Randomized movie reviews with listener participation

► Tell us about you and your podcast

We're four real-life friends who have known each other for over 20-years. We're all amateur filmmakers and each have our own areas of expertise, which creates a great dynamic for the show. We have a wheel with 16 genres and one wildcard. Each week we spin the wheel and the hosts take turns picking a movie that falls within that randomized genre. Once a genre has been selected, it is removed from the wheel (and effectively that season). Our listeners come from all walks of life, from casual movie-goers to film buffs.

► Why & how did you start this podcast?

We started the podcast mainly out of boredom during the Coronavirus pandemic, much like probably 75% of podcasts out there today. Since we're such big movie fans, it was very simple to jump right to that topic and we came up with the format of the show almost immediately. After a few days of pooling together some money, we bought microphones and arms. Once they came in, we recorded our first show and released it just a couple of days later.

Gjør podkastproduksjon enklere å forstå

Motta en gratis ukentlig e-post der podkastere deler kreative erfaringer. Hold deg oppdatert og inspirert.

Motta nyhetsbrevet Podigest på e-post

► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?

Funding is a constant issue. We have had to be creative in trying to generate some revenue to cover the start up costs of the mics, arms, hosting fees, domains, etc. Each of us typically watch the upcoming movie by ourselves on a time that is convenient for our individual selves. We then meet every Tuesday afternoon and record. It typically takes about 1.5 hours to record the 1-hour long show. We then upload the uniedted raw version of that to our Patreon, to provide an early access benefit. The show is then edited typically on a Friday and subsequently released every Saturday.

► What do you gain from podcasting?

We do not take any sponsorships, it is entirely audience funded through Patreon, personalized movie review commissions, and merchandise. Doing this show has been a lot of fun, since we're really just talking about movies with friends. We all agree that it has forced us to watch some movies that we would have never watched ourselves.

► How does your podcasting process look like?

Everyone typically watches the upcoming movie on either a Sunday or Monday night. We then get together on Tuesday afternoons and record using GarageBand. The files are saved in a shared iCloud account. The unedited version is uploaded to Patreon for early access benefits. The show is edited on Fridays using Logic Pro. The completed show is uploaded to our self-hosted website and the new episode is scheduled for Saturday. On Saturdays, our MailChimp account is running an RSS campaign and sends out an email to the list letting everyone know the new episode is out and gives an except from the show notes. We then post on various social media sites about the new episode.

► How do you market your show?

Listeners typically find us from podcast directories, social media, or our website. Since we're self-hosted, we have metrics that can tell where listens come from based off the RSS feed. iTunes is by far our number one source of plays, followed by plays on our website. We utilize email, social media, and word-of-mouth for advertising. We don't really have the budget, yet, to pay for advertising.

► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?

Absolutely do not expect to be an overnight success and do not get obsessed with listen numbers. That has been the source of some frustration when we were starting out. If you're new to podcasting, look up "Buzzsprout - Learn how to Podcast" on Youtube. It has a ton of great information in small, easily digestible videos.

► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?

Screen Riot website: https://www.screenriot.net
Online Shop: https://shop.screenriot.net
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/screenriot
Newsletter: https://www.screenriot.net/support/#newsletter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScreenRiot
Twitter (@ScreenRiotPod): https://www.twitter.com/screenriotpod
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ScreenRiot/
And we're available on practically every podcast directory out there!