Forty-Six Podcasts and Two Brain-Bafflers so far ... This is a feedback post! So, please-please-please, post a comment if you have some advice!
First off, Jo and I love making the podcast every week. Without a single listener, we would still... well, talk about films in the same way, but having interactivity with folks from across the world is brilliant!
Fact is, lately the ol' Podomatic has shown a decrease in our listeners and, with the goal of continuing to expand our listeners and become a larger community, we need to become reflective on our podcast and think of the future. When we began, shows lasted between 20 and 30 minutes ... now we have a consistent 50 minute run time (the Scream podcast was an hour!). We continue to have Sarah's opinion and we are well aware that Bangor Rep should get in on some action (He watched The Bounty Hunter - can you believe it?). The Coen Brothers odyssey has drawn to a close, whilst my Best Picture viewings continue - and the Billy Wilder viewings has begun.
So, lets throw the ball out there - in preparation for our One Year Podcastaversary - now is the time for your opinion on the show. What things have worked well - and what has not-so-much. The use of interview-clips (Megan Fox, Tiger Woods, Chris Klein, etc) - I reckon that's funny, but maybe you don't. Maybe you think it doesn't work! What about our current format? What about the amount of time we spend on film reviews - is it too long? (Normally... 10/12 mins approx for the main film). The latest episode had a change in how we discuss trailers and new releases - both Jo and I selecting one of each to recommend. Does that work? We do speak very fast - can everyone hear us? What about our discussion on trilogies - The Jason Bourne Films, Jurassic Park, Scream... ?
Any advice shall be taken on board and I'm sure, over the last year, we may have stopped doing something that was effective - or continue to do things which, ultimately, don't.
One thing I am trying to do is have an opening theme to start the show off with every week ...
I'd love more Brain Bafflers, like maybe one a month, if all your schedules allow. Opening theme music works for many podcasts, but the fact that you guys play music from the main movie's soundtrack is brilliant and something I don't hear elsewhere, so I'd miss it if you stopped.
ReplyDeleteSince you're seeking advice, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I love the show and wouldn't change it. I can understand the quick dialogue, I think the pacing is great and I'm glad you guys keep it under an hour (I have a short attention span). Sorry to be so unhelpful.
I hate to echo Rachel (especially since I already asked this question of my own listeners), but your show is so distinctive, that I feel it'd be a disservice to change things for the sake of change.
ReplyDeleteThe pace...the banter...the settings(!)...you truly have something unique, and to ask yourself "what's not working?" might not be the question.
The ONLY thing I could suggest, as I'm in the midst of tweaking my own show, is to examine what items/features/details you cover that a lot of other podcasts cover. THOSE are the bits that you want to zero in on, as you want to ask yourself "Why should people listen to me talk about that for the fifth time in a week?"
But nay - there is precious little I would change about "Thusimonadjoshow". Keep the great stuff coming, and here's to show number fifty two!!
@Rachel - well, thank you for your kind words! Regarding the Brain Bafflers that relies on our good friend Richard Bourne to 'host' the show... we could get someone else, but we like him too much. Suffice to say, we want to do more and I am in the process of working out a way we can have them more regularly... watch this space...
ReplyDelete@Hatter - the whole 'features' which make us unique... well, i listen to a hell of alot of podcasts and I'd like to think that [in time] we will cover the new releases and old coverage akin to Filmspotting, but with news sections and comedy banter akin to /Filmcast, with Top 5 Box Office and New Release news akin to Kermode/Mayo, the passion of Andy/John on Hollywood Saloon and Trailer Talk akin to LAMBcast - both Jo and I would like more additional people on the podcast (we have Richard, Rhys, Bangor Rep, Sarahs Opinion) but I think the freedom to record whenever and wherever factors higher than the organisational dynamics of a guest - suffice to say, I have skype again now so shall attempt to get involved in as many other podcasts and nab a guest here and there where possible. Rhys and I are in the process of doing a long show on the career of M Night Shayamalan - hopefully a little more insightful than the 'Watching the Directors' podcasts.
Our uniquness is hopefully the London thing, the selection of our 'Main Film' (Kick Ass one week, Alice Creed the next, L'Amarcouer the next, Gainsbourg the next, etc)...
It's tough! Fact is, we are losing listeners ... I think I'm not advertising well enough maybe!
That may be it Simon - I shouldn't think it's the content that are turning people off.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned in your post that you're worried you speak to fast. This would be the only thing I would pick up on as a critism (not that it's a major one). Although I can undertand you (and from accounts, so can Rachel and many others), some people may not. The only downside to this is by slowing down the banter could decrese the content of the show. And content is king.
