Seen and Heard in Edmonton

karenunland
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A weekly conversation with independent media producers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

  1. 01/22/2018

    Episode 82: Elizabeth Spencer

    Meet Elizabeth Spencer, creator and co-host (with me, her mother) of That's a Thing?!, "a sometimes belated, already outdated guide to your teens, tweens and everything under 20." That's a Thing?! is a podcast that grew out of various conversations around the dinner table and elsewhere. Elizabeth and her brother, Jon, would start talking about something in the media they pay attention to, and realize based on their parents' confused reaction that "Oh my god, adults don't know about this!" So we decided to make a show that explores that. In this episode, you'll hear us talk about Elizabeth's process for choosing and researching a trend worth talking about; the fun we have exploring our generation gap and the intersection between teen-world and 40something-world; the beauty of the hands-free, eyes-free experience that podcasting provides; what we noticed about the podcast audience at PodCon; the reaction to That's a Thing?! so far; and the topics to come.  This episode is also a bit of a swan song for Seen and Heard in Edmonton, this podcast I started in 2015. The idea grew out of work I had already been doing to shine a light on the local independent media community, and the podcast was born that summer because I was workshopping an idea for a local podcast network in an entrepreneurial journalism program. I felt I needed a podcast to be credible in the space, and so Seen and Heard in Edmonton was born. Why is Seen and Heard in Edmonton going on hiatus? I need more time. And the podcast did what it needed to do — it helped me gain the experience and make the contacts necessary to create the Alberta Podcast Network. I also think That's a Thing?! has more potential to grow, and it doesn't hurt that Elizabeth does most of the work.  So, thank you to everyone who ever appeared on the show (the back catalogue will stay up on Apple Podcasts, on Google Play or on Stitcher). Thank you to everyone who listened and spread the word. And if you're reading this and thinking "She shouldn't end it; she should let me take it over!" then let's talk. I'm at karen@unlandmedia.com. Recommendations: Elizabeth highly recommends Let's Find Out, Chris Chang-Yen Phillips's exploration of Edmonton's history; Karen recommends/logrolls thusly: The Alberta Podcast Network, which has 30 great shows that you can check out; Taproot Edmonton, an experiment in curiosity-based, member-supported local journalism that Mack Male and I started in 2016. Subscribe to That's a Thing in Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Stitcher, and find Elizabeth's copious show notes at thatsathing.libsyn.com (proper website to come). You can also find us on Twitter: @thatsathingyeg Many thanks to Castria for help with producing the podcast.  (P.S. The Edmonton Podcasting Meetup will keep going. The next one is set for Feb. 25.) This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, which is putting on its annual Learning Day on Feb. 20.   This one-day conference features keynotes and workshops about human resources, operations, financing, marketing, technology, and mindset. You’ll get tangible skills, information, and access to expert resources to help build your business. Plus, it’s a great way to meet other entrepreneurs so you feel less alone in your journey. Tickets are only $129, and you can get 10 per cent off if you use the promo code "Podcast" at checkout. Get your tickets here. This episode is also brought to you by ATB, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network.  The dream of building an Alberta-based podcast network came true because ATB listened. They saw the potential to support local creators, and to create an opportunity for Alberta-based businesses and organizations to reach their listeners. And here we are. ATB wants to listen to you, too. Find out more at atb.com/listen.  Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

    36 min

  2. 01/08/2018

    Episode 81: Kat Griffiths

    Meet Kat Griffiths (again!), a fangirl of the highest order who shines a light on the artists who make the songs she loves with a podcast called Start the Music. I say "again" because I had Kat on the show way back in Episode 19 to talk about her experience as a member of the rotating cast of smart women who discuss Doctor Who on Verity!. She continues to appear on Verity!, as well as on an improv show called Doctor Who's Line, Is It?... Anyway!. Those are both the products of ensembles, whereas Start the Music is her baby. That means she has all of the control, and has to do all of the work, which we talk about.  You'll hear about the technical and logistical challenges of a show based on remote interviews; the pros and cons of passionate preparation; the need for more small venues for bands to get started at; her desire to be part of what replaces the late lamented MuchMusic show The Wedge; podcaster problems for couples (her partner is one-third of Radio Free Skaro); and the very important prompt from a fellow podcaster that got her to pull the trigger on Start the Music.  We also talk about the complications of playing music on a podcast. Kat has a SOCAN licence, which you can look into here. Where the grey area comes in is whether that licence covers downloadable podcasts as opposed to streaming ones, such as the ones you can find on MixCloud. In addition to SOCAN, it would be wise to look into the requirements of CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency) and Re:Sound. And remember, these agencies apply only to Canada. There's a lot that remains to be determined in this area, as podcasting becomes more popular, so do keep all of that in mind if you're looking at a podcast that plays licensed music, and seek out expert advice.   Kat made the following recommendations: The Tear Down, Caleb Caswell's interview show about the musician life; GigCity.ca, Mike Ross's website covering Edmonton's arts and entertainment scene. And I recommended Kat's blog, specifically her post bringing together her two podcast worlds, Representation & My Search for the 13th Doctor of Bass Players. You can find Start the Music in Apple Podcasts and Stitcher, as well as at stmpodcast.com. It's also on Twitter (@startmusicpod) and Facebook (@stmpodcast). Kat herself is @xanister on Twitter. Seen and Heard in Edmonton is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. You can hear some network shows on GRadio.ca every night after 6 p.m., and you can sample the network on the CKUA app. Many thanks to Castria for editing this podcast.  This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. Applications for the first round of Vital Signs grants this year close on Jan. 15, 2018. If you have an idea to reduce social isolation in Edmonton, apply here. Hear more about what the ECF cares about on The Well Endowed Podcast. This episode is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network. In this episode, you’ll hear about The Branch for Arts and Culture, a new way to serve creative Albertans and our province’s cultural industries. Learn more about this initiative, which is setting up shop on the main floor of the CKUA building in Edmonton and is already in action in Calgary, at atb.com/thebranch. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

    35 min

  3. 12/18/2017

    Episode 80: Dan Shessel

    Meet Dan Shessel, co-host and co-creator of the Northern Nerdcast, a showcase for the geeky, nerdy people, groups and events in and around the Edmonton area. The Northern Nerd Network started as a YouTube channel in 2013, but it was killing Dan to leave so much on the cutting room floor, which he found himself doing a lot with video. Podcasts can be longer, and Dan loves podcasts himself, so it made a lot of sense to swivel to audio in 2014, with a little bit of video in the mix. Dan co-hosts the podcast with Chelsea Thompson, who used to live in Edmonton but now lives in Vancouver, and is produced by Trina Shessel, the unsung hero of the operation, as you'll hear. They do the show live via Google Hangout, which minimizes the editing and allows for a bit of interaction. They recorded their 100th episode this week, which is quite the milestone! In this episode, you'll hear more about the Nerdcast's origin story; how to juggle kids and marriage and podcasting; the family feeling of Edmonton's nerd community; what it was like to talk sports on Tight Ends; the doors that the Nerdcast has opened; the surprising appeal of an episode about goats; and more. Have a listen!  Here are Dan's recommendations: Tales from the Hydian Way and Heroes of the Hydian Way by Ben Yendall and a cast of RPGers; The Well-Endowed Podcast from the Edmonton Community Foundation (which is a  a sponsor, but we really like it!); The Tight Ends Podcast, Vanda Favaro's football-and-fun podcast from Calgary. You can watch Northern Nerdcast streaming live at 8 p.m. every Sunday, except on long weekends, and it is released on the podcast feed the following Tuesday. It is also a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. You can follow @northern_nerd on Twitter, and it's on Facebook and Instagram, too.  Many thanks to Castria for putting this episode together. You've already found it, but tell your friends they can also hear it on the CKUA app or on GRadio. This is the last episode of 2017. We'll be back Jan. 8 with more interviews with local podcasters and bloggers. Thanks for listening, and happy holidays! This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. You don’t have to be rich to start an endowment fund, and you can even build one with friends. That's what Gurvinder Bhatia did, as you'll hear in this episode. You can hear the whole story on Episode 5 of The Well Endowed Podcast. Learn more about endowment funds at ecfoundation.org. This episode is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network. Did you know that you can now do your day-to-day personal banking through Facebook Messenger, using the new ATB virtual assistant? This is more than a typical chatbot fielding customer inquiries -- it actually allows you to do stuff, like pay bills, check balances, and send e-transfers. If you ever need a human, it will put you in touch, but otherwise, it just helps you handle your affairs easily and conveniently. Find out more at atb.com/learn.

