# Community Stories Podcast: Final Pilot Plan

## Scope

Produce up to three audio-only episodes, aiming for one per month. Each episode will feature one storyteller and one interviewer, run approximately 20–30 minutes, and be freely available to listeners.

Three episodes are a best-guess target, not a promise. Consent, storyteller wellbeing, and volunteer capacity may delay or cancel an episode without meaning that the pilot failed.

The pilot excludes video, elaborate sound design, multiple guests, and field recordings.

## Phase 0: Phone-based mock interview

Before buying production equipment, conduct one complete mock interview using a phone. This costs nothing and tests:

- whether the interviewer and recorder/support person work well as a pair;
- whether open-ended questions produce a usable conversation;
- whether the in-home setup feels safe and manageable;
- whether the pause/stop rule works;
- whether the session fits the volunteers’ available time.

The mock should include setup, a 20–30 minute conversation, a short break, a stop-and-resume exercise, file copying, and a team debrief.

If the mock is exhausting or uncomfortable, revise the process before spending the budget.

## Roles

| Role | Rotation | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Steward | Stable for all three episodes | Narrator relationship, consent, restrictions, approval log, records, archive |
| Lead interviewer | Rotates | Pre-interview, interview, pacing, storyteller care |
| Recorder/support | Rotates | Equipment, room check, test recording, backups |
| Editor/transcriber | Rotates | Transcript, draft edit, sound balance, metadata, export |

The interviewer and recorder/support person attend each recording together. Avoid interviewing close relatives or people where there is a clear conflict of interest.

## Free volunteer training

Complete five 30-minute sessions before recording a real storyteller:

1. Equipment and room setup.
2. Microphone technique and headphone monitoring.
3. Starting, labeling, copying, and backing up files.
4. Interviewing craft: research, open-ended questions, avoiding leading questions, not coaching the story, positionality, and handling heavy material.
5. Mock interview and playback review.

The mock interview is the capstone, not a substitute for the interviewing-craft session.

## Consent

Before recording, the storyteller receives a plain-language consent form covering:

- project purpose;
- intended publication;
- editing;
- storage and access;
- restrictions;
- future archival preservation.

After recording:

1. The Steward sends the transcript and draft episode to the storyteller.
2. The storyteller has 10 days to request corrections, restrictions, or removals.
3. The editor cuts around restrictions; the story structure yields to them.
4. The storyteller may review relevant audio as well as the transcript.
5. The Steward records explicit approval before publication.

Silence is not approval. The episode waits or is abandoned if approval does not arrive.

A session may pause or stop at any time if the storyteller becomes distressed.

## Recording workflow

After the mock confirms that the workflow is viable:

- choose the quietest furnished room;
- turn off fans, HVAC, televisions, and notifications where possible;
- place each microphone close to its speaker;
- record and review a five-minute test;
- record approximately 30 seconds of room tone;
- record each speaker on a separate track;
- make a verbal slate with names, date, and episode number;
- use a phone only as a tested backup;
- copy original files to the record folder the same day;
- preserve originals unchanged and create working copies for editing.

## Editing standard

For the first three episodes:

- remove unusable sections, repetitions, and long dead air;
- correct obvious technical problems cautiously;
- balance the voices;
- avoid aggressive noise reduction and compression;
- add a short consistent introduction and closing;
- preserve the storyteller’s meaning, tone, and speaking style.

Listen to the finished export on closed-back headphones and a phone speaker.

Loudness and peak measurements are targets, not automatic pass/fail gates. A small loudness miss should not stall a clear, comfortable episode. Distortion, clipping, or unintelligible speech should be repaired before release. Apple currently recommends approximately −16 dB LKFS ±1 dB and true peak no higher than −1 dBFS. [Apple Podcasts audio requirements (https://podcasters.apple.com/support/893-audio-requirements)](<https://podcasters.apple.com/support/893-audio-requirements>)

## Minimum pilot record

During the pilot, preserve:

- unedited original audio;
- transcript;
- signed consent and any restrictions or approval notes.

Keep these three items in two separate locations. Do not use public links for raw audio or consent documents.

Do not create a full institutional archive structure, metadata system, or file inventory until after episode three and only if the project continues. A final published export may also be saved, but it is not a reason to delay release.

The Steward remains responsible for the minimum record throughout the pilot.

## Custodian search

Begin asking a library, historical society, or other community institution about future custody by episode three. Their response is not a gate. If no institution is ready, continue with the protected project archive and revisit the question later.

Until an institution agrees to receive the material, describe the archive as a protected project archive rather than a permanent institutional collection.

## Equipment budget

Buy equipment only after the phone mock confirms that the workflow is viable. Set a hard gear ceiling of approximately $440 so the project retains $40–$60 for consent printing and modest, non-coercive thank-you gestures to storytellers.

| Item | Target cost |
|---|---:|
| Two dynamic USB/XLR microphones with basic stands and windscreens | $140–$180 |
| Two-input portable recorder | $200–$230 |
| Two closed-back headphones | $60–$80 |
| SD card and minimal adapters | $15–$25 |
| **Target gear total** | **$415–$440** |

Use included stands and cables. Defer a carrying case, spare accessories, and paid services. If the essential kit cannot be purchased within the ceiling, revise the shopping list rather than consuming the entire budget.

Editing software can initially be free. Podcast hosting can initially be free; Spotify for Creators currently advertises free hosting and distribution beyond Spotify. [Spotify for Creators (https://creators.spotify.com/features/podcast)](<https://creators.spotify.com/features/podcast>)

Keep the $20/month reserve for transcription, accessibility, paid hosting, replacement media, or future training. Do not treat future monthly funds as available for upfront expenses.

## Episode schedule

| Stage | Work |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Select storyteller, conduct pre-interview, confirm consent and logistics |
| Week 2 | Conduct paired in-home recording |
| Week 3 | Copy originals, create transcript, send materials for review |
| Week 4 | Apply restrictions, edit, mix, and obtain explicit approval |
| Week 5 | Publish, preserve the minimum record, and document lessons |

Monthly release is a target, not an obligation. Consent review and storyteller wellbeing take priority.

## Review after the pilot

Assess:

- Did every episode receive explicit storyteller approval?
- Did every recorded original, transcript, and consent form survive intact in two locations?
- Did production stay near eight volunteer-hours per week?
- Did volunteers enjoy the work enough to continue?
- Did listeners understand and value the stories?
- Is monthly production sustainable, or should the cadence become every six or eight weeks?
- Is an institutional custodian appropriate and available?

If the workload is too high, move to a slower release cycle rather than reducing consent, review, or record-preservation standards.