From a personal stand point and from someone who listens to a lot of film related podcasts, I view yours as one of the top ones out there. I would reccomend this podcast highly to anyone with a vague interest in film. It's a real shame you are losing listeners because you shouldn't be.
Hey, maybe the podomatic figures are wrong! Thinking about it, does Podomatic count iTunes downloads?
Are you sure you're really losing listeners, though? Podomatic's stats are kinda sketchy, if you ask me, especially since they depend on which embedded player is being displayed on sites? If yours is nowhere (like it's not on here) then maybe they're accurate, but otherwise, I'd question it. Also, you're still active on Twitter - don't you have many more followers now than a year ago?
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of a year - congrats! I was so shocked when I first realized that TSAJS (why isn't it TSAJFS?) was scarcely older than the LAMBcast, as you've always run a professional sounding show.
Ok, on to the constructive criticism:
* I like it a lot more when you guys are out on the town rather than recording from one of your homes. The background noise of people drinking coffee or the errant police siren is one of the all-time most endearing things about your show. At first, I'd sit and wonder what kind of strange looks you might be getting from people.
* I think it's weird when you play a snippet from a foreign language film. I get that you're in Europe and just might have multi-lingual folks listening, but I kinda doubt it's enough to warrant that.
* I love Sarah's quips (and how you guys obviously record it afterwards, as your responses are always so generic). They crack me up.
* The Top 5 box office segment seems to have gotten a bit stale. True, it can lead to larger discussions, but seems so often to be that the comment is either "that's rubbish" or "we've seen that and just spoke about it."
* I thought it was a bit weird when you guys yourselves were referencing being "fast-paced" and talking fast in the last ep, but that's kinda neither here nor there.
* Along those same lines, I didn't notice all that much a difference in the Trailer Talk segment. I understand how it was different, but was it really any different?
* I love it when you have random clips/songs in the show (I still love the Sonic song the most), but I understand as a fellow "producer" that inserting those things can be tedious.
* Jo needs to not be so un-American. ;)
All in all, I still love the show and don't really see the need for change, either. I've enjoyed the director's series that you've been doing, Simon - you seem to really be filling out your historical film watching, and I'm a bit jealous. The show's biggest appeal has always been the natural chemistry between you and Jo, so as long as that stays there, it's all good.
@Luke - well, we are aware of speaking fast but, damn my irish heritage, apparently speaking fast is simply an attribute, JO then ups his speed too. Podomatic does count the itunes figures, its simply a case of gaining more reviews and ratings on itunes - the only way you get featured, so i hear, is through positive reviews and ratings.
ReplyDelete@Dylan - some great advice there! I had that embedded player (I'll get it back...) and, if I want big stats, I need it to automatically play everytime people fall onto this site... lots of feed views but angry blog readers...
Twitter is a funny one. I joined it ages ago and followed thousands of people -because alot of these people follow you back. but i have a funny feeling everyone does this... but doesn't follow through to your site. Anyhoo, lately sarah got a sweet phone and-turns outs-twitter is only for phones really. like a texting service to everyone if you have a free few seconds and i have gained a few listeners in the last couple of weeks by talking to people that way. Twitter is a strange service. I think th e vast majority of followers we have is only in response to me following them or them doing the same as I did when i started... you can only build relationships through messaging people i find.
We do try and record 'on the town' and always endeavour to. Its simply not always a guarantee because we have to have all the details with us so, if its not printed out, we need internet, etc. The new format means the intro is guaranteed to be always be on the town - whilst the other sections depends on whats practical.
ReplyDeleteThe clips, personally, is a way of breaking the show up but if its foreign we will keep it short... but its less effort without it completely so... fair 'nuff.
Sarah stays at any case, no love for Bangor Rep?
The Green [Hill] Zone joke, if you recall, was amongst the Top 5 London box office coverage, The Iron Man 'god bleeding' and I Am Love 2 jokes were, again, in the Top 5 London Box Office. I think it takes seconds to run through the London boxoffice and, when on form, can provide muchos comedy... but the new releaes drag on because we haven't seen the films and therefore cant say much (normally, we have seen a lot of the box office) hence, now we will only choose one or two) to recommend because we know about it ... same goes with the trailer talk.
Lastly, Jo has openly admitted his anti-american stance... he is a racist.
Thanks to everyone for your comments! we continue... this week... from the Ritzy in brixton, we watch Scott Pilgrim!
congrats on the NearlyOneYear anniversary ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks DEZMOND
ReplyDelete