How to make podcasts with Descript
TLDRThis engaging video tutorial, hosted by Ariel and Harmony from Descript, offers a comprehensive guide on creating podcasts using the Descript platform. The session begins with an introduction to Descript's unique text-based editing feature, which simplifies the editing process, especially for beginners. The hosts discuss the benefits of remote recording through Squadcast, a platform acquired by Descript, and demonstrate how to connect a Descript account to Squadcast for high-quality recordings. The tutorial covers essential aspects such as setting up a folder structure for organization, transcribing and editing audio files, and making use of Descript's multitrack editing capabilities. It also highlights the importance of considering gear and recording setup prior to starting a podcast. The video provides a detailed walkthrough on enhancing podcasts with music, sound effects, and even the use of AI for eye contact improvement. Additionally, the hosts touch on the topic of video podcasting, explaining how to add captions and create dynamic scenes for a better viewer experience. The presentation concludes with a Q&A session, addressing questions about storage limits, handling multiple audio tracks, and using templates for efficiency. The tutorial is an invaluable resource for podcasters looking to leverage Descript for their podcast production needs.
Takeaways
- 🎙️ **Descript for Podcasts**: Descript is a platform that simplifies the process of making podcasts by offering text-based editing, which is approachable for beginners and consolidates multiple tools into one platform.
- 🔗 **Integration with Squadcast**: Descript acquired Squadcast, enabling users to record remotely with high-quality audio and video, and easily integrate those recordings into Descript for editing.
- 📝 **Transcription and Editing**: Descript provides automated transcription and allows for easy editing of podcasts, including the ability to delete, ignore, or correct parts of the transcript.
- 👥 **Collaboration Features**: The platform supports collaboration, letting multiple users work on a project simultaneously, leave comments, and make editorial decisions together.
- 🎵 **Adding Music and Sound Effects**: Descript makes it simple to add music, sound effects, and even ducking effects to podcasts, enhancing the listening experience.
- 📹 **Video and Audio Synchronization**: For podcasts that include video, Descript allows for the synchronization of audio and video, making it easier to create multimedia content.
- 📈 **Scene Creation**: Users can create scenes to structure their podcast into segments, which can be particularly useful for video podcasts and adding visual elements.
- 📚 **Template Usage**: Descript offers templates for adding consistent styling and elements, like captions and logos, across different episodes or scenes.
- 🔍 **Eye Contact Tool**: An AI feature helps to adjust the eye contact of speakers in video podcasts, making the interaction appear more natural and engaging.
- 📉 **Handling Long Recordings**: For podcasts longer than two hours, it's recommended to split the project into multiple parts to avoid performance issues and make editing more manageable.
- 🚀 **Exporting and Publishing**: Once the podcast is edited, Descript allows for exporting in various formats and direct publishing to platforms like YouTube or Buzz Sprout.
Q & A
What is the unique feature of Descript that sets it apart from other editing platforms?
-The unique feature of Descript is its text-based editing approach, which allows users to edit audio and video as if they were editing a Word document. This creates a frictionless way for beginners to get started with podcasting and video editing.
How does Descript help consolidate tools for creators?
-Descript acts as a one-stop shop for creators, providing a platform for storing media, recording, editing, collaborating, building design assets, and publishing. It streamlines the creative process by integrating these functionalities into a single application.
What is the benefit of recording remotely using Squadcast?
-Squadcast, acquired by Descript, allows for high-quality remote recording of video and audio with anyone, anywhere, and at any time. It enables podcasters to record with guests virtually, providing studio-quality results without the need for in-person meetings.
How can users take advantage of free access to Squadcast with their Descript account?
-Descript account holders can connect their account to Squadcast by going to the settings and selecting the option to connect to Squadcast. This integration allows users to record remotely without needing to pay for additional services or upgrade their Zoom accounts.
What are the steps to create and edit a project in Descript?
-To create and edit a project in Descript, users should drag and drop files into the platform to start the transcription process. They can then edit the transcript, use the ignore function for non-essential parts, and make use of the canvas to view and edit the video. The platform also allows for collaborative editing and commenting.
How does Descript handle transcription accuracy, and what can users do if errors occur?
-Descript generally provides high transcription accuracy, achieving about 90-95%. If errors occur, users can easily correct them by highlighting the incorrect word and using the correction tool. They can also add words to the transcription glossary to improve future transcriptions.
What is the purpose of the 'Actions' tab in Descript, and how can it be used?
-The 'Actions' tab in Descript provides various editing functions such as removing filler words, shortening word gaps, and copying highlights. It helps users to refine their audio and video content by making quick adjustments and edits to the transcript and media.
How can users repurpose parts of their podcast for social media clips?
-Users can highlight the sections they want to repurpose and use the duplicate function to create shorter clips. These clips can then be edited and formatted for different social media platforms, such as Instagram or TikTok, using Descript's editing tools.
What is the process for adding music and sound effects to a Descript project?
-To add music, users can search for tracks in Descript's stock media library or upload their own. They can then drag and drop the music into the project timeline, adjusting the volume levels and enabling ducking if desired. Sound effects can also be added from the stock media library and placed in the timeline for precise positioning.
How can users create and apply templates in Descript for a consistent look across multiple projects?
