Podshop Powers 4K Podcast Production with Sony FX3 & FX6
Podcasts emerged around 2006 as a niche way to distribute audio content to iPods, and are now a significant and growing sector of the media industry. Top-rated podcasts can command audiences that rival those of conventional broadcasters, and revenues continue to climb steeply.
The podcast medium has matured into a spectrum of production formats, from the most basic audio recording to a fully-fledged multi-camera TV show. There is a clear trend towards higher production values, especially in video, and some podcasts have a high-quality look that matches or exceeds the output of national broadcasters and major streaming content providers.
Podcast: a unique medium transitioning from a primarily audio format to a more visual experience
Podcasts are a unique medium, with specific requirements that are not all met by traditional recording setups. Podshop founder Spike O’Connell identified the need for a dedicated recording facility that could produce high-end podcasts without incurring the costs associated with big studios. Spike has chosen exclusively Sony cameras for his growing number of studios. He explained to us why Sony products are so well-suited for podcast filming.
“Gone are the days when you could shoot a podcast on Zoom or a couple of phones propped up on tripods. It just doesn’t stand. You can tell the difference when it’s shot in a studio with proper lighting, audio, and decent cameras, and everything is tied together nicely. We refuse to work with phone footage because there are so many problems with it. High-quality video content is now the standard.”
Cinematic podcast contents produced by Sony’s FX6 and FX3
Podshop’s content looks like it was shot in an expensive TV studio (or a film set). Either of which is likely to be vastly more expensive than a typical podcast budget allows. Podshop squares this circle by building smaller sets, expertly lighting them and then filming with Sony cameras that, despite their small form-factor, capture lush, engaging and smooth-looking footage without the technical demands of more expensive equipment.
Spike O’Connell:
“We wanted to do something that stands out from our competitors. We have top-of-the-range Sony cameras and lenses that not everyone else uses, specifically to achieve that cinematic look and feel.
Podcasting is a radically different type of content from “traditional” TV shows. Episodes tend to be longer and more discursive. Most are, essentially, interviews or discussions – ideal for smaller studios and simpler setups. The Sony FX3 and FX6 cameras are part of Sony’s Cinema line range and can shoot in 4K for extended periods. These smaller, unobtrusive cameras are perfect for multi-cam shoots, where they can blend into the background without distracting podcasters and occupying minimal space.
Podshop shoots all their podcasts in stunning 4K with easy colour matching between FX3 and FX6
In the early days of video podcasts, quality wasn’t seen as a massive priority, but today, it is increasingly important for standing out in a highly saturated market. Streaming mediacompanies are far more likely to provide 4K material to end users than broadcasters, and smart TVs and laptops can easily display higher-quality content than broadcasters’ default Full HD. For viewers sitting close to the screen, the added quality of 4K is obvious. There is another, less obvious advantage to shooting in 4K: it provides a high-quality original format for transcoding to lower resolutions. Video transcoding always works best with a clean, high-resolution original, even if the target resolution is significantly lower.
That’s why we’ve chosen specifically to work with Sony - the Alpha range and the FX range. It’s really easy to switch between different resolutions and codecs in the short changeover periods we have to work with. And especially when more experienced producers come in with very specific requirements - we can easily make those subtle but important changes.
Spike O'Connell
Podshop founder
Super high quality podcast contents are the signature appeal of Podshop
Podshop’s “look” helps its podcasts to stand out, with its beautifully designed sets and warm, engaging lighting. The Sony cameras deliver a consistent and eye-catching colour “feel” to the Podshop’s productions.
Lighting is challenging for non-specialists, and the incredible results from the studio and Sony cameras easily justify the investment. One customer commented, “Wow, I’ve never seen myself in such high quality!”.
One of the greatest things about the Sony range is that we can dial in the colour really nicely before you actually start shooting. It saves tons of time in post-production from a colour perspective. It’s really great for customers who want to do their own post-production. It really helps them if we’ve already got the colours almost correct. Then, all our customers have to do is tweak things here and there, rather than starting from scratch. It saves tons of time in post-production.
Spike O'Connell
Podshop founder
With more content choices than ever, Podshop’s signature visual appeal is obvious even from thumbnail previews on a YouTube page, encouraging potential viewers to pick the best-looking image. This matters more than ever now because a virtuous circle has emerged, where podcast producers select and post highlight clips from episodes on social media. These clips then encourage viewers to click through to the full-length content.
For solo shots in the studio, we use a combination of the Sony FX6 with the Sony 70-200 lenses, that’s for the depth of field compression you get with this type of lens. (The FX6 is a full-frame camera.) The FX6 also has an SDI output, which fits perfectly into our workflow ecosystem where we’ve got a mix of SDI and HDMI. We also have two FX3s, which are ideal in our smaller studio. The FX3 is a palm-sized cinema camera, and that played into our setups very well.
Lews Day
Chief Studio Engineer, Podshop Studios
A built-in camera cooling system is key for hours long recordings
Podcasts tend to be over an hour long and sometimes longer. We often shoot in 4K and 10-bit, so cameras typically get pretty hot, but the FX3 has a built-in cooling system, so none of this is a problem. We also use the Sony Alpha range; we have a couple of α7 IV, they’re great at shooting videos but also stills, which we use in our other work, and the viewfinder is bright and clear.”
Once the studio is set up, podcasts lend themselves to self-operation, leaving the critical job of focusing to the cameras and the precision Sony lenses.
As podcasting’s popularity continues to grow, the future looks bright for Podshop and its Sony-based workflow. Spike O’Connell again:
“We tried other brands but couldn’t find anything that matched the consistency of Sony cameras. The future of Podshop is to expand to cities across the UK. There’s no doubt that we will continue to grow and develop with Sony cameras and lenses alongside us for all our future shoots.
