Podfication

Convention
Name:	Podfication
Dates:	October 22-23, 2016; October 21-22, 2017; October 20-21, 2018; October 19-20, 2019
Frequency:	Every other year
Location:	The Waterbury Building (Geek Partnership Society, Event Horizon Community Center) in Minneapolis, MN, USA
Type:	fan-run, non-profit, no celebrity guests
Focus:	podfic
Organization:
Founder:	revolutionaryjo & Bessyboo
Founding Date:	2016
URL:	dreamwidth community; twitter; tumblr
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Podfication is a podfic con located in Minneapolis, MN, USA. It has been held in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In early 2020, the convention moved to an every other year frequency with the intention of eventually becoming a three day convention. In 2021, bessyboo was removed from Podfication's leadership.

The convention typically draws 25-35 people. In 2016 there were 34 participants.

About

It is a "A convention for podfic creators & listeners. Join us for informal hanging out, discussion, and of course, recording!" -- from the convention's Twitter profile

From the website:

What is Podfication?

An informal, two day convention for podfic creators and listeners! Join us in Minneapolis for hanging out, discussion, and recording.

When and where will it happen?

October 19th & 20th, 2019 at the Geek Partnership Society's Event Horizon community center, rooms 106 & 107 within the Waterbury Building which is large, red and hard to miss. (1121 Jackson St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413)

Where can I stay if this isn't at a hotel?

The Event Horizon center is a convenient bus ride from downtown Minneapolis, which has many hotels. There may also be locals who can accommodate a few people, at their discretion. We encourage finding roommates and renting some local Airbnb's within walking distance of the venue, which has worked out wonderfully in past years! Visit the Lodgings Finder post to connect with people looking for roommates for the weekend.

What's the Event Horizon center like?

We have access to three rooms, one that has some comfy couch seating for hanging out and chatting, one for recording that's as sound isolated as is possible, and one for panels. We also have access to a small kitchenette. Public restrooms are just down the hall and parking is free.

I have a question about accessibility.

We want to accommodate any accessibility needs that we can. You can find our accessibility guide here. If you have any concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Do I have to be over 18 to attend?

Yes, since discussions can be of a mature nature, we ask that attendees are 18 years of age or older. Children under age 1 are welcome in the con space as long as they are attended by their parent/guardian.

Who's running this show?

revolutionaryjo and bessyboo are your co-chairs, but it takes a village. If you're interested in helping us staff this thing believe us we're interested in your help. Get in touch. If you're not up for that much responsibility, but still want to help we'll be calling for volunteers closer to October. Keep an eye out!

How do I register?

You can register using a variety of payment types here for $50.00 + $3.08 Eventbrite fee (USD). This is an unavoidable increase over prior years due to increasing costs associated with our venue. Everybody wants to live in NE Minneapolis, what can I tell you.

Can I purchase a supporting membership or donate?

We don't have a lot to offer you beyond endless thanks, but we'll happily mail you a copy of the programming guide after the convention if you chip in at least $25.00 USD. The best means of payment is via PayPal to podfication at gmail dot com. (If you'd like us to mail you that programming guide, please include your postal address in the notes!) If PayPal is a no-go, reach out and we'll figure out another way.

Do you have a scholarship program I can donate to?

You are a world class human being, friend. If you'd like to donate to cover the cost of registration for someone, the best way is to PayPal $50 per donated registration to podfication at gmail dot com. Be sure to note for us that what you're sending is a scholarship, or we'll assume it to be a general donation. If you can't do PayPal, reach out to us and we'll figure another way.

Do you have a scholarship program I can apply for?

Yes! We have one scholarship we're accepting applications for through August 31, 2019. Check this post for details and how to apply. If any additional scholarship donations are received, we'll make an additional post and update this FAQ.

More questions?

We'll be periodically updating this community as time goes on with more information. In the meantime, if you want to ask us a question directly, send over an email (podfication at gmail), a tweet (@podfication), an ask at podfication.tumblr.com, or drop us a comment here. We look forward to hearing from you!

Programming 2016

program book cover

programming

Saturday

Opening Remarks:

Room 107 - Saturday, 9:30 A.M.

Welcome to Podfication! Announcements and other important information before we get down to having fun.

Vocal Warmups:

Room 107 - Saturday, 10:00 A.M.

Panelist: revolutionaryjo

Let's break the ice by collectively looking sillyl We'll talk about our vocal warmup routines and do some.

Off-Roading: Experimental Podfic:

Room 707 - Saturday, 11:00 A.M.

Panelists: klb & revolutionaryjo

Fans keep inventing creative ways to push the boundaries of what podfic can be. In this panel, we'll discuss some of these past experiments with podfic, work together to try to figure out the major axes on which podfic can be played with, and then immediately put that thinking to use as we all suggest more possibilities for ways to play with podfic as a form, the more outrageous, the better. Hopefully you will leave with at least one exciting new idea you like to try!

In Person Podfic Love-Fest:

Room 107 - Saturday, 1:00 P.M.

