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It’s an exciting time to be a content creator – for all of us! Not long ago, documentaries were gloomily known as the “D” word…since no one wanted to buy them. Now they’re hot as ever thanks to streamers like Netflix and cable networks who’ve followed suit. On the flip side, podcasting was once thought of as a geeky pass time (hello, Biagio!) It’s now exploded in popularity. In some cases podcasts have even beaten TV at the game of winning pop culture buzz. Being TV producers and filmmakers, networks have begun asking us to find ways to marry the two worlds. Along the way we’ve learned a bunch, and today we’re sharing 3 ways we see podcasting changing how television is developed and made. We’ve got the answers you need, some landmines to look out for, and real-world advice for this new frontier where TV gets married to podcasting.
Knee Deep in TV and Podcasts
We’ve been doing this podcast, Producing Unscripted, for a long time now (since 2013!) It’s a small little thing we record on Biagio’s iPhone and put up when we can during production “breaks.” (Which have been less and less lately – thankfully we’ve been in production non-stop, but we miss you all!)
This is a really a personal endeavor. It’s something we do for fun and to meet new people. For the most part, it’s been a really positive experience. Plus a way for us to talk about what we do at our company Joke Productions.
But we never considered ourselves “pro podcasters.” Then, to our surprise, podcasting would suddenly become a much bigger part of our career.
Unmasking Podcasting & TV
Several years ago, we were making a series for CNN and HLN called Unmasking a Killer. They approached us about producing and hosting an Unmasking a Killer Podcast with the series. It was an eye-opening experience, and we learned some valuable lessons we discuss on today’s episode.
And if you want to hear the two of us doing material that’s far more serious, you can check out the Unmasking a Killer podcast.
That was our first glimpse into where it looks like the worlds of TV and podcasting are heading. Networks everywhere were exploring how they could participate in the podcasting space.
Unraveling Podcasting & TV
On our current series, Unraveled, podcasting has become even more crucial. We developed the series itself as a hybrid. Rather than making a TV show and producing a podcast “on the side” we’re filming a TV series about podcasters who are investigative journalists. The project captures them actively tracking down leads and interviewing people, all while making a podcast. Each two hour TV episode has an accompanying seven hours of podcast eps. That’s a lot of content!
To get an idea of how deep the it goes, check out the Unraveled Podcast.
For you editors and techie-types, Adobe wrote a story about Joke Productions and how we edited the podcast in conjunction with the TV series.
The Future of Podcasting and TV
It’s become clear that if you’re a storyteller, podcasting is now more than an “indie” tool in your tool belt – it’s becoming a sought after vehicle by major players all over the entertainment industry.
If you’re a content creator, documentarian, or budding producer, podcasting will no doubt enter your sphere of existence at some point. Hit that giant play button above and listen now to get prepared!
Helpful and Related Links
Check out and subscribe to the other podcasts we’re proud to be involved with:
Unmasking a Killer Podcast – hosted by the two of us. A very different format from what we do here, delving into the hunt to capture and unmask the Golden State Killer.
One podcast we’re currently consulting on is with the fearless Lola Blanc and Megan Elizabeth. They both escaped cults, and we’re lucky to be involved with their podcast Trust Me, where they talk to fellow survivors, former and current cultists, and experts about how ANYONE is susceptible to being sucked into a cult, and what that life is really like.
You can check it out here.
Unraveled Podcast – this is the deep dive into the material explored in our tv series Unraveled, hosted by Alexis Linkletter and Billy Jensen. The first season explores the investigation behind the Long Island Serial Killer, and reveals brand new theories never before presented.
And of course, Producing Unscripted which you can find here on iTunes – but you already knew that! We began in 2013 and are heading like a freight train for our ten year anniversary – yikes! That went by fast!
Let’s Make Some TV Together (Remotely, Anyway!)
Have a great concept and package for an unscripted TV or film project? Documentary? True crime? An amazing podcast that could become a TV series? Looking to team up with us at our company Joke Productions? Here’s everything you need to know: