What is Podcasting?

According to Wikipedia, A podcast is a multimedia file distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. Podcasting is an automatic mechanism whereby multimedia computer files are transferred from a server to a client, which pulls down XML files containing the Internet addresses of the media files. In general, these files contain audio or video, but could also be images, text, PDF, or any file type.

I am continuously on my podcast learning curve. Despite the difficulties, I am very excited over the many creative and technical tricks I can do beyond the basics! There are many things to learn but each small step I take in this journey will be an added experience. One that will be full of meaning and significance!

What are the Mechanics behind a Podcast?

• The content provider begins by creating a file (otherwise known as an episode) available on the Internet through posting on a web server or a known URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
• The content provider acknowledges the file by referencing it in another file known as a feed.
• The content provider posts the feed on a web server.
• A consumer uses a type of software to subscribe to and manage their feeds.
• The downloaded episodes can then be played, replayed, or archived as with any other computer file.

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Podcast Episode Content Structure and Planning

1. Plan how your episode introduction, ending, and segments will look like. A well  planned script may be appropriate especially if you are a first timer. Once you are used to creating podcasts, you can record even without a script.
2. Record an introduction that can consists a little something about you and your podcast.
3. Record an episode that can describe the topics that will be covered for the day.
4. Record a few informative segments.
5. Record a short ending to sign off at the end.
6. When you are done, you can use GarageBand jingles to enhance your podcast. 

A good recommendation is using the same jingle for the beginning and ending part of an episode. You can also use jingles in different parts of an episode to cue the audience for another segment.

How is a Podcast created?

Creating an Audio Podcast Episode in GarageBand. Below are major steps involved in creating and publishing audio podcasts.

A. Recording a Podcast Episode

1. Open GarageBand on the Mac side of your computer, select "New Podcast Episode".
2. Enter a filename by typing your name and a podcast episode title i.e. "yourname_podcastepisodetitle", then click Create. The filename will automatically be stored in Music > GarageBand folde on the Mac hard drive.
3. In the GarageBand window, a Podcast Track, two vocal tracks, a Jingles track, and a Radio Sounds track appear.
4. Select your appropriate vocal track to record yourself speaking.
5. Click the Record button to start the recording, and speak clearly into the headset microphone. Click the record button again to stop recording.
6. Click the Rewind button to go back to the beginning of the song.
7. Click Play to listen to your recording.

B. Editing the Sound of Your Podcast Episode

The following steps were based from Apple's GarageBand Tutorials.

1. Drag the playhead to a position just before the section you want to r emove.
2. Go to the Edit menu and choose Split to divide the audio track into two regions.
3. Drag the playhead to a position just after the section you want to remove.
4. Choose Split.
5. Click the region that includes the mistake and then press the Delete key.
6. Drag the second region back to the first region, so what you recorded before the mistake flows smoothly into what you recorded after it.

C. Editing Your Podcast Episode with Artwork and Chapters

1. Drag the playhead in the beginning of your vocal track. All artwork can only be placed in the Podcast Track. As you drag and drop pictures from your Photos menu, each artwork will create a chapter in the table that is found below your recording and editing control buttons.
2. Open the Media Browser and click the Photos button.
3. Drag the picture you want to add to the marker's Artwork box. When listeners hear your podcast, the artwork appears in iTunes or on their iPod screens for the duration of the marker region.
4. Edit your marker's Artwork by double clicking the picture. You can zoom in or out and move the picture the way you want. Once completed, click Set.
5. In the table below, you can add a webpage link to a marked region or chapter. This can be done by typing the URL for the webpage in the URL field for the marker or chapter. When listeners download your podcasts, they can access the links by clicking on the URLs everytime they appear in your podcast episode.

D. Exporting Your Podcast from GarageBand

1. Go to the Share menu and choose Export Podcast to Disk.
2.   Type a name for your podcast episode, choose a location to save it to, and then click Export. GarageBand saves your podcast episode as an audio file.

Creating a Video Podcast using iMovie

Below are essential steps in creating and publishing video podcasts, or otherwise known as "vodcasts".

A. Recording a Video Podcast

1. Open iMovie and choose Create a New Project. Type a name for your file with your name and a vodcast title, i.e. "yourname_vodcasttitle".
2. Leave the video format under iSight, then click Create. Your file will automatically be stored under the Movie folder on the Mac hard drive.
3. Switch to camera mode by selecting the Camera symbol and choosing the Built-in iSight. You will see yourself in front of your iMovie screen.
4. Click Record with iSight button when you want to begin recording. Click the same button when you want to stop recording. A video clip will appear in one of the boxes on the left side of your iMovie workspace.
5. Record with a clear and audible voice. It is recommended to use a headset with a built-in microphone to lessen the recording of surrounding noise. However, you can use your laptop's built-in microphone as long as the sound input volume is high.

B. Editing Your Video Podcast with Titles

1. Drag the video clip to the clip viewer which is found at the bottom part of your workspace to begin building your project.
2. Go to the Editing Menu and select Titles. Under Titles, you have a variety of formats to choose from. For this example, use Bounce Across.
3. Type a catchy title for the opening of your video podcast. Click the plus (+) sign to add more boxes to enter your text. This feature depends on the Title format selected.
4. Select a Family font, TypeFace, and Size.
5. Each Title format comes with additional features such as speed, pause, and style. Edit your Title format by adjusting the given features.
6. Check the box Over Black.
7. Once completed, click Add and the Title slide will be added to your clip viewer.
8. For Closing Credits, go to Scrolling Title and select Rolling Credits as your Title format. Perform the same steps as stated above.

C. Enhancing Your Video Podcast with Themes

1. Go to Themes and the default Travel theme elements will appear on your iMovie workspace.
2. To select another Theme, click the drop down arrow. For this example, choose Reflection - White.
3. Click the Open theme element. A Drop Zone floating window will appear on your workspace and a Title 1 box will show under your Theme Elements box.
4. Type a name for the title.
5. Go to your Media menu and select Photos. Drag and dropphotos on the Drop Zone floating window.
6. When completed, click Apply.

D. Enhancing Your video Podcast with Audio files

1. Adjust audio and video timing in the timeliner viewer.
2. Three horizontal panels will appear in the bottom of your iMovie workspace. The first panel consists of your Title slides (i.e. opening and closing credits) and your recorded video clip(s). The second and third panels can be used to apply audio (i.e. music or voice) files.
3. Go to your Media menu and select Audio. Open your GarageBand Demo Songs folder and select a song to be applied to your video podcast. To preview a song, click on the play button.
4. Drag and drop the audio file on the second or third panel.
5. To record a voice over, click on the recording button. Click the same button to stop recording.

E. Exporting Your Video Podcast in Quicktime

1. Go to the File menu and click Export.
2. Click on Quicktime and click on the drop down menu to select Web Streaming to compress the vodcast in a smaller format.
3. Click Share and type a final name for your video podcast. Then, click Save.
4. Wait for the video podcast to be compressed and processed completely.