    26 min

  4. 12/04/2017

    Episode 79: Press Start to Join

    Meet Josh Shenfield and Alan Techsmith, two prolific nerds who talk about video games, movies, TV, comics and "more geekery than you can shake a joystick at" on Press Start to Join. Like many podcasts, Press Start to Join began because friends who met in high school kept having interesting conversations and decided to put them on the internet. That was five years ago, and more than 160 episodes later, they have learned a lot, and are still having fun. Some episodes are deep dives into video game history (like this one on Tetris); some are live interviews (like this one they did at the Alberta Podcast Network launch party); most of the time, they cover the news of the day in geek circles.   In this episode, you'll hear a bit more about the technical process of doing the show (and how they have coped with technical difficulties); what they've learned about the various ways to monetize; the value of structure in their show; their inspirations and their aspirations; the special gratification of hearing from listeners; why watching people play video games is interesting; and more. When we recorded this episode, Press Start to Join had not yet joined the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB, but guess what? Now they are! Check out all of the new members.   Here are the recommendations that Josh and Alan made: Edmonton Nerd List, Kelly Froese's comprehensive list of all nerdy things in Edmonton, along with his YouTube channel; Kuuribro, a member of the Edmonton Twitch community; Northern Nerdcast, Dan Shessel and Chelsea Thompson's weekly conversation with fellow geeks, produced by Dan's wife Trina. You can find Press Start to Join at Apple Podcasts, Player FM and everywhere podcasts appear. They are also @ps2jshow on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. And they have a Patreon page. Many thanks to Castria for editing this podcast. You can find this show in CKUA’s app along with other members of the Alberta Podcast Network, and it is replayed on GRadio.ca. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. The foundation produces The Well Endowed Podcast, a monthly look at various stories that touch our community. The December episode has a very affecting interview on how the aftermath of the Fort McMurray fire is far from over; a check-in with the Whitemud Equine Learning Centre and the difference that the Social Enterprise Fund made there; and a look at the remarkable red panda breeding program at the Valley Zoo. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Google Play so you don’t miss an episode. This episode is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network. In this episode, you'll hear me talk to my daughter Elizabeth about The Branch for Arts and Culture, a new way to serve creative Albertans and our province's cultural industries Learn more about this initiative, which is taking shape as we speak on the main floor of the CKUA building in Edmonton and is already in action in Calgary, at atb.com/thebranch. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

    36 min

  5. 11/20/2017

    Episode 78: Meredith Bratland

    Meet Meredith Bratland, a writer and traveller who has turned her curiosity about people from elsewhere into a podcast called Migration Patterns. Meredith talks to people who have immigrated to Canada about their homelands. Her approach is personal rather than political, and her first season is full of lovely conversations with interesting people that collectively demonstrate her thesis, without weighing down each episode with such gravitas, that immigration makes our country stronger. Meredith writes, but blogging was starting to bore her, so she decided a podcast was the best medium for this endeavour. "I went to Best Buy and bought a microphone one day and said, 'This is happening,' " she says. But as you'll hear in our conversation, this hasn't been an impulsive process. She's a methodical and strategic person, and it shows. You'll also hear how and why she edits her show from 60 minutes of raw tape to 30 minutes of edited conversation; the great question she asks all of her guests; how she draws inspiration from Anna Sale's Death, Sex & Money; an audio disaster she is still living down; how libraries and local media might be able to work together; the power of bringing diverse people together; and big plans for Season 2. Meredith recommended three podcasts (all of whom belong to the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB!) and four blogs: Don't Call Me A Guru, a podcast on social media strategy from Tyler Butler and Linda Hoang; That's So Maven, Andrea Beça's interview show by, for and about femmes in business and leadership; Modern Manhood, German Villegas's podcast exploring the many facets of masculinity; Boots and Bassets, a highly useful fashion blog by Sarah Pankiw; Edible Woman, Lyndsay Angelstad's beautiful and delicious food blog; Reading in Bed, a sassy book blog by Laura Frey; Another Book Blog, written by the witty Rick MacDonnell. We mention the makerspace at the Edmonton Public Library's recording booths — if you want to use them, book here. Meredith also mentions Jessica Abel's Out on the Wire, a graphic nonfiction book on how to make great audio stories. (Abel also made a podcast on the same subject.) And, as we mention, the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup is a great way to meet fellow podcasters! If you have immigrated to Canada from elsewhere in the world, Meredith would love to hear from you. Learn more here.  You can also find her on Twitter: @meredithbratlan, and you can subscribe to her podcast in Apple Podcasts or Google Play. Many thanks to Castria for editing this podcast.  This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. Check out the November episode of The Well Endowed Podcast to hear three great stories about what it means to be Canadian: Omar Mouallem on the meaning of "homeland"; Conor Kerr on the power of the Blanket Exercise to teach settlers about Indigenous history; and Erick Ambtman on making Edmonton a more welcoming place for newcomers. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Google Play so you don't miss an episode. This episode is also brought to you by ATB, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network.  ATB has been committed and connected to Alberta’s communities for more than 70 years. One of the many examples of that commitment is Four Directions Financial, an ATB agency that ensures that Edmontonians who are homeless or living in poverty can open a bank account, which can make a world a difference. Find out more about this and ATB's other community-building efforts at atb.com/community. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