Panelists: klb & Lunate8

This event is an opportunity to enjoy listening to podfic in a room cf :ecoe who love it as much as you do - sharing aloud the laughter, gasps, and sometimes even tears that great podfic inspires in us. But beyond that, it's an opportunity for podficcers, who often receive little feedback, to have a few minutes of this con dedicated to showering them with in-person appreciation by fellow members of their community.

He Said She Said: Exploring Character Voices:

Room 107 - Saturday, 3:00 P.M.

Panelists: klb & Rhea314

There are many ways to differentiate character voices, from subtle to bold. In this panel we will talk about how you decide how characters will sound, tips and tricks for getting into character, ways to tackle situations with accents or speech patterns far outside your comfort level, and any other thoughts you have on voicing characters. Then we will share clips of different podficcers' takes on the same characters and discuss similarities and differences we notice!

Podfic Cover Art:

Room 107 - Saturday, 4:00 P.M.

Panelist: Bessyboo

All of your podfic cover art questions answered!

Podfic Big Bang and the Ways of Epic Podfic:

Room 107 - Saturday, 7:00 P.M.

Panelist: Opalsong

Are you intimidated by long podfic? Love it? Unsure where to begin? How to go about finding something even more epic than your last? Wondering how in the world people can produce 30 hour podfics without losing their voices (and their will to live)? This is the panel for you!

Revelation: What Podfic Means to Us:

Room 107 - Saturday, 8:00 P.M.

Panelist: klb

Now that we finally have a con just for podfic, this panel is to sit in a room of people who are all as passionate about podfic as you and talk about what podfic means to you and how it has changed your life.

Sunday

Betas:

Room 107 - Sunday, 10:00 A.M.

Panelist: revolutionoryjo & Lunate8

How do you work with a beta when it comes to podfic? DO you work with a beta when it comes to podfic? Let's talk about all things beta, from communication between beta a podficcer to finding a beta that's right for you.

Guess That Voice:

Room 107 - Sunday, 11:00 A.M.

Panelist: Rhea314

We'll play random snippets of various podfics and take guesses from the audience on who the podficcer is, as well as fic and fandom. Probably determined from iTunes shuffle and picking random times from members in the audience as well for maximum unpredictability. Can you say who that podficcer is from 5 seconds of randomly selected audio? Can you name the podfic? ls that your voice?

LIVE PODFIC (hosted by Opalsong; written by Syr):

Room 106A - Sunday, 1:00 P.M.

Panelists: Opalsong & Co.

A live recording/performance of a brand new written-for-podfication fic (by Syr). Voluntary audience participation. Hilarity will ensue. You have be warned.

Live Performances:

Room 106A - Sunday, 2:00 P.M.

Live readings from your fellow Podfication attendees!

Closing Remarks:

Room 106A - Sunday, 5:00 P.M.

A fond farewell and any last minute important information that needs to be relayed.

Programming 2017

Saturday

Welcome to Podfication! Opening Remarks and an Icebreaker

Room 107 - Saturday, 9:00 A.M.

Welcome to Podfication! Announcements and other important information followed by some immediate fun.

Guess That Voice!

Room 107 - Saturday, 10:15 A.M.

Panelists: Rhea314

Playing random snippets of various podfics and taking guesses from the audience on who the podficcer is, as well as fic and fandom. Probably determined from iTunes shuffle and picking random times from members in the audience as well for maximum unpredictability. Can you say who that podficcer is from 5 seconds of randomly selected audio? Can you name the podfic? Is that your voice?

Cover Art Text

Room 107 - Saturday, 12:45 P.M.

Panelists: bessyboo

You know that feeling when you finish your art for a cover and go, "YES, that's just how I want it," but then you realize, "oh no, I gotta add TEXT now!" Well, fear not! Bessyboo is here to help you with all your cover art text-related woes and anxieties!

Your Filesize Is Too Damn Big

Room 107 - Saturday, 2:00 P.M.

Panelists: bessyboo

In a world where many people are listening to podfic on mobile devices with limited storage, or even streaming on data plans, file size is perhaps more important than ever. In this tech workshop, we'll talk audio compression specs, technical capabilities of popular microphones, and more ways to make your podfic more accessible to listeners by keeping file sizes down.

In Person Love-Fest

Room 107 - Saturday, 3:15 P.M.

Panelists: klb & Lunate8

This event is an opportunity to enjoy listening to podfic in a room of people who love it as much as you do—sharing aloud the laughter, gasps, and sometimes even tears that great podfic inspires in us. But beyond that, it’s an opportunity for podficcers, who often receive little feedback, to have a few minutes of this con dedicated to showering them with in-person appreciation by fellow members of their community.

Raise You Up: Getting Out of Podfic Slumps

Room 107 - Saturday, 7:00 P.M.

Panelists: klb & cantarina

If you ever get in a place where you doubt yourself as a podficcer or can't find the energy or inspiration to podfic, this panel is for you. We'll discuss some of the things that cause podfic slumps, share strategies that have worked to get us out of them and/or ideas to try in the future, and, if there's time, we'll listen to and discuss some (possibly slump-busting?) songs and interview clips geared towards podficcer inspiration!

Live Performances

Room 106A - Saturday, 8:15 P.M.

Live readings from your fellow Podfication attendees!

