Maker Sessions

Dive into scores of talks, workshops, and audio manifestos offering wisdom on everything from production skills to journalistic ethics from the best audio producers and makers on the planet.

The Story as Walkabout

Smartphones and other gadgets have detached our listening experiences from the radio, and are making another kind of attachment possible - to where the stories actually take place.

  • 2012
  • 01:18:18

HowSound Live! Part I

Discover the backstory to this year's TC/RHDF Competition winners!

  • 2014
  • 01:22:08

First Off... This is in Really Good Shape

In this session for editors - or anyone who wants to help someone else shape a story – Gimlet Media’s Jorge Just explores the delicate art of making good things better.

  • 2016
  • 01:28:46

Midwifing The Story: The Art of Editing

We’ve all heard the old adage: Everyone needs an editor. Whether you’re working in print, film, or narrative audio — you need someone to check for structure, make sure you’re meeting deadlines, and generally help get the story to the finish line.

  • 2024
  • 01:28:39

Spotlight: Family Separation at the Border

In June of 2018, ProPublica released a piece of audio that would come to define one of the most critical news stories of the year: the separation and detention of families seeking asylum at the U.S. - Mexico border.

  • 2024
  • 01:03:08

2018 Provocations

Join us on the opening night of Third Coast for Late Night Provocations: a series of short talks from producers who hope to dare and ignite.

  • 2024
  • 01:06:33

Podcasting Without a Net(work) (Day 2)

Individual podcasters working with slim budgets and strained resources share how they create their best work while trying to grow audiences and raise money, often while holding down another full time job...

  • 2018
  • 01:01:00

Dark & Funny, Like Your Life: Sound Design With Feeling

You know about reading between the lines, right? Well good sound design can make you dance between the lines. And when you’re talking about big, uncomfortable ideas — sound can be a super powerful tool to have on hand.

  • 2024
  • 01:27:57

Gonna Make You Sweat

What does it feel like when artists challenge conventional radio and allow their lived experiences to inform their work?

  • 2024
  • 01:02:58

All That Lingers: Reporting On Aftermath

Hurricane Maria. The Pulse Nightclub massacre. Charlottesville. Philando Castile. Uproar over racism at the University of Missouri. Adrián Florido (Code Switch) has spent much of his time at NPR reporting on the aftermath of traumatic events in communities of color.

  • 2024
  • 01:31:15

AIR's 2019 Bitchin' Pitchin Panel

Hosted by AIR (Association of Independents in Radio), this session pulls back the curtain on one of the most difficult and important skills every producer has to tackle: how to pitch.

  • 2024
  • 01:21:37

Sex Sells

Sex sells, sure, but who gets to cash in on it? How can journalists honestly and accurately cover sex workers without sensationalizing or further stigmatizing their work? And can the answers provide meaningful & challenging insights for audio producers specifically who make stories about communities they are not a part of?

  • 2024
  • 01:23:08

Start From The Beginning

Most people can recount the facts of their situation, but how do you get them to tell you an actual story? Interviewing for narrative calls for a slightly different set of interview muscles – from the kinds of questions you ask, to helping a source tap into details and emotion of moments long past.

  • 2024
  • 01:17:02

The Right To Bear Data

Data has power but also serves power, which means it can be profoundly hard to navigate and understand.

  • 2024
  • 01:15:52