Tuesday, March 6, 2007 91 Comments
I get this question almost every day. Well, a lot of things go in to making each podcast so I decided to give you some idea of when to expect the next one. In the sidebar you’ll find some progress bars to visually guide your mania. I’ve broken it down in to four easy steps. Here’s what they mean:
1. Interview recorded: I’ve actually sat down and recorded a conversation long enough to make at least one more show (usually more). This is the fun and easy part.
2. Interview edited: I’m still learning after all this time so I have to go in to clean up the audio quality as much as I know how and then edit it down to take out dead space, my stammering, and any else that could detract from your enjoyment. Lots of ums get killed here. This is the longest part of the whole process.
3. In/out recorded & edited: This is my jabber before and after the interviews. I want to stick with the format but things will come and go as it suits me. I thought it was difficult to talk to someone else on the mic until I tried talking by myself – painfully funny for my wife to listen to at times. If I ever get it right on the first take, it’ll be a miracle.
4. Publishing (Chapters marked, images and links added, files converted and uploaded, RSS feeds updated, post written): I have a giant checklist for this part that I dread, as it seems to take forever. Tons of little (and crucial) steps happen here. Most of these details have to be just right or it won’t work. I’ve included so many steps here because they are like cogs in a clock that all have to be set up and put in to place at once. Once it’s done, I’m so happy and exhausted.
Generally one show will take me about 12 hours to produce, but as you may have noticed, those twelve hours can be very hard to come by, especially when other parts of life can be so fun. So you may still be wondering when the shows will be out, but at least you’ll have some indication of my progress on the next one.
clay, nobody cares about all that stuff. take a lesson from the splinecasts, they are crap! the interviews are terribly conducted, all the umms, clicks, chewing, stammering, cellphone ringing aside.. the information is gold. thats why we listen to these things.
sure the information on Splinecast is great… if you can actually hear it… Clay is doing a wonderful job… however perhaps you can cut back your work by not using the chapter feature… i (probably like other listners) just listen to the whole show… 😀 Do keep the pictures though… they are neat!
Cute Sidebar… 50% done… 😉
I had no idea it took so much to make a podcast!
If recording the interviews is the part you like best then thats what you should do clay. Time spent on editing and fancy formatting are oppurtunities wasted. You’re an animator first, an interviewer second, and all your listeners understand that. Let the dirty laundry hang in the wind where we can all hear it. I wont miss the fancy stuff.
I understand why people are saying they’d be perfectly happy with a no-frills podcast, but I think the fact that the Animation Podcast sounds so professional means it’s more likely to garner the attention of people outside of the animation business. Somebody with only a passing interest in animation is much more likely to keep listening if it all sounds clear and polished, even if it does take longer to create.
I like the sidebar clay, its so close i can taste it. I know how busy things can get and i think its awesome you manage to do anything at all. you know you have alot of fans who are all waiting to hear your next podcast.. i dont think any of us really require the great attention and care you’ve been putting into it but it is appreciated. the podcasts could be an hour of you telling bad jokes for all i care, if its got more than a minute of good animation stuff in there ill download it and listen to every second. My time isn’t precious, yours is. dont waste it.
Chris – I know the information is what matters but I’m doing each of these once and I don’t want to look back and kick myself for crapping them out. The package matters to me. Jewelry from Tiffany’s wouldn’t be the same if it didn’t come in the pretty blue box.
Emma – Thanks for that. The images and chapters are both part of the same step. One without the other would be a waste. Besides, that’s one of the easy parts that I enjoy.
Atom – Your acceptance is appreciated, but if I’m going to do this, it’s got to be all or none.
Zak – I think that’s one of the best arguments I can imagine. I want anyone to come in and listen to any show and feel comfortable and not turned off. It’s like how I feel about animation: every time you’re careless with a shot, it’s a chance for the audience to lose interest. I love it when a person tells me how professional the podcast is, especially since I’m no pro at all.
Ton – For me, none of this is a waste. Every time I get a show out there I’m on cloud nine. It’s so much fun and so rewarding. One hour of jokes and one minute of animation? I’ll stick with my current format for now. 🙂
The progress bars are an excellent touch.
Zak:
I am outside of the animation business, but I love these podcasts. The thing that makes them good is they are not designed for me, so nothing is toned down like interviews usually are. They have awakened an interest in animation and a deeper appreciation of what goes into a film. It’s also fascinating to hear how office politics get in the way of making great productions.
And when I listen, I always draw. It motivates me.
