Radiohead is demanding that the Trump administration take down a pro-ICE promotional video featuring a version of its song “Let Down” without permission. Full statement from the band:

"it looks like y'all really had fun up there" - improv coach

New Your Improv Brain episode. This one is about why questions at the top of your scene can stall things and what to do instead. I also talk about why making assumptions about other people's characters felt genuinely weird to me when I started improv. Find episode at improvupdate.com/improvbrain

Your Improv Brain is back - new ep on podcast and YouTube (fwiw they are separate recordings for each platform/format).

Recording sound for the next audio drama, which is a science fiction adjacent for-serious drama. There's a dog. Susan is good at acting dog in forest sounds!

"NPR Voice" flattens vocals to sound professional. But the brain needs what are called Prosodic Cues like pitch and volume changes to process information. Being monotone doesn't help comprehension and can limit what you want to communicate to the listener. #Podcasting

Prosody is the hierarchy of sound. We speak louder and slower for new ideas. We speak faster and lower for old ones. If you deliver everything at the same speed and volume then your listener cannot tell what matters. #PodcastThreads

Simulation Theory explains why stories work. We do not just listen to words. We simulate the physical experience of the speaker. You cut that connection when you strip the emotion out of your voice. Show don't tell. #PodcastThreads

Try the "Why Pass" on your next script. Go through your segments and ask "Why do I care?" If you are angry about the topic then be angry. If you are excited then be excited. Practice at level 11 emotion, then do your regular read and see what happens. #PodcastThreads

You can't fake your charisma because of mirror neurons. When you speak with passion your listener's brain simulates that physically. Faking it = their mirror neurons stay dormant. "Deep Acting" communicates your genuine feelings about why you care about the topic. #PodcastThreads

Want your listeners actively engaged? You gotta be too! Your listeners physically mimic the tension in your voice, which is called Emotional Contagion. If you sound bored then they tune out. New ep of Podcast Performance Lab is out.  #Podcasting

I had a Reddit post removed from an “Ask” subreddit because the mods said it could have been answered “by a search engine.” Have any of them used a search engine lately? Search engines don’t answer shit anymore! They’re all completely enshittified. Why do you think I was on Reddit?

The "Uncanny Valley" happens in audio too. We strip out the humanity when we over-edit or when we record while anxious. Listeners can feel that disconnect. We have to prioritize connection over perfection to build trust.

You can visualize a friend's face on the camera lens if you don't have a photo. Scan their face for reactions while you speak. These micro-movements in your eyes make you look engaged. Staring straight at the lens makes you look glazed over and it's harder to connect that way.

Stanislavski had a concept called "Circles of Attention." The Small Circle is you worrying about yourself. The Large Circle is you worrying about the audience. The Medium Circle is you connecting with one person. Stay in the Medium Circle to fix your recording anxiety.

Try the "Talk to the Face" drill. Tape a photo of someone you like next to your camera lens. Talk to them, you can even address them directly in practice (or clip it out). This change can cue your innate safety response. Your voice might drop a bit (pitch) and your eyes will crinkle...

Actors call it "Dead Eyes." You feel energetic inside but you look bored on camera. This happens because your Social Engagement System shuts down when you talk to an inanimate object. You need to feel safe to look alive.

The "Still Face Experiment" shows that babies panic when their parents stop smiling and just stare. A camera lens can do the same thing to podcasters. We disengage because we get no feedback. You have to trick your brain into seeing a human face to keep your energy up.

Your camera lens looks like a predator? Well, it stares. It does not blink. It has a fixed and dilated pupil. Your nervous system interprets could find this a threat, even if your logical brain doesn't. That can be why your face goes flat when you hit record (fighting biology a bit).

Hate your own voice on mic or camera? The latest episode is about WHY, and also about practicing speaking without needing to edit your words as much: youtu.be/pi9xIKjQr-g

Check out this weeks episode about finding the right format for your solo-hosted show. 11 different shows linked as examples to check out. Find it wherever you podcast or on YouTube at "Solo Podcasting Handbook" #podcasts

New episode about the various formats you can choose for your solo hosted podcast. Check it out wherever you get your shows, or on YouTube, at "Solo Podcasting Handbook." #PodcastThreads #Podcasting

New episode about finding the right format for your solo-hosted show. Find it wherever you podcast or on YouTube at "Solo Podcasting Handbook" #podcasts

I'm deep in production on a new series of episodes all about crushing your solo-hosted shows. I'm not focusing on software (because we use so many different programs, and I need to focus). So I'm mostly covering: strategy, performance, formats, content structures.