Sunday

Podficcing Without a Script

Room 106A - Sunday, 9:00 A.M.

Panelists: klb & bessyboo

Traditionally, a podfic starts with already having written words to read from. But what happens when you flip the script and start recording first, without knowing exactly where it’ll go? Some of the forms this has taken in the past are oral not!fic and in-character improvisation (perhaps with some scripted parts woven in later). Let's talk about this fascinating spin on podfic, sharing tips, tricks, strategies, and possibilities.

Oral Not!Fic

Room 106A - Sunday, 10:15 A.M.

Panelists: Rhea314 & Opalsong

Let's all get together and create a story on the fly, as a group by talking about/narrating it!

Podfic Permission Revisited

Room 107 - Sunday, 12:45 P.M.

Panelists: klb & aethel

Podfic permission was once a popular meta topic, but there has been much less discussion of it in the past few years. In this panel, we'll dust off the topic and see what new thoughts and insights we can come to!

Music in Podfic

Room 107 - Sunday, 2:00 P.M.

Panelists: revolutionaryjo & bessyboo

Let's talk about using music to dramatic effect in podfic. How? Why? When? Where?

Rise to the Challenge: Podfic-Friendly Modding

Room 107 - Sunday, 3:15 P.M.

Panelists: cantarina & klb

Ever wanted to run a podfic challenge? Want to get tips on how to talk to non-podfic mods about being more podfic-inclusive? What's your dream podfic fest? Let's talk about the quirks of modding for podfic and then get pie-in-the-sky with ideas.

Pimp My Fandom

Room 107 - Sunday, 4:30 P.M.

Panelists: Rhea314

Do you have a fandom you love that needs more podfic? Does your fandom have a higher than average number of Blanket Permission authors? Is your fandom already audiobased and supportive of experimental audio creations? Is your fandom full of amazing podfic and you just want to be sure we're all aware of it so we can listen too? Tell us about why we should check out this source you love and gain a wealth of podfic possibilities in doing so!

Closing Remarks

Room 107 - Sunday, 5:00 P.M.

A fond farewell and any last minute important information that needs to be relayed.

Programming 2018

Welcome to Podfication! Opening Remarks

Room 107 - Saturday, 9:00 A.M. Welcome to Podfication! Announcements and other important information.

Guess that Voice III: Vocal Drift

Room 107 - Saturday, 9:40 A.M. Panelists: Rhea314 it’s that time again! Join your friends and guess your way to team victory by picking out narrator, fandom, and fic from short clips of audio.

History of Us: Podfic in the Past, Present, and Future

Room 107 - Saturday, 10:50 A.M. Panelists: klb, cantarina We’ll start by having those who were around in early podfic fandom share memories of what it was like and major changes that have happened since then. Next, we’ll reflect on podfic fandom at present and what major qualities and questions define it. Finally, we’ll imagine into the future of podfic fandom, talking about what we’d like to see come next.

Daunting Podfic Workshop

Room 107 - Saturday, 12:50 P.M. Panelists: Opalsong Need help organizing a really long podfic you wanna do but can't even figure out where to start? Want advice on how to organize/produce a massive multi-voice? Need to workshop an experimental thing that you have the idea for, but can't figure out? Need help with this one effect/mouth noise that you can't get right/rid of? Need someone to cheer you on while you send that permission request that you have always dreamed of? Bring your podfic or project or idea and we'll work together to help make that project not so daunting anymore.

Sound Effects in Podfic

Room 107 - Saturday, 2:00 P.M. Panelists: shmaylor, blackglass Sound effects can really amp up a podfic, give greater clarity to unusual narrative structures, or simply be a fun challenge to play with! We'll talk through different ways you can use sound effects, where to source noises from, provide technical how-to information, and give some examples of our favorite podfics with sound effects.

Charity Raffle

Room 107 - Saturday, 3:10 P.M. Panelists: Litra Podfication’s first ever raffle for charity! Proceeds will go towards the American Foundation for the Blind (or the charity of your choice) to provide more audiobooks to more people.

In-Person Podfic Love Fest

Room 107 - Saturday, 4:20 P.M. Panelists: klb, Lunate8 This event is an opportunity to enjoy listening to podfic in a room of people who love it as much as you do—sharing aloud the laughter, gasps, and sometimes even tears that great podfic inspires in us. But beyond that, it’s an opportunity for podficcers, who often receive little feedback, to have a few minutes of this con dedicated to showering them with in-person appreciation by fellow members of their community.

Live Performances

Room 106A - Saturday, 7:20 P.M. Live readings from your fellow Podfication attendees!

SUNDAY PANELS

Oral not!Fic

Room 107 - Sunday, 9:00 A.M. Panelists: Rhea314, Opalsong, exmanhater Returning once again, join us to find out what story we'll create together this year. Come be part of the fun and share your ideas, or just listen in on the hilarity.

Podfic Party Games

Room 107 - Sunday, 10:10 A.M. Panelists: klb, shmaylor For the first half of this double panel, we’ll work together to come up with ideas for podfic party games (games or activities that podficcers can do when they meet up in person). These could be original ideas or could involve putting a podfic-themed twist on games