PodMov Daily: Tuesday, December 8

Episode 332: Testing, One Two-sday

Podcasts: A “Go-To Source” for Hollywood Inspiration

“The number of podcasts being adapted for television is set to explode over the course of the next few years, with audio IP rivaling books as Hollywood’s go-to source for inspiration,” writes Peter White of Deadline. In fact, “the number of podcasts in various stages of development to be adapted is now well into three figures.”

Is this a true goldmine or just a fad? Deadline consulted the experts to find out. “Podcasts have become the sexiest IP,” said Caroline Edwards, Director of Podcast Initiatives at ICM Partners. “This side of the business blew up after the success of Homecoming and Dirty John, which makes it a very exciting time to play in this space.”

White found that many players want to crack the audio sitcom. Edwards called scripted comedy a “massive opportunity,” explaining that its sound design (“the theater of the mind”) is a bit tougher than horror and drama. “So the person who can figure out what a podcast sitcom sounds like is going to be a huge success.”

Podcasting About the Secrets That Connect Us

Dani Shapiro’s shocking discovery was too big for one memoir. Faced with the long-kept truth of her parentage, the memoirist and novelist became a podcaster. On Family Secrets, guests like Alicia Keys examine hidden stories of their own. Shapiro tells Celeste Kaufman of Timber.fm about bringing the series to life. 

“There is pressure in the podcasting world to focus only on our most salacious stories,” Kaufman observes. In a “noisy world,” Shapiro says, her show offers listeners a quiet balance: “We may want these wild and crazy stories as an escape sometimes, but most often we want something we can identify with.”

Family Secrets “exploded” at launch. Now four seasons in, Shapiro has showcased nearly 100 unique stories. “They’re riveting to me, and I’m so thrilled that they’re resonating with my listeners,” she says. “One of the greatest compliments anyone can pay me is, ‘Your show made me feel less alone in the world.’”

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Here's what else is going on:

• Cheers, y’all: See you tomorrow! Join us at 2:00 pm ET for Podcast Movement’s Home for the Holidays Virtual Meetup. Join open forums for general discussion or small groups for more niche topics. (Mix and a-mingle in the jingling beat? Couldn’t resist.) RSVP to let us know you’re coming.

• Found sound: Tomorrow at 4:00 pm ET, Libsyn will host “Optimizing for Discovery: Podcast Growth Strategies That Work.” During the free talk, Elsie Escobar of Libsyn and Dave Keine of Podchaser will dig into organic reach, guest appearances, SEO, distribution, and PR. Followed by a Q&A.

• Gear shift: A USB audio interface offers flexibility that a typical USB mic setup can’t match, explains Matthew McLean of The Podcast Host. He compares input options and price ranges of four popular choices (best-selling, durable, minimalist, and versatile), and even includes sound samples. 

• Woah, meta: In the Brisbane Times, Australian actor Noni Hazlehurst discusses the production of Winding Road, a podcast-within-a-podcast. Her pivot from stage to audio follows the adventures of two investigative podcasters as they try to uncover the truth about a 25-year-old mystery.