have a bullet list of some of the ways podfic has made me happy lately.
- The way a good podfic can take a story that might seem sort of… non-descript or… “nice enough” if I were just reading to myself, and through the magic of pacing and delivery, make me see that it's really a pretty powerful piece
- Readers who are laid-back and easygoing and soothing in their reading
- Readers who really dig into the prose, rolling the words around and having fun with the language
- Intense scenes where the reader is really "in the moment" and has me holding my breath
- The times when a reader totally nails a character’s voice or inflection – even if they sound nothing like the actual character, otherwise
- The times when the writing style and reader delivery combine to totally nail the tone of source material
- When a line mentions someone giving a huff of laughter, and the reader reads the line with an actual huff of laughter (or other non-verbal vocal ticks.)
- The occasional little editing oopsy that sneaks into an otherwise pristine podfic… always makes me smile :)
- All the subtle inflections in my own readings that no one else will ever notice but that are special to me because of all the takes that came before that weren't *quite* right somehow
- The magic of fixing a reading gaffe by parsing in a few words or even just a syllable from a different "take" and having the edit turn out undetectable
- Cool podfic covers
- Comments (duh :) )
- Actually, now that I think about it, there's also something really satisfying about GIVING comments in podfic-dom, too... knowing how rare they are.
Podfic feedback meta
May. 7th, 2013 02:55 pmgreedy_dancer*waves* Hi!
welovepodfic is starting soon and it reminded me that I've been meaning to link to the post I wrote for pod_aware this year about feedback, and never did.
The post was born as a write-up/continuation of a Twitter discussion where someone asked for concrete tips on the kind of feedback podficcers appreciated, and contains my own preferences and thoughts on the subject, especially as a non-native podficcer:
Pod-Aware meta: story love, body love, performance love
All comments welcome! :)
welovepodfic is starting soon and it reminded me that I've been meaning to link to the post I wrote for pod_aware this year about feedback, and never did. The post was born as a write-up/continuation of a Twitter discussion where someone asked for concrete tips on the kind of feedback podficcers appreciated, and contains my own preferences and thoughts on the subject, especially as a non-native podficcer:
Pod-Aware meta: story love, body love, performance love
All comments welcome! :)
Podfic remixy sort of thing
May. 6th, 2013 12:27 pmjelazakazoneI am wondering if anyone has taken podfics that have already been recorded and taken snippets and turned it into a new story. I just made my first podfic with music and, to be totally honest, I would have done something completely different (and may still yet) if I hadn't felt constrained by the conventions of what I've seen. I'd love to play with other people's voices and words, to mash it up and make something new.
Also, anyone know about American copyright laws and if using a couple seconds of a song in a podfic is a copyright violation? I figured that it wouldn't be because I know you can do that with vidding, but now I'm all in a twist about it because dh thought it was a copyright violation.
(Mods, not sure if it's ok to post this question here, so I'm happy to delete if it's not. Thanks!)
Also, anyone know about American copyright laws and if using a couple seconds of a song in a podfic is a copyright violation? I figured that it wouldn't be because I know you can do that with vidding, but now I'm all in a twist about it because dh thought it was a copyright violation.
(Mods, not sure if it's ok to post this question here, so I'm happy to delete if it's not. Thanks!)
podcathI committed some podfic meta in my journal. Comments welcome!
On Permission in Fandom and other Fannish Etiquette
A question about podding
Oct. 9th, 2012 09:45 amjelazakazoneSo, I've recorded two tiny pieces that I wrote and I'm looking at doing someone else's work (for kink bingo reasons). I am wondering, hypothetically at the moment, about people's thoughts on recording stories in fandoms one knows nothing about. As in, hasn't seen the source, has never read any fanfic or listened to podfic about it. Does that matter, do you think?
Podfic Entries on Fanlore
Sep. 22nd, 2012 10:18 amparakaThere's currently a discussion post going on at fanlore about how podfic entries should be made. I'd really appreciate hearing more opinions from podficcers on the matter.
( A little background on the situation )
fanlore about how podfic entries should be made. I'd really appreciate hearing more opinions from podficcers on the matter. ( A little background on the situation )
k_townI know a while back there was some interest in doing a whole Podfic convention. INstead of doing that Dr_Fumbles_McStupid and I were wondering if there would be an interest in doing a number of small fandom related panels at Phoenix Comic Con. Below are some polls asking about interest. If you have any panel ideas or comments please feel free to share them :)
So this is a post to judge the interest in possibly getting a grouping of Panels dedicated to fandom topics at Phoenix Comic Con.
So this is a post to judge the interest in possibly getting a grouping of Panels dedicated to fandom topics at Phoenix Comic Con.
Would you be interested in going to Phoenix Comic Con for a small grouping of Fandom Panels?
What panels would you be interested in?
Woud you be interested in hosting a panel?
dr_fumbles_mcstupidSo before I even got into podficcing, I had the opportunity to do some voice acting. I put together a post at my journal comparing the two different experiences and how they are similar/different if anyone is interested. the post can be found here.
podfic tutorial for Ipad
Jun. 24th, 2012 01:27 amdr_fumbles_mcstupid hey guys, I just posted a tutorial for podficcing with an ipad and external mike over at my journal. go check it out if you are interested :)
KISSES II Multifandom F/F Podfic Fest
Jun. 21st, 2012 10:46 pmnickelmountain
More Information
KISSES II is a multifandom f/f podfic fest in celebration of the upcoming International Day of Femmeslash (July 14th). Join us as we kiss and tell!