    36 min

  6. 11/06/2017

    Episode 77: Meetup with Doug Hoyer

    Doug Hoyer has written more Edmonton podcast music than anyone I know, even though he doesn't live here any more. So when he came back to Edmonton for a few days in October, I grabbed the opportunity to ask him about that work at the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup. This is an edited version of the live audio from that session at Variant Edition on Oct. 21, 2017. We talked about three circumstances in which Doug's music would be used on a podcast: Commissioned work: You can hear original music that Doug specifically wrote for these podcasts: Pet Sounds, Sarah Hoyles's podcast about Pet Culture and what it reflects about us; Let's Find Out, historian laureate Chris Chang-Yen Phillips's podcast answering Edmontonians' questions about the history of our city; Real Experts for Real Life, a series Chris did for the Alberta College of Social Workers. "Trunk tunes": This is the term I applied to the situation when Doug offers someone a melody he has already written but hasn't used in a song yet (the term stuck in my head after reading Stephen Sondheim's memoir about how the Broadway sausage gets made). Some examples: Don't Call Me A Guru, the podcast about social media strategy produced by Tyler Butler and Linda Hoang; Clock Radio, the podcast done by the MacEwan University's communications department; He also mentioned Gaywire, the CJSR show about LGBTQ issues. Licensing: Sometimes someone wants to use a piece of music that Doug has already recorded and released. Some examples of that:  For Kicks, the podcast about women's soccer by Jessica Cooreman and Katie Woodfine; Casual, a series on Hulu that licensed a little bit of music from Doug. We mentioned a couple of podcasts that Doug has been a guest on, too: Cups N Cakes's Inside the Artist's Studio, Jeff MacCallum and Carey Newton's interview show with musicians; The Expats, Adam Rozenhart's interview show with Canadians living abroad. You can hear the string quartet arrangements that Doug mentioned in the show on his Bandcamp page. He also mentioned a couple of non-local podcasts that he likes to listen to: Imaginary Worlds and Song Exploder. Many thanks to Variant Edition for hosting the meetup, to CafeRista for providing the treats, and to Castria for recording and editing the podcast. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which recently released its Vital Signs report, which measures indicators of social inclusion in our community. The foundation is now accepting applications for grants to address the issues raised by the report. Find out more here. You can learn more about the foundation and its grants in The Well Endowed Podcast.  This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. In this episode, you’ll hear my daughter Elizabeth and me talk about ATB Cares, the platform where you can donate to charity and have ATB match 15 per cent, plus cover all of the transaction fees. We mentioned Ringette Scores on Cancer as one of many causes you can donate to. That's just one of hundreds of charities available. Find yours at atbcares.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

    39 min

  7. 10/23/2017

    Interlude: Episode 1 of That's a Thing?!