-Users can create a template by customizing elements like captions, logos, and background colors within a scene. Once the desired elements are in place, they can save the scene as a template. This template can then be applied to other projects or scenes for a consistent and professional look.
What are the options for exporting and publishing a finished project in Descript?
-Users can choose to publish directly to platforms like YouTube or BuzzSprout from within Descript. Alternatively, they can export the project as a video file, an audio file, or both, and then upload these files to their chosen hosting destination or podcast hosting provider.
Outlines
🎙️ Podcasting with Descript Overview
The paragraph introduces the topic of making podcasts with Descript, highlighting a recent podcast movement event attended by Ariel and Harmony. They discuss the importance of the event for networking and staying updated with podcasting trends and technology. They also mention hosting a Descript Community Coffee hour and encourage viewers to join their Discord for future event notifications.
🔊 Unique Features of Descript for Remote Recording
This section emphasizes Descript's text-based editing feature that simplifies the podcast editing process, making it accessible for beginners. The paragraph also discusses the integration of Squadcast, a remote recording platform, with Descript, allowing users to record high-quality audio and video with guests from anywhere. Harmony demonstrates how to connect a Descript account to Squadcast and mentions the availability of webinars and video tutorials for further guidance.
🎬 Editing Process in Descript
The paragraph explains the process of editing podcast episodes in Descript. It covers the initial transcription and speaker identification, combining multiple audio files into a single sequence for easy editing. The paragraph also touches on the collaborative features of Descript, such as leaving comments for other editors and using the ignore function to temporarily bypass parts of the audio during editing.
✂️ Advanced Editing Techniques
This part delves into more advanced editing techniques, including the use of the ignore function to manage unwanted audio segments, the sequence editor for detailed audio manipulation, and the glossary for improving transcription accuracy. It also discusses the process of correcting transcripts, using the actions tab to remove filler words, and identifying highlights for repurposing into social media clips.
📚 Creating and Using Compositions
The paragraph demonstrates how to create new compositions from selected highlights of the transcript, allowing for the creation of shorter clips from a longer document. It also discusses the use of the canvas for video editing, the ability to duplicate highlights for repurposing, and the consideration of video and audio integration in podcast production.
🎵 Adding Music and Sound Effects
This section covers the process of adding music and sound effects to a podcast using Descript's stock media library. It explains how to insert music tracks, adjust audio levels using ducking, and add sound effects like dings for emphasis. The paragraph also highlights the use of the timeline for precise editing and the ability to apply effects to individual sequences.
📈 Utilizing Scenes for Dynamic Video Content
The paragraph discusses the use of scenes in video editing to create a dynamic viewing experience. It explains how to add scenes by active speaker, switch between camera angles, and adjust the canvas to show multiple speakers. The section also covers the application of templates to streamline the editing process and the use of layers for complex scene arrangements.
🚀 Exporting and Publishing Podcasts
This part covers the final steps of exporting and publishing podcasts. It explains the options available for publishing directly to platforms like YouTube or exporting for manual upload. The paragraph also discusses the use of templates, specifically for video content, and the process of exporting different file formats for various hosting platforms.
🤝 Q&A and Community Engagement
The final paragraph is dedicated to answering audience questions and encouraging community engagement. It provides information on the differences between recording directly in Descript and using Squadcast for remote recording. The paragraph also addresses storage limits for projects, the handling of multiple audio and video tracks, and the use of AI tools for eye contact adjustment. Lastly, it invites users to join Descript's Discord community for further support and interaction.
📝 Wrapping Up and Next Steps
The concluding paragraph thanks the audience for their participation, recaps the key points of the session, and provides a reminder about the availability of office hours on Discord. It encourages users to join the Discord community for ongoing support and future events, and it reiterates the offer for a free month of Descript Pro with a specific code.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Podcast
💡Descript
💡Remote Recording
💡Transcription
💡Multitrack Editing
💡Speaker Identification
💡Timeline Editing
💡Scenes
💡Templates
💡Exporting
💡Discord
Highlights
Descript is a platform that allows for text-based editing of audio and video, making it approachable for beginners.
It offers a one-stop solution for recording, editing, collaborating, and publishing media content.
Descript acquired Squadcast, enabling users to record remotely with high-quality audio and video.
Users can connect their Descript account to Squadcast for free, eliminating the need for other recording services.
The platform supports creating and editing projects in a multitrack sequence, providing flexibility in editing.
Descript's transcription feature is accurate, typically achieving 90-95% accuracy.
Users can correct and train the system using the transcription glossary to improve future transcriptions.
The ignore function allows for temporary removal of content, keeping it intact for potential future use.
Collaborative features enable team members to tag and communicate within the editing platform.
Descript facilitates the creation of social clips and audiograms from the main podcast content.
Users can export their podcasts in various formats, including video and audio-only versions.
The platform includes a stock media library for adding music and sound effects to projects.
Descript offers a free month of Pro with the code 'pod April' for new users or those on the free plan.
Office hours are held on Wednesdays and Thursdays, providing live support and community interaction.
Templates can be created and saved for quick application across different projects.
The active speaker feature automatically adjusts the video to focus on the person speaking.
Descript's eye contact AI tool helps improve the engagement of video content by adjusting where speakers appear to be looking.
Users can add static images or b-roll to audio-only podcasts to create visual content for social media.
For long podcasts, it's recommended to break the content into multiple projects to avoid performance issues.