Strategic consistency helps your show a lot more than equipment or those filler words. But focus on the "strategic" part of that, which is even more important than consistency (though you need some of that too). Cont.

When possible in your (non-fiction) podcast or show, use stories and examples to illustrate your points. This makes abstract ideas concrete. It also makes your content, and YOU for that matter, a lot more memorable! #podcasting

Especially important if you're tackling a solo hosted podcast: Vary your speaking pace. Don't rush words. Speaking too fast can be hard to follow, but speaking too slow can lose the energy & flow needed for interest. Finding YOUR best middle ground takes practice but is worth it! #solopodcasting

Identify your target listener for your podcast. Do not try to make a show for everyone. A specific audience is easier to serve, and in "interest based" algorithms these days it'll help with finding an audience too. #podcasting

Solo hosting podcasts requires strong organization skills... since you are responsible for all the content. A good plan, and strategy, is essential for success. Scripts, detailed notes, and presentation skills are all pretty important too. #solopodcasting

For video podcasts (or, "shows" as I like to call them), it's good to look at the camera when speaking to viewers as much as you can. Looking at your screen breaks the connection. And if you have a guest, it might look to viewers like you're distracted or uninterested in the guest.  #podcasting

Visual treatment of your podcast scripts can help make them better. Use bold text, spacing, and brackets to guide your eye. This makes reading naturally much easier and you can focus on other things instead. Like your voice. #podcasting

Teaching on your podcast? You might want to structure your shows to make sure you include What, Why, and How.  These are:  1. What: "Today we're talking about..." (Topic) (Cont.)

Format your scripts for when you read them out loud. Reading a dense script while performing is hard, and adjusting your text to offload that mental burden can help you perform it even better. #podcasting

Make sure your room is quiet before you start recording. No fans! Turn off the external hard drive! Whatever it is. This helps with noise reduction during editing. If it's too loud, reduction won't work well. Create a checklist (I always forget that darn hard drive!) #Podcasting

Place your microphone six to eight inches from your mouth, unless you have an excellent chunk of foam on there and maybe some FX to help. Too close creates plosives. Too far loses presence or that "intimate" feel for listeners. TEST it out, and see what the best distance is! #podcasting

Help your listeners remember your content by using signposts in your podcast scripts. It signals structure and relevance, and helps reduce cognitive load. It also helps reduce walls of ear text! #podcasting

Dictating your notes captures your natural human cadence immediately, and it's a much better way to write a script for podcasting.  #podcasting

I usually record at a level where peaks hit about negative twelve decibels. It leaves headroom for processing without distortion. Do a test and see what you need to do for your own voice & what kind of delivery is "normal" for the podcast. Pull your head away from the mic if ya get loud! #podcasting

Smile while talking about positive topics. This changes your vocal tone in ways listeners can actually hear and feel! Topic pivot... okay does anyone else do this while typing out emails to make sure they "sound friendly" or am I the only one?  #podcasting

Why you don't want to use an essay on your podcast as a script: The listener's brain can struggle when it hears "writerly" text spoken aloud. This is called modality mismatch. #podcasting

Your voice sounds different in the morning versus evening. Sound, energy, overall delivery. So do some tests and see what works best for your show, then plan your sessions accordingly. #podcasting

If you think you sound "too robotic" you might want to advance from following a full-out script. If you tend to ramble when unscripted, you might want to go with a bullet-list outline.  Something like -->

Stand up while recording for better breath support and energy (this helps with the diaphragm). You can also try recording, or practicing delivery, while walking in place. (I used to run while practicing vocal delivery for my cardio dance fitness classes! It was SO helpful!) #podcasting

Performance tip for solo-hosts: Stop talking "at" your audience. Pick a person (a friend, a client, your ideal listener) and imagine you're talking directly to them. This can help you sound more natural and conversational, less "scripty".  Works for video and audio, too :)  #podcasting

Practice your podcast hooks, opening or intro, and closing (and CTA too) until they feel natural. These bookends for your show set the tone for everything in between, and are especially important for audience growth. #podcasting

This is Mack. In his head he absolutely crushed this agility course. Who are we to tell him otherwise. 14/10 (TT: adventuresof.mack)

Going solo on a podcast (video or audio!) can be a pretty tough thing to do. You're the host, writer, and guest all in one. And... "you're the product".

Solo hosting feels lonely... or awkward... at first. Imagine talking to one specific person to make your podcast delivery more natural. You can even put a picture up on your wall! #solopodcasting

End each episode with a clear call to action, or even better put it somewhere in the middle of your script/show rundown/format. Tell listeners exactly what you want them to do, focus on clarity. Easy to say (and remember!) URLs help with this! Many people listen hands-free. #podcasting