PODCAST PRODUCTION · STORYTELLING · EMBODY
Podcast production that starts with something worth listening to.
Inner Ear develops and produces podcasts for cultural organisations, innovative businesses, creative agencies and brands.
We help shape the idea, audience and format, then take care of the production — from research, recording and contributor preparation through editing, sound design, publishing and useful content afterwards.
The microphone captures the conversation. Production shapes the experience.
Online audio since 2001
Inner Ear has been producing online radio and audio programmes since launching Radio Magnetic in 2001.
Remote, studio and location
Choose the recording environment because it suits the story, the contributors and the audience experience.
Editorial + technical
Research, format, contributors and structure matter as much as microphones, editing and software.
Series, not just episodes
We can help create a format capable of developing over time rather than treating every recording as an isolated asset.
WHY IT MATTERS
“We should start a podcast” is not yet a podcast idea.
Podcasting has a low technical barrier to entry.
That is part of its appeal.
It also means there are a lot of podcasts with interesting people, decent microphones and no compelling reason to return for episode two.
Before recording, it helps to answer:
- Who is this for?
- Why would they listen?
- Why audio?
- What can this format do particularly well?
- What should an episode feel like?
- Who should host it?
- What should contributors bring?
- Is this one programme or an ongoing series?
- What should happen after somebody listens?
A strong podcast starts with the relationship between material, format and audience.
WHAT THIS IS
A podcast is more than a recorded conversation.
Production decisions shape whether people understand the point, remember the programme and want to return.
- PurposeWhat is the podcast supposed to do?
It might inform, entertain, explain, advocate, provoke, document, teach, inspire or bring people closer to expertise and experience.
Clarity here shapes everything else. - FormatWhat recurring structure gives the programme its identity?
Interview, documentary, conversation, narrative, panel, location-led audio and hybrid formats all create different listening experiences. - VoiceWho carries the programme?
Hosts, contributors, experts and participants need enough preparation to sound informed and comfortable without being over-scripted. - CraftRecording, editing, music, pacing, sound design and structure shape how the listener experiences the material.
Good craft should make the story easier to hear, not draw attention to itself unnecessarily.
Have an idea but not the format?
You do not need to arrive with an episode plan. We can help develop the concept before committing to production.
HOW WE WORK
Develop it. Record it. Shape it. Release it.
We keep the process practical and bounded so the programme is stronger before the first episode goes out.
Develop
We establish objectives, audiences, editorial promise, format, duration, series structure, presenter role, contributor approach, research needs, tone, recording model, publishing route and opportunities for reuse.
If the idea needs changing before production, this is the right time to discover that.
Record
Depending on the programme, we can record in our Glasgow studio, at a client location, out in the world, remotely, at events, with multiple contributors, as audio only or with video where that adds useful value.
We prepare contributors and manage the technical environment so they can concentrate on the conversation.
Shape
Raw recordings become episodes through editorial editing, structural editing, clean-up, sound design, music where appropriate and properly licensed, narration and links, fact or source queries where required, client review, quality control and mastering.
Editing should preserve personality while respecting the listener’s time.
Release
Depending on scope, we can support episode finalisation, transcripts, show notes, metadata, artwork preparation, podcast hosting, feed setup, distribution, accessibility, publication, clips and promotional assets.
The series should have a practical route into the world, not end at delivery of a WAV file.
RECORDING
Record where the story works best.
There is no universally “best” setup. The right recording model depends on the contributors, subject, environment, budget and intended audience experience.
Studio
Controlled sound, comfortable conversations and reliable production.
Ideal when a clean, focused recording environment matters and contributors can travel to one place.
Remote
Bring contributors together from different locations while maintaining individual high-quality recordings.
Useful for busy guests, distributed teams or programmes built around access to people in multiple places.
On location
Capture people in the places that matter to the story, including atmosphere and contextual sound.
Best when place is part of the programme itself rather than just the backdrop.
Video podcast
Capture video alongside high-quality audio when YouTube, clips or visual distribution genuinely strengthen the project.
We will not recommend cameras just because they are available.