Would I still listen if it wasn’t such a well produced and polished work? Yes. But I likely wouldn’t listen to them a second time. These are not throwaway news podcasts. These are interviews with amazing people that will be treasured for generations. It makes sense to get it right. Plus it shows respect for the interviewees.
The details count.
Take your time, I enjoy the qulaity of all your podcasts, it takes great effort. i appreciate you sharing!
While I love SplineCast, and agree the information is what’s MOST important… I do want to give Clay kudos for taking such care with his shows. The quality of The Animation Podcast is really top-notch, and Clay shouldn’t be hassled for putting together what eventually becomes a very enjoyable package. That said, Clay I believe in some older interviews you mentioned there being more parts that you have yet to publish – namely, Nik Ranieri and (I think) Ron & John. If these are already recorded and somewhat edited, any chance of us seeing the finished cuts of some older material? That is, if that’s easier to publish than a brand new interview. I’ve loved every show thus far, so whether you give us more of the old, or something totally new, I know I’ll love it and obsess over it for the next weeks/months between shows! Thank you for all your efforts, and while balancing the tedious aspects of podcasting with the demands of your day job and real life must be a lot to handle, please don’t throw in the towel on us listeners yet! We all anxiously await the next show.
Clay,
Have you considered delegating the not so fun parts to volunteer fans? I’m quite sure some listeners who, like me, are craving for new shows (NIK RANIERI!) would offer their time and skills to help you out.
Heck, I’d do it… but I have no idea about dealing with audio files and such. But I’m sure other visitors do.
Think about it, and thanks for all this priceless stuff we’ve gotten so far.
Jak
In this these times of silent we appreciate more than ever all the effort you’ve done putting all this amazing podcast together in the past , always great Job
Take care
Marcos
We wait paiteintly but honestly take your time Clay, your podcasts have that quality that makes them great! Quality is what keeps pepole coming back for more and spreading the word too:)
Hi Clay,
It all sounds good to me. You are doing a fantastic job. I honestly thought you may have been ill or something and I was worried about you.
Take your time Clay.
It was good to finally meet you by the by.
Next time you come up, shoot me and email so we can have lunch proper.
Yeah, frankly, I’ve been unsatisfied with both the content and quality of SplineCasts, and enjoy your interviews a lot more, Clay. You spend more time talking about the artists and their stories, and less on “animation theory”–which everyone has a different opinion on. And let me tell you, it is SO annoying when I put a SplineCast on my iPod, and I can’t hear it on the train even with the volume turned all the way up. Yours are always crystal clear, and easy to hear!
The progress bars are nice, thanks! All the questions about when the next show will be are just a testament to how good they are.
Your podcasts are always worth waiting for! I’ve been listening to all of them several times 🙂 Thank you very much for doing this!
Clay, take your time, do it right. I love your interviews, and the incredible sound quality enables me to listen again and again.
Thank you sir!
John
…. i remember people going on about the vacumm cleaner (leaf blower… 🙂 ) in the background…. i thought it was annoying (but totally understood that that was out of clay’s controll)… then i listened to the guys cruching away on chips during splinecast… their phones ringing… ect… all in their controll to not do… now that is annoying… 🙁 (and disrespectful to the listener)
Like everyone else, I’m anxiously awaiting the next podcast. It’s important to keep in mind that thanks to Clay, we’re able to have access to people that it might be difficult (or impossible) to hear otherwise, and for free.
To me, because he’s willing to do this at all means that he gets to do it his way, and shouldn’t be pressured to do it differently simply because his audience would like more frequent releases. Keep doing it your way, Clay. We’ll wait as patiently as possible… :0)
Clay, Take as much time as you need, I have no complaints. Every show thus far has been a joy and I know I can expect the same quality next time. Thank you for doing such a great job and thank you you for posting the status bars on the side of the page, they will really help us to see the progress.
Clay,
I have to admit that I haven’t really kept up with the material as much as I should. I used to work door to door and aside from not hearing the occational four-legged friend(?) scurry towards my feet as Mr. Keene spoke of growing up, I found it very inspirational.
As an aspiring animator, I completely respect your ongoing effort to provide somee insight into the industry from those who know it well.
Thanks again.
Take your time, we’re all busy + I would rather hear a polished show where everything is clear, because as much as I enjoy the Splinecasts, they are really difficult to listen to.
QUALITY!
Hey Clay!
