Teamwork, Dreamwork, etc.

Groundwork

a firm footing

Consulting.  Recruiting.  Development.  Training.  Coaching.

Let’s talk strategy, vision, execution, and management. I’m here to flesh out show concepts, lay out seasonal arcs, hire people to make it, and see it to the finish line.

I also offer trainings for Pro Tools, workflow best practices, gear and software recommendations, and voice coaching for hosts and reporters.

Free advice: Use the medium. This is the most consistent note I have for clients (especially those coming from print): let the sound do the work. Let the tape say what it needs to say — if it’s not saying it well, find some that is. A lot of narration is wordy and unnecessary. Can you use music, sound design, or silence to the same effect? If so, do that.

Framework

Don't Make Me Say content

Story.  Structure.  Editing.

I offer story editing for podcasts, talk shows, limited-run series, and individual episodes. I also do cultural competency editing (some call it sensitivity listening,) especially around issues of gender-identity, neurodivergence, mental health, and minoritized groups. If I’m not the gal for you, I’m happy to refer you to someone who is.

I’m particularly interested in stories of power, greed, and joy.

Free Advice: Invest in your workers (including contractors— hi!) — check in regularly, be proactive in their growth, ask what you can be doing better. Invest in developing people and in designing systems  with  their input. It will make everything better.

Legwork

Never skip it

Reporting. Writing.  Producing.  Field Recording.  Tape Syncs.

Looking for a freelance producer for a podcast or series? Need someone in the Bay area to record in the field or do a tape-sync in an office or home? Need a fill-in producer while someone’s on leave? I’m available for hire but prefer editing and consulting roles for long-term contracts.

Free Advice: With the advent of AI transcription tools such as Descript, I’ve noticed an over-reliance on transcripts in the writing process. These tools are incredible, but if you’re copying and pasting without listening you (or your AP, technical producer, or audio engineer) will have a lot of cleaning up to do down the line. Does the person sound completely different in one selection you’re cutting with another? Is there background music in one piece but not the other? Audio engineers can do wonders nowadays — but not miracles. The best way to ensure a smooth drafting and editing process is to make sure that tape you’re selecting works from the start.

Earwork

Sound Logic (But I Mostly Use Pro Tools)

Scoring.  Sound Design.  Mix Engineering.  Final Polish.

Hire me to make your audio shimmer. I’ll work with you on pacing, creative sound design, finding composers, sourcing music, and scoring. You’ll have a podcast mixed to loudness standards for all platforms.

Free Advice: Bring an engineer on early in the process to help configure your recorder settings and discuss best practices. When in doubt, send your engineer a sample recording of your tracking session to make sure everything’s in order. This is how to set your levels.

I am also interested in...

writing copy, copy editing, and marketing, as well as dialogue editing and sound design for video games and film