MORE VALUE FROM THE RECORDING
One good conversation can do more than make one episode.
A podcast recording can also create useful source material for:
- short audio clips
- video clips
- articles
- quotations
- newsletters
- social content
- transcripts
- searchable resources
- campaign material
- archive material
- future editorial work
That does not mean turning every sentence into another post.
It means recognising useful material while it exists and planning its reuse intelligently.
Where that becomes a substantial requirement, connect podcast production to the Content Cascade System.
PODCASTS IN PRACTICE
Different subjects. Different formats. The same editorial care.
We do not force the same production model onto every podcast. The format has to fit the material, the contributors and the listener.
Podcast production
If Glasgow’s Walls Could Talk
Inner Ear helped Glasgow City Heritage Trust develop and produce the podcast from its first series onwards, supporting format development, planning, research, scripting and briefing, presenter development, contributor preparation, remote, studio and location recording, editing, sound design, transcription, publication and promotional excerpts.
Curated series
XpoNorth podcast series
Drive material shows Inner Ear shaping XpoNorth discussions into a curated podcast series, carrying creative-industry conversation beyond the live moment and into something people could return to later.
STARTING A PODCAST
Develop the format before producing the series.
If the organisation has an idea, subject or group of contributors but not yet a clear programme, start with a short development phase.
- audience
- objectives
- editorial promise
- title and proposition
- episode structure
- presenter role
- contributor profile
- recording approach
- production requirements
- indicative series scope
- distribution
- derivative content opportunities
This can begin as a short development phase before the full production is commissioned.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Podcast Production questions
These are the practical questions that usually shape format, scope, recording approach and production support.
What does a podcast production company do?
That depends on the project.
Inner Ear can support the entire process from concept and format development through research, recording, editing, sound design, publishing and promotional content.
We can also work on only the parts you need.
How much does podcast production cost?
It depends on the format, number and length of episodes, research requirements, contributors, recording method, location, editing complexity, video requirements and publishing support.
A simple studio conversation and a researched documentary series require very different levels of production.
Tell us what you are trying to achieve and we can recommend an appropriate scope.
Can you help us develop the idea?
Yes.
We would rather help develop a strong format before recording than produce a series whose purpose is unclear.
Format development can be commissioned before the full production.
Can you record podcasts remotely?
Yes.
We have extensive experience recording remote contributors and can help standardise their setup, prepare them beforehand and manage the recording session.
Can you record on location?
Yes.
Location can add character and context where place matters to the programme.
It also creates different acoustic and logistical challenges, which we plan for during production.
Do you make video podcasts?
Yes, where video serves a useful purpose.
Video can strengthen YouTube distribution, clips and social material, but it also adds production complexity.
We will not automatically recommend it simply because cameras are available.
Can you edit recordings we have already made?
Potentially.
We can assess existing recordings and advise what can realistically be achieved.
Audio quality, editorial structure and rights over the material all matter.
Do you publish podcasts to Spotify and Apple Podcasts?
We can support podcast hosting, feeds, metadata and distribution as part of the production scope.
The precise publishing setup depends on who should own and control the podcast account long term.
Can you create clips and other content from the podcast?
Yes.
We can create agreed derivatives directly or develop a wider reuse system through the Content Cascade System.
Can you train our team to make podcasts?
Yes.
If you want to build your own capability, podcast training can sit within Training & Workshops rather than commissioning full-service production.
RELATED SERVICES
The podcast can be one part of a bigger story.
Use podcast production when the format is clear. Move up a level when the bigger storytelling or content question still needs defining.
Engaging Storytelling Experiences
When you are still deciding whether a podcast is actually the right format for the material and audience.
Content Cascade System
When recordings, transcripts and episodes need to keep creating value across other channels and over time.
Training & Workshops
When the goal is to develop your team’s own podcast planning and production capability.
NEXT STEP
What should people want to hear from you?
Tell us what you want to talk about, who needs to hear it, what material or contributors you already have and how far the idea has developed.
You do not need a finished format.
We can help work out what the programme should be before we make it.