I couldn’t agree more with the other comments here. Thanks to the polish and clarity, you’re less distracted, more people outside of animation will find it appealing, you can listen to it over and over again, and it’s more respectful to both listeners and interviewees. Maybe we should stop saying we “can’t wait for the next podcast”, but rather that they’re so good we *can*.
Also, you might be interested in this:
http://www.reallifechurch.org/downloadmessages.php
When talking about religion at the Animation Mentor online campus, someone linked that website. Glen Keane’s a member of that church, and gave two “lectures” about how his choices of characters to animate and how he approached them is integrally linked with his beliefs. As a Christian and as an animator, I found it truly inspiration to listen to, and I think it’d still be really interesting to those that are neither, but just like the films. The only bad thing about them is that you can hear him drawing, and the site only shows video of the latest message.
The first one is called “God in the Movies: Movies of Disney”, where he talks about Ariel and Beast. The second one is simply called “Glen Keane”, and talks about Aladdin and Tarzan. Have fun!
thanks… not religious… but still interested in religion and other inspirations behind movies.
Hello Clay!
I just listen to the whole cast on my shuffle, which means I don’t get all the chapters and stuff. Maybe I’ll watch on my computer to see the pictures? I wasn’t even aware there were pictures… But all the effort does matter even if some of us can’t really take advantage of all the features. This podcast is for everyone who’s interested in animation, regardless of how they listen to it. I’m looking forward to hearing the next interview just like all your other listeners.
Thanks for the update bar!
Greetings from South Texas!!
Like all of your listeners, I cannot wait for the next podcast. I recently came across your podcast by chance and could not have been happier. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR!! I have been a fan of animation all my life, but did not start studying it until I saw “The Little Mermaid.” Ever since then, I’ve purchased every book I could find on animation. Now with DVDs I can study them a lot closer.
I just want to say thank you for these interviews. Hearing this wealth of knowledge coming directly from them is amazing for someone who probably wouldn’t get the opportunity otherwise. These interviews, along with the Splinecasts, are all I’ve been listening to lately. They’ve inspired me to pick up the pencil again and get back to my drawing board.
Thanks again.
Hi Clay, Guess who’s back after all these months? …HOOLLDDDDD UP A SEC..there’s ANOTHER PAULLL?????? how long have i been away?….O_o….anywayz, Clay, u kno who dis is…..the guy that’s been following ur show from waaayy back…yep the beginning…..i knew ur SHOW wud have BEEN A HITTTT…n i’m still in love wid animation…any of y’all watched Samurai Champloo….or Afro Samurai…both 2d…but beautifully done. Anywayz, Clay still waitin on the show…AHEM…do what u gotta do man… oh yeh, and to the other Paul……nice name…..Gud luck wid the next show Clay!
Hey Clay,
Although I am filled with much unbridled anticipation about your next interview, my patience & overwhelming appreciation for what you are giving to the world in these podcasts keeps my attention focused.
Take your time. You deserve as much time as you need to make these podcasts what they are: GREAT! Keep it up!
Hey Paul,
Most of my posts here have been under “The Other Paul”, but I do have a few under just “Paul” before you showed up :0) No sweat; I’ll go back to “The Other Paul” from here on.
I like your name too….
Heh, now instead of “when’s the next show” question you’ll get: “When is that 5% line going to move towards 100%?”
Just kidding. Take all the time you need because when I compare your podcast with other, yours is a joy to listen.
You know, the fact that they are so well done is probably the reason why even after listening to them at least 10 times already (each, heh), I still find myself laughing along or feel as if I am part of the conversation or know these amazing people. (wow, that was a long sentence)
=)
hmm…still 5%..I’ll check back tomorrow again. LOL. Thanks for the great work Clay. These podcasts really keep me going on the 16 hour days at the studio. It really inspires me to concentrate more on the acting and character aspect of my work, especially when the people you interview talk about the nine old men, and what they did for our industry in its humble beginnings. Please keep up all the great work you do on the podcasts as well as the amazing work you do outside of this as well.
-Andrew
Hey Clay,
Just a quick shoutout to say Meet the Robinsons is great! Caught it yesterday at a preview screening and loved it. It’s a well balanced mix between a Todayland 😉 rollercoaster ride and a touching personal story. Watching the moody flashback scene at the beginnung gave me goosebumps.
The only problem i had was with the choice to use Thomas Gottschalk (annoying german has-been showmaster + never-was actor) to voice the dad. Is there a picture of the original voice actor in the movie a well?
I even successfully did some Clay-spotting in the credits ;).
