From Idea to Episode: Four Session Podcast Series

This four-session course offers a structured journey through the full podcasting process — from concept development and recording technique to editing, publishing, and audience building. Led by Jeff VanDreason, participants will develop a working podcast episode by the final session, equipped with both the skills and the CCTV resources to continue podcasting independently.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Develop a clear podcast concept, format, and target audience
• Record high-quality audio using CCTV's equipment and podcast studio resources
• Edit and produce a polished podcast episode using industry-standard software
• Publish a podcast episode to a hosting platform and understand distribution channels
• Apply basic promotion strategies to build and sustain an audience
• Understand ethical and legal considerations for podcasting, including music licensing and interview consent

Session 1 — August 6: Concept & Voice

• What makes a great podcast: formats, tone, and audience
• Defining your show: concept, purpose, and episode structure
• Introduction to CCTV's podcasting equipment and Pinecast hosting platform
• Voice and mic technique: recording your first test segment
• Assignment: Draft your podcast concept one-pager

Session 2 — August 20: Recording & Interviewing

• Best practices for recording: room setup, mic placement, noise management
• Conducting and recording effective interviews
• Review and feedback on concept one-pagers
• Hands-on recording session: record a full segment or interview
• Assignment: Complete a raw recorded segment for editing next session

Session 3 — September 3: Editing & Production

• Introduction to audio editing: cuts, levels, noise reduction, and pacing
• Adding music, sound design, and transitions
• Editing the raw segment recorded in Session 2
• Peer listening and feedback
• Assignment: Produce a complete edited episode draft

Session 4 — September 17: Publishing & Promotion

• Publishing to Pinecast: episode setup, show notes, and cover art
• Distribution: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and RSS feeds
• Audience building: social media, cross-promotion, and consistency
• Legal basics: music licensing, consent, and copyright
• Final episode share and cohort celebration

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About the Instructor:

Jeff Van Dreason is an award winning writer, sound designer, and podcaster, best known as the co-creator of the hit, full-cast indie audio drama Greater Boston and the mastermind behind The Perfect Sentence, a deeply personal audio fiction concept album. A passionate advocate for the medium, he served as the co-director of the PodTales audio fiction festival and has lent his writing, editing and sound design skills to prominent shows like Forgive Me and Fan Wars. Bringing his deep love for auditory storytelling to the page, Jeff also shapes the sonic landscape as an editor for EAR•WAX Magazine, a dedicated podcast publication championing independent music curation, immersive audio fiction reviews, funky sounds, soothing tones, and absolutely all things ears.