By Byron Graham, Westword | Podcasters enjoy a degree of creative freedom unrivaled by nearly any other media platform. Since making your own show requires little more than an internet connection and some rudimentary recording equipment, and the medium allows creators to connect directly with their listeners, a charming DIY ethos permeates the still-burgeoning industry. House of Pod is a hub for creators in the often lonely field of podcasting to come together to develop ideas, share recording space, and build a fellowship of local showrunners. The company, which was co-founded in coordination with the non-profit Amped, is seeking to diversify the soundscape of the Denver podcasting scene with “From the Margins to the Center,” a a new podcast incubator dedicated to developing new podcasts created by women of color —who’ve been historically underrepresented across all fields of media. Westword caught up with House of Pod’s Catherine Jaffee and Paul Karolyi to discuss their goals for the incubator, and the advantages of working together.
Westword: Can you give us the origin story of the House of Pod?
Catherine Jaffee: I lived on the borders of Turkey/Armenia/Iran on a National Geographic Explorer grant for much of my 20’s. The easiest media to download at that time in the tech-remote territory where I lived was podcasts. This was from 2008-2015. I became obsessed. I started listening to help me feel less lonely, but the more that I listened, the more I also saw podcasting as an excellent medium for communities to tell their own stories and to be heard in ways that they hadn’t been before. So when I returned to my home in Colorado (I was born here), I was bent on making podcasts professionally. That’s when I learned that actually making a high quality podcast that people would want to listen to has quite a few challenges. From buying the right equipment, to mastering editing, to connecting with others who can help you, to producing podcasts… the whole thing can be lonely, and hard, and I realized that I needed a community and a space to make something that actually mattered. I started interviewing others about their experiences and visiting studios around the country, and it become clear that others were facing the same challenges. Over 50% of all US podcasts are made out of just two cities – New York and LA. Being from Colorado, I wanted to see our cities and communities join those ranks. So I set out to start House of Pod here. That’s when I met Paul Karolyi, who had been leading Denver’s Podcast Meetup group for a few years, and producing a number of podcasts in Denver for quite some time. Together, we started growing a space, a community, and a production company that could support new podcasters in finding their start, and serving existing podcasters in connecting with one another to grow their stories and capabilities.
How has the collective evolved over the course of its first year?
Paul Karolyi: House of Pod is not a collective. It’s a company with a sister non-profit called Amped.. As for how it’s evolved, the short answer is enormously. In the beginning we had big plans for all kinds of podcast-related services and other offerings. I remember early on Cat talking about a storytelling bar and coffee shop. We never found the right space for that. There’s also the studio. Looking back on how it looked when we started, it’s like night and day. We’ve invested a lot of time and money in improving our studio, while keeping it comfortable and approachable — all that technical equipment can be intimidating and we want people to see how easy it can be to make their voices heard! That really brings up the one thing that’s been constant since the beginning. We still have the same basic goals we started with: build a podcasting community in Colorado and amplify underheard voices.
Jaffee: Paul is right. We’re not a collective, but we have really evolved! What started as a focus on space and equipment has transformed into a one-stop-shop for all things podcasting. Plenty of places have studios – the library, other coworking spaces. But what House of Pod is and does that is so unique, is that we are a full service production company that teaches free classes and paid workshops on how to produce your own thing; we offer a la cart services like editing, hosting, sound design, original music composition, studio consultations…; and we produce full series for companies and individuals centered on their goals and their stories. We still have our space, and our studio is the most affordable high-end production space in Denver. It breaks down to $3.30/day to come and record (but you do have to reserve your spots beforehand). However, in our evolution we’ve added on all of these services and offerings based on the needs of podcasters. What started as a podcasting co-working space, has truly evolved into a center that is aiming to meet folks where they’re at. We even started an educational non-profit Amped, that works in the community to teach podcasting and hold programs that unlock the medium for underrepresented voices. Some examples of work we’ve done on that front is an oral history project in the Five Points neighborhood, where we worked with Julie Rubsam, a long-time senior resident, to interview older neighbors about their stories of the neighborhood, including Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb. We’re particularly excited to be working with the non-profit now to launch From the Margins to the Center, our new podcast incubator that is first we know of its kind here in Colorado.
Describe the nature of your new podcasting incubator, From the Margins to the Center. What are your intentions and what are you offering to the people who apply?
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Read the whole article here:
https://www.westword.com/arts/catherine-jaffee-and-paul-karolyi-on-house-of-pods-women-of-color-podcast-incubator-11325632
Byron Graham is a writer, comedian and gentleman thief from Denver. Co-host of Designated Drunkard: A Comedy Drinking Game, the deathless Lion’s Lair open mic and the Mutiny Book Club Podcast, Graham also writes about comedy for Westword. He cannot abide cowardice and he’s never been defeated in an open duel.
Contact: Byron Graham
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