Geeks On Drama noreply@blogger.com (Tim)

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... show notes to follow. (on friday it appears. apologizes, as per usual)

... The sequel begins with what’s known as a mindfuck, I’ve been assured that it’s a very technical and widely accepted literary term. I’ve been assured many such things in my lifetime. While listeners may be dismayed to find before them a “Podcast about Podcast” as opposed to an aforementioned “World of Knitting” rest confident in the quality of what has been offered. It means well. And while success, relative though it may be, has yet to go to our heads, we have learned of fame, and its discontents. An unfortunate and unwanted fan had encroached upon our chitchat around the 7-minute mark. Like a creative child in an orphanage, please pay it no attention. We apologize for the inconvenience. 0:00 – The World of Knitting!...for another time alas. Greeting and Salutations from the Namu, a fortress of solitude if there ever was one. 0:22 – My cohort and I wish to explore, “Where Podcasts fit in the sphere of drama.” Come along for the ride will ya? 1:27 – The intro music, a mainstay among many an episode, be it Podcast or not. Here our chosen anthem presents what I’d refer to as audible “sleight of hand”, though others may coin “bait and switch”. Nevertheless, it’s evident how the chosen tune establishes some expectations for the audience. Our initial entrance was christened with the triumphant score of a nerd classic, quite fitting for the subject at hand. Though its successor cannot lay claim to the same rabid fanbase, we had hoped that it would echo the same “tongue in cheek” style of commentary we dish out by the bowlful. Surely if the episode were to being with a decidedly more somber ditty, the conversation would start off on the wrong foot. The ebb and flow of the conversation too lends a hand in establishing a frame of mind for the performance. What interesting is that even when constrained by the necessities of a working interview, some podcasts maintain that loose structure. John Siuntres of popular “Comic Book Interview Show” wordballoon, sits down with different prominent authors from the medium. Though it takes on an admittedly question and answer vibe, the atmosphere of two friends geeking out is surely in full force. A few listens to an episode or two, and its easy to see how the form of podcasting keeps the conversation at a relaxed pace, shirking off any restrictive formality found in other such interviews. 5:35 - Our often cited Diggnation enjoys the benefits of being a video Podcast. With this they still share podcasting’s gift and curse of limited funding. Said lemons, when properly utilized, create a lemonade of decidedly sparse arrangements. The Diggnation crew opt for a relaxed social environment resembling a basement, or restaurant, or whichever. These pedestrian settings we believe only strengthen the conversational tone they seek to achieve. Making the best of what little you have, a tenant surely shared within other dramatic mediums. The social atmosphere created by these sparse sets facilitates a sort of dialogue between the performance and the audience. A peer to peer conversation is had, and I suppose is thus appreciated more by the audience. You’d believe a friend’s opinion more than some guy in a suit a thousand miles away, or I should hope so. If not then I’m in need of a suit… 6:40 – The audience beings to learn the show, and understand what exact role they play in the performance. Not only does this serve to improve the show, but it succeeds in making the audience care more about it, as they are after all a part of it. For instance the 1up Yours, podcast is named as such because its intention to be defined by the audience. 1up Yours. A similar dynamic can of course be seen in performances such as the thoroughly discussed, Dionysis 69. 8:24 – I feel I should clarify what was meant by “performing to” and “performing for”. It’s a tough distinction to make, but the motivation spurring it is as follows. The audience is readily a

... As any good Episode I, or IV I suppose, should be, “A New Hope” acts as a base upon which tall risings of ideas shall be built upon. And as all too many initial offerings fall victim to, episode one has been plagued with near fatal enthusiasm. In a futile attempt to reign in the 25 plus minutes of Podcasting gibrish, we’ve assembled a few “Show Notes”. Think of it as a burly Sherpa through the towering sierra that stands before you. Please mind the smell. 0:00 – John Williams provides the fanfare. A worthy opening. 0:26 – Meet the folks. “Exploring Podcasts as Digital Drama” 0:47 – An apt question if there ever was one. Should definition given fail to truly encapsulate the concept, the good people at The Podcast Network have offered their services. 2:42 – The beginnings of a metapodcast? Dark clouds loom in the horizon… 3:01 – Said communities and there whereabouts? 1up Yours Podcast’s Club Page, where the converts share questions and comments to be explored in the disturbingly coined, “Four Minute Warning” segment. Go forth and prospers, just don’t drink the Kool-Aid. 4:25 – What’s out there? Rogue FBI agents from the mid-90’s would have you assume that the truth is. Of course all good post-modernist would disagree, insisting that Podcasts are all that’s out there. Napoleon 101. History is for geeks. 1up Yours, and GameScoop. Where the fools wear the crowns. 7:32 – At times academia backs your outlandish claims. We call these the good times. The following article sees Voice being far more engaging for student education. But don’t take my word for it… 8:39 – Perhaps there’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to have Knitting conversations in everyday life. But if you’re so inclined… 9:39 – Interesting side note, while googling the concept of Podcasts as a ritual, I was bombarded with Ritual Podcasts. 11:10 – The Inside Joke is like a green toothbrush. Get it? Well I guess you had to be there... GameScoop shaves the beard. Diggnation takes the shot. People learn the rhythm of the show, and what they’re expect to do within the performance. The audience becomes a part of the show. 15:52 – The Low Barrier of Entry to Podcasting. Setting the Bar Lower. 16:46 – I consulted Wikipedia, a common practice, and learned that perhaps she was right. Though the common variant seems to be, third time’s the charm… 18:08 – Podcast Network, and Revision 3. 18:58 – I feel I should clarify. I do not do heroine. I merely indulge… 19:08 – Like a time capsule, “social narrative reflective of the community at that moment in time.” Sounds good don’t it? 21:48 – Wrapping it up. And there you have it. Stay tuned for Episode 2: The Importance of Being Earnest.

Are you trying to mock me on the air? Yes. Yes I am. Until iTunes accepts the feed, the following link should suffice, apologizes all around. http://feeds.feedburner.com/GeeksOnDrama For the less "techlitterate", patent-pending on the word, I'll explain how to subscribe to the feed in its current, infantile, immature, impressive, state. (also, as I'm on a Mac, this really only applies to other such pomaceously inclined listeners. But in due time our Windowed friends will be able to simply search iTunes. No harm, no foul.) In iTunes, in the "Advanced" drop down menu, sandwiched between "Store" and "Window", select, "Subscribe to Podcast". Then just type in the link...repeated again for the memory impaired... http://feeds.feedburner.com/GeeksOnDrama and hit "Okay". Also, clicking on the delightful little rightward arrow next to the Podcast will bring you right to the blog. Onward ho! Easy peasy. And rest assured that all following entries will be much more intellectually simulating. ...though the comfort of radio static has its charms...