    This week I bring you something completely different — instead of the usual interview with a local podcaster or blogger, or the audio from one of our podcasting meetups, this episode features the pilot for a new podcast called That's A Thing?!, "a sometimes belated, already outdated guide to your teens, tweens and everything under 20." This idea came out of a series of conversations with my daughter, Elizabeth, about phenomena that were completely common and normal to her, and utterly foreign to me. Because we both listen to a lot of podcasts, and because I had access to recording equipment, we decided it would be fun to explore such topics out loud. She took the research lead, picked the music, commissioned a logo from her friend Melisa, and bugged me until we finally found the time to get in front of the microphones. So here we are with a pilot, and plans for a monthly show and a feed of its own. In the meantime, however, we'll put it out on the Seen and Heard feed and see what people think. (So if you have thoughts, let us know.) That's A Thing?! Episode 1: Creepypasta In which Elizabeth explains the deliciously disturbing literary phenomenon known as Creepypasta. Show notes: Where to find creepypasta stories, memes and such: Creepypasta Wiki creepypasta.com Trollpasta Wiki Creepypasta on Quotev and Wattpad Creepypasta memes Creepypasta narrators MrCreepyPasta and CreepsMcPasta Some of the characters we discuss: Jeff the Killer (and the picture we describe) Smile Dog (and the picture) The Rake (and the picture) Sonic.exe (and the picture) Old-school stuff from the mom: Flowers in the Attic Freddy Krueger Jason from Friday the 13th Michael Myers from Halloween Quora: Why do so many girls like horror movies? Have you encountered something that kids seem to know all about but is a mystery to you? Are you a teen tired of explaining something to your elders? Drop us a line at karen@unlandmedia.com or tweet me at @karenunland and we'll see what we can do. The music for That's A Thing?! is Scott Joplin's Ragtime Dance from the Free Music Archive. Many thanks to Castria for editing all of this together. This special episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, producer of The Well Endowed Podcast. The October episode features a Q&A with actor and activist George Takei, who is coming to Edmonton on Nov. 29 as part of the Forward Thinking Speaker Series. Visit the show notes to see how you could win tickets, and subscribe to The Well Endowed Podcast in Apple Podcasts or Google Play. This episode is also brought to you by ATB, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, of which Seen and Heard in Edmonton is a proud member. You'll hear Elizabeth and I talk about futuristic stuff like self-driving cars and bots, prompted by some talks I heard at the Singularity University Canada Summit. Besides sponsoring such summits, ATB is up to some futuristic stuff of its own. Learn more at atbalphabeta.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

    35 min

  8. 10/09/2017

    Episode 76: Sandra Sperounes and Agnes DeMarco

    Meet Sandra Sperounes and Agnes DeMarco, the music writer and the rock-n-roll mom who shine a spotlight on creative people with their podcast, Agnes + Sandra's Three-Way. Their relationship started when Sandra, then a writer with the Edmonton Journal, interviewed Agnes, "a personality in her own right" (which you will definitely hear in this conversation) who is also the mother of musician Mac DeMarco.  Their podcast started with a conversation over a dirty Martini, and that cheeky name came from their first guest. Now that they are several episodes in, they are clearly having a grand time with each other and their guests, and that enthusiasm transfers to the listeners, too. In this episode, you'll hear about the attractions of being behind the scenes and in front of the scenes; what they look for in a guest; why CKUA holds a special place in their hearts; the power of connecting directly and truthfully with your fans; how Edmontonians have a tendency to become famous in weird ways; and what it takes to make it these days, in either music or music journalism. Download here. This episode is also available in Apple Podcasts, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. Sandra recommended the Capital City Records Song of the Week podcast, produced by CKUA, and the Capital City Records collection at the Edmonton Public Library. We also talked a bit about the Legends of the Edmonton Music Scene project, spearheaded by Pete Rocker, and EDMojis, Sandra's curious foray into app development and inside jokes with Lucas Timmons. You can subscribe to Agnes + Sandra's Three-Way in Apple Podcasts and on SoundCloud. Sandra is @sperounes on Twitter and Instagram, and Agnes is @agnesdemarco on Twitter and Instagram. If you want to recommend this episode to others, they could find it at GRadio.ca, which plays Alberta Podcast Network shows every night at 6 pm, in the CKUA app, and at albertapodcastnetwork.com. Many thanks to Castria for producing this episode. They'll be on hand at the next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup on Oct. 21, where we'll be talking to Doug Hoyer about being the pre-eminent composer of Edmonton podcast theme music. Join us here! This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. Did you know you don't have to be rich to start an endowment fund? You'll hear a snippet of  how Emmy Stuebing put together her fund in this episode, and you can hear the whole story on Episode 2 of The Well Endowed Podcast. Learn more about endowment funds at ecfoundation.org. This episode is also brought to you by ATB, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network. We are just coming off our official launch party, a celebration of the 16 podcasts now in the network and a momentum builder as we look to grow.  Not only did Lana Cuthbertson express ATB's deep support for and interest in this project, but she also provided an opportunity for Hamilton jokes, which is always appreciated.  Good things happen because ATB listens. Find out more at atb.com/listen. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

    36 min
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About

A weekly conversation with independent media producers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Information

  • Creator
    karenunland
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2018
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Unland Media Consulting Inc.
  • Show Website
    Seen and Heard in Edmonton