Anyway – you guys at the Disney Animation Studios did a great job. Looking forward to the next project (American Dog?).
-Christian
Hi Clay,
I had no time to read all the comments here but the very first ones.
Of course, sometimes, it’s just interesting to hear voices of great talents, even if the interview is technically not that perfect.
But you’re doing a great job with this site and I just have to thank you for all the stuff you’re sharing and the hard work behind it. The way you release the interviews is just up to you.
Cheers,
Aldo
When I read some of the comments on this site, it makes me not want to do any more SplineCasts. Especially from users like Emma, who just seem to have all day to complain about how unprofessional the Splinecast podcasts are. You just dont get it. For one, be glad that we live in an era where you can listen to such people as Brad and Glen. All we had when I was a student was…oh I forgot… NOTHING…They take time to set up. Sorry if I dont have a recording studio environment. And as for all the um’s and phones going off… Sorry to offend the listener… I’m not Terry Gross. My day job is an Animator. I actually prefer a more relaxed environment, as opposed to a perfect recording. I dont care if my phone happens to ring, or if there is background noise. It makes it more real.
I do agree that Clays Animation Podcasts are way more professional and my hats off to him. He makes me want to do things better. I just cant get over how listeners come to expect things. Thank goodness for all the positive feedback we have gotten. At least their are some people out there who appreciate what we are trying to do.
Andrew
andrew, dont get me wrong!
your splinecasts are fantastic. clay’ podcast is really geared to wider audience that expects a higher quality package. as an animator and student i agree with you, i think the casual enviroment is better. I didnt mean to call attention to all the flaws in the splinecasts in a negative way.. my point was, that stuff doesnt bother me at all. The information is the MOST important thing..
I think both the casts are fantastic and I check both sites everyday to see if anything new has come up, and theres a great reason for that. EVERY time i listen i learn something new. If i can take that knowledge and work it into my animation and acting and improve it somehow.. well then thats the goal. thats all i want. Im just so hungry for it.. i feel like theres so much that i dont know, so much to learn about animation Ill never have time to learn it all.
I dont mean to pester clay about him taking too long either, im nothing if not sinserely thankful for the work that animators like you and the splinedocs are putting into this stuff. i know you dont have to do it, but im glad you do, please dont stop now.
Yeah I think some of the people here need to be constantly reminded, Splinedoctors and Clay do these things for the love of animation, they’re not getting paid for this!
There’s no room for complains here, if you have a suggestion that you think would make things better, say so but don’t expect them leave everything else and devote themselves to these stuff.
be thankful guys, imagine a world with no splinecasts and animation podcast.
There is no reason to complain; The fact that we have access to the information provided in the Animation Podcasts and Splinecasts is what’s important. I know that I’m repeating what’s already been said, but I feel I must state that I’m happy with what both sites are doing. Kudos to BOTH sites (and apologies for not thanking you sooner).
I second what Andrew is saying here.
A few quotes-
“clay‚Äôs podcast is really geared to wider audience that expects a higher quality package”
You get it free. No one has any right to EXPECT anything. Brad gold is Brad gold. Be grateful you get to hear the man at all.
“then i listened to the guys cruching away on chips during splinecast‚Ķ their phones ringing‚Ķ ect‚Ķ all in their controll to not do‚Ķ now that is annoying‚Ķ (and disrespectful to the listener)”
I assume you’re talking about the interview with Brad. The man’s time is incredibly rare, so if they got him at lunch, they got him at lunch. It’s like complaining about getting free Milt Kahl drawings because they’re too rough. It’s ridiculous.
These guys are insanely busy yet they still manage produce these amazing podcasts in their spare time and GIVE them away. You’re complaining about charity here folks. Grow up.
Spline Doctor (andrew), i am not the only person on this site to complain about the lack of sound quality.
“Yeah, frankly, I‚Äôve been unsatisfied with both the content and quality of SplineCasts, and enjoy your interviews a lot more, Clay…And let me tell you, it is SO annoying when I put a SplineCast on my iPod, and I can‚Äôt hear it on the train even with the volume turned all the way up. Yours are always crystal clear, and easy to hear!
” -Kyle
So perhaps before personally attacking one of your listeners, read all of the posts.
The Spline Doctor show is great… but it makes it harder for your audience to hear when contribute even more to the background noise. And by the way, good sound recording devices don’t make a good interviewer – so stop complaining about not having a recording studio… just fix the simple things, like the fact that you sit to far away from the microphone when interviewing!
