Planning the two weeks before

How much lead time you need

Two weeks is a comfortable lead time for a single episode. That gives you time to lock the guest, write an outline, scout the room and book any crew. For a season of episodes, start four weeks out so every guest can pick a slot.

Write an outline, not a script

Write the outline as a list of five or six topics, not a script. Guests sound natural when they know where the talk is going but not every word. Share it a few days ahead so they can think of stories.

• One strong opening question that gets a story, not a yes or no.
• Five or six topics, each with one or two backup questions.
• A planned clip moment: a hot take, a list or a story you know lands.
• A clear close: where to find the guest and what to watch next.

Build a run of show

A run of show is the outline with times on it. It tells everyone when the episode starts, when to break and what gets cut if things run long.

1. Cold open or teaser: 1 minute.
2. Intro and guest welcome: 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Main topics: 45 to 70 minutes, with a short break at the midpoint.
4. Rapid fire or listener questions: 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Close and calls to action: 2 minutes.

Time the run of show against the hours you booked, not the other way around. If the booking is four hours and setup takes one, the episode gets 90 minutes at most once you protect time for clips and pack out.

Prep your guest

A prepared guest gives a better episode and needs fewer retakes. A short pre call or voice note a few days out does more than any outline.

• Ask for two or three stories they love telling, and build questions around them.
• Confirm how they want to be introduced and how to pronounce their name.
• Ask for their links and handles for the description and clips.
• Tell them how long it runs and when the breaks are.

Call sheet and paperwork

A one page call sheet saves a dozen texts. Send it to everyone a week out and again the day before.

• Address, arrival times, parking notes and a contact phone number.
• Who does what: host, guest, sound, camera, producer.
• The schedule from load in to pack out.
• A guest release form so you can publish and clip the episode.

San Antonio timing

• Spring and fall fill up fastest, so book those dates earlier.
• Fiesta in April makes traffic and noise around town unpredictable.
• June to September highs often sit near 100F, so book mornings.
• A room full of lights heats up fast with the AC off for takes, so plan breaks to cool it.

Weekday mornings are usually the quietest window for audio, with less yard work, fewer deliveries and cooler rooms. If you must record on a weekend afternoon, plan extra pauses for passing noise and keep a lav backup rolling.

Use this checklist to stay on track from booking to the day of.

Podcast and video checklist

2 weeks out

• Lock the episode outline and guest
• Choose your sets and camera angles
• Book the location and any crew

Day before

• Charge every battery and format cards
• Pack backup mics, cables and gaffer tape
• Send the guest arrival time and what to wear

Day of

• Set audio first and record 30 seconds of room tone
• Set gain so talking peaks near -12 dB
• Do a 2 minute test recording and play it back
• Shoot thumbnails and short vertical clips before you pack

Send a wardrobe note

Send this one week out. Wardrobe problems are easy to prevent and almost impossible to fix on the day.

• Solid mid-tone colors read best; avoid pure white and pure black.
• Skip thin stripes and small checks, which shimmer on camera.
• Skip noisy jewelry; bracelets click on lav mics.
• Bring a second top if you are recording two episodes.
• Avoid colors that match the background so guests do not disappear.

The night before

Charge every battery, format every card and pack the backup mics. Text your guest the arrival time, parking notes and what to wear. A calm load in starts the night before. Set every camera to the settings from Part 2 at home, so on the day you only frame and focus.

Tip: Pack by list, not memory. Keep a written packing list and check items off as they go in the bag. The forgotten XLR cable or power adapter is the most common reason a shoot starts late.

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