New Resource Map! CAC September Newsletter
We've got a brand new resource map — check it out! Plus, notes from this months CAC meeting and some events to watch out for.
Here's what we've got for you in this month's newsletter
- A brand new tool for Chicago audio producers — our resource and vendor map
- Notes from this month's CAC meeting — including some links to this months CAC Spotlight: Emmi & Annie Talk Indie!
- Are you submitting to Audio Flux Circuit 06? Let us know!
- Plus, two things happening in Chicago to keep an eye out for!
Chicago Resource and Vendor Map
Earlier this year CAC introduced our constantly growing Chicago Talent Directory — a filterable list of Chicago audio producers. If you're looking for new collaborators or friends, it's a great resource to check out. Add yourself if you aren't already in there.
This month we're introducing a brand new tool, our Resource and Vendor map. This tool was developed in response to a question raised on the Chicago Radio Club google group (psst... write us an email if you aren't in the group and want to be added).
Vendor Directory (beta)
Do you need a Chicago recording studio, gear rental facility, or other local production-related vendor? Use our searchable, filterable map to find the best vendor for your needs, and leave an anonymous review so others know about your experience.
This new tool is designed to provide a growing list of podcast-friendly recording studios, gear rental facilities, and more, all displayed on a handy map of Chicago. If you have experience with any of these vendors, you are encouraged to leave a review so others in the community can benefit.
This collection of vendors and resources will grow over time. In fact, it may be missing some of your favorite recording studios, or gear rental facilities. If it's missing something, submit it here and we'll add it after a short review!
CAC Presents: Emmi & Annie Talk Indie
In this months CAC meeting, we heard two clips from Emmi & Annie Talk Indie.
On Emmi & Annie Talk Indie, longtime friends Emmi & Annie go in-depth on indie video games they've both played, covering research on their development, analysis of gameplay and themes, and other related shenanigans.
The first clip we played was from Episode 4 of the series about the game "Death of the Reprobate, which is one of the earlier episodes the duo has produced.
The second clip we shared is an unedited portion of an upcoming episode about the game Blue Prince. Annie and Emmi wanted to share this clip to get advice on tackling a headache many of us face when working with live recordings or chat shows...
Sometimes there are moments where you have to pause an “on the record” conversation — maybe for a production reason, or you’ve got background noise, it could be anything. How can you elegantly step in and out of the “on the record” conversation so your edit sounds seamless?
Here's the advice Emmi and Annie got:
- Treat it like improv, and assume you're live on air or on stage with a live audience. Over time you'll need fewer of these moments and will be able to roll through them more easily.
- Go in with a plan, whether that's a time limit, a stopping point in the discussion, or an agreed upon signal to begin wrapping up a topic or recording session.
- Keep going and don't sweat it too much. It's sometimes best to just say "I'll fix it next time" (so long as you mean it).
- On the topic of perfecting an episode, it's okay for them not to be perfect, especially early on. Your listeners listen because they like the topic and like you two — in these cases people often prefer a natural if imperfect conversation than something that's chopped to pieces.
- Consider trying the newly updated Descript filler word removal tool, but make sure to enable the "avoid harsh cuts" selection.
The main theme is: don't sweat it! If you put too much pressure on each episode, it won't be fun to make, and it'll be hard to keep progressing. Have fun making the show and just keep making it.
The final draft of the upcoming Blue Prince episode will be out soon! Follow Emmi & Anni Talk Indie anywhere you get your podcasts!
If you've got more thoughts or want to connect with Annie & Emmi, their emails are: anazzaro8@gmail.com and emmi.russo22@gmail.com
Audio Flux
We want to collect submissions from Chicago and share them, either through a listening event, or here on the CAC website. We'll have more on that soon! Send your piece by email to info@chiaudiocollective.com.
Events Coming Up
A couple things to keep an eye out for:
- Next spring, Northwestern will host a conference for podcast producers. Keep an eye out for more details soon!
- If you're interested in video games or video game sound design and want to chat about it, reach out to Monte — he'll help connect you with a group of video game sound designers, hobbyists, and fans!
Group Poll
Every meeting we ask people on our call to weigh in on important topics (i.e. "which is better, Spring or Fall"). This month, the question was "Is a hot dog a sandwich?"
The group voted yes by a margin of 6 to 5 with two abstentions.