“I just cant get over how listeners come to expect things.” …. with that attitude… you really can’t expect listeners to return to your podcast. Of course the audience has the right to expect things… you are in competition with other podcasts in iTunes (such as Clay’s). Just because we don’t pay for your program, doesn’t mean we deserve any less as listeners.
Clay Kaytis, I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the podcasts! The interviews are really cool to listen to, and we’re all so lucky!
But Emma…come on, man. Can you stop the hating. You’re staining the animation world, but you still have a chance to make things right. Go animate or something!
Clay!! Thanks so much for creating this website! It’s really a great resource! So when are going to do an interview with yourself?!
Yeah….um, Emma, SplineCast isn’t in competition with anyone. Whether they’re crystal clear, or the nice, calm, laid-back atmosphere as they currently are, animators and those alike will continue to enjoy them…or at least any with some respect.
Either way, good job to both Clay and Spline Doctors =)
Clay, I love what you’ve done for us and I understand podcasting isn’t your day job. But it seems it’s not even your hobby anymore!! I would say thank you for that time-table thing you posted on the site, but I’m afraid it’s just going to be another mocking sign of how sadly obsessed I am with bar stays that way for months! If you don’t want to podcast anymore, that’s cool. THANK YOU so much for all you’ve given us. But if we shouldn’t expect anything anymore from you, just tell us so people like me can stop checking your site daily with the false hope that maybe today is the day we FINALLY get a new Animation Podcast!
Emma said “with that attitude‚Ķ you really can‚Äôt expect listeners to return to your podcast. Of course the audience has the right to expect things‚Ķ you are in competition with other podcasts in iTunes (such as Clay‚Äôs). Just because we don‚Äôt pay for your program, doesn‚Äôt mean we deserve any less as listeners.”
well actualy, I for one and a dozen other people WILL return to Spline podcasts and we don’t mind the phones and chips at all.
Splinecasts are in no competition with anyone, as far as I know, their goal is to educate people about animation, it will be your loss to miss their podcast.
If you read their comments, you’ll see they are very popular and respected among animation students and professional.
You don’t pay for splinecast shows and that’s exactly why you have no right to complain. it’s really simple and easy to understand: if you don’t like it, don’t listen!
“But Emma‚Ķcome on, man. Can you stop the hating. You‚Äôre staining the animation world, but you still have a chance to make things right. Go animate or something!”
I ain’t staining the animation world when i live in f*&%#$@ Australia… let me assure you!
Now a quote that no one seemed to bother to read from me: “the information on Splinecast is great” …
I can’t believe 5 lines of writing have caused that much fuss! It is really pathetic! I run a blog site too, i get complaints, I get over them… as far as i can see only two or three people compalained about noise quality… I don’t see how that is a large enough amount of people to get worried about… unless your audience is like 20 people… which it most obviously is not.
Look… it’s not like i complained on their site or intentionally tried to drive people away from listening to the show… i am not that rude… i was simply pointing out the fact that clay makes good quality podcasts, which will probably turn up in an archive somewhere in 20 years time… Splinecast was simply a point of comparison…
Now lets turn our attention back onto Clay, who seems to be suffering from a severe case of O.C.D over these darn podcasts… 😉
I know I will return to SplineCast, Animation Podcast, or anyone who decides to deliver us another great installment of animation interviews! Sound quality is appreciated if done well, but matters not when all I truly want is the information.
I’m happy to get about any kind of animation interview! I think both Animation Podcast and Splinecast are a really great thing to be available.
Now when’s that completion bar going to move?!
lol
Emma: “I ain‚Äôt staining the animation world when i live in f*&%#$@ Australia‚Ķ let me assure you!”
Well you’re staining MY world, that’s for sure.
Emma: “Look‚Ķ it‚Äôs not like i complained on their site or intentionally tried to drive people away from listening to the show‚Ķ i am not that rude”
OH, HELLLLLL No. You’re RUDE, alright. I just hope you can watch what you write next time, cuz the things you said could’ve just been kept to yourself. I really think that you bring negativity into the animation podcast blogs by saying stuff like that, and that’s what I meant by staining the animation world. Do it on your OWN blog.
Ok. We get it. Clay didn’t post up this blog so that people can bicker about someone else’s podcast. Seriously, just let it go. Clay is doing a great job here (we all agree). If anyone wants to talk more about the splinecast, go to their blog and talk about it. For the rest of us, let us wait patiently for the next one.