Center for Creative Futures

Creative Innovators Podcast

Guest Information – Season 3!

Welcome to the Creative Innovators podcast.  This page is for interested guests about Season 3 of our podcast. 

  • If you are an invited guest, please read the information below, either before or after you have signed up for a scheduled time with the scheduling link you have been given.
  • If you are not responding to an invitation link and are interested, please email us at guests@creativeinnovatorspodcast.com to share your story or that of great people you work with. 

Season 3

We’ve been sharing stories of amazing Creative Innovators since August 2020 – mostly audio only — and are now producing Season 3. 

You can find past episodes on nearly all podcast players and on YouTube:

About the Podcast

“Creative Innovators with Gigi Johnson” is a 40-minute audio/video interview podcast.  Innovators and creators share stories of how they are changing the way that we create and reimagine in music, art, live events, virtual events, video, film, education, sciences, and social innovation.  Interviewed by long-time change agent and interviewer Dr. Gigi Louisa Johnson, guests discuss their journeys of how they became passionate about innovation and transform various creative and social change sectors.

Format:

  • 40-minute, remote interview
  • Audio + Video recorded (for YouTube)
  • Interviews with guest(s) about their non-linear career journeys and major decisions

Mission

Through our guests’ stories, we aim to inspire current and future change agents who are creatives, entrepreneurs, researchers, or community leaders who are seeking inspiration and support around creative innovation — changing the ways we create, collaborate, engage, change lives, and build communities.

Production and Guest Basics

Format: 30-40 minute interview.  We record for about an hour, with about 10 minutes of pre-air conversation about how the show runs and to get approvals for recording on the recording itself.

The conversation moves from the guest’s personal history in creative work and innovation — sometimes back into childhood and first creative directions — and explores different routes and rabbit holes.  We often discuss blockages, creative team choices, benefits of bad decisions, and non-linear directions in a non-linear life.  Toward the end, Gigi will ask the guest if there is anything else that we have not yet discussed that they would like to talk about.  Usually, there are 1-2 thoughts that the guest would like to include, though that is not required.

We come to an end at around 30-45 minutes of recorded content. We then spend about 5-10 minutes reviewing any questions about the process and next steps.  

Media: Audio and Video

Lead Time: We tend to run 2-6 weeks to distribution, depending on past episode batching.  We can aim for specific dates upon request. 

 

Preproduction Information Needs

We would like to have these items shared ahead of the recording session with gigi@maremel.com and/or via your scheduling link: 

  • High-resolution photo, optimally with space on each side of the guest (horizontal)
  • Bio; optimal additional list of past jobs/roles
  • Social media links for sharing/tagging
  • Backup cell phone number in case of tech challenges.  


Tech Needs and Preparation

  • We are recording via Riverside.fm via a web call using Chrome.  (See Day-Of details below.) 
  • We ask that you use a decent webcam, microphone, and headphones. We have found that a cellphone or laptop microphone provide less-than-optimal sound recordings, as well as do their own audio edits and cut off beginnings and ends of phrases. 
  • Please have some space on your hard drive, as Riverside.fm saves the 1080p video on your computer and uploads it progressively onto the system.  
  • At the end, please wait until the system shows that the video is 100% uploaded to “disconnect.”  It may take a minute or two at the end. 
  • We also ask that the guest looks at their own images in their camera to center themselves, have decent lighting on their face, avoid backlight from a light or window behind them, etc. 
  • We also ask that you record locally so that we can bring in the best quality sound for the podcast. You can find ideas on how to record locally at your computer at this link for either Mac or PC.

Guest Day-Of Steps for Recording

We’ll be recording both audio and video on Riverside.fm on Chrome. We will be piloting video versions of the podcast for 2022, but realize that tech gremlins may come in and gunk up the digital works. 

Click on the link provided in your Scheduling Link to start the session.  If you would like to have a guest in attendance, ask Gigi via gigi@maremel.com ahead of time for a guest/producer link that would stay “off camera.” 

We recommend that you try audio recording yourself before the interview — in part, you’ll be able to hear what your microphone picks up and how wonderful you can sound.  🙂 

 

 

Recording Checklist from Riverside.fm

Here are some tips for a seamless recording experience with Riverside:

  1. Use a computer with a Chrome browser that’s up-to-date.
  2. Check your Internet stability. Ethernet cable connections are preferred over WiFi.
  3. Use an external mic, if possible. Even the mic in your ear/headphones are better than nothing.
  4. Use headphones/earphones to prevent echo and increase audio quality.
  5. Close all other applications that don’t need to be open during the recording. This prevents CPU overload.
  6. Important: Please close all other programs that try to use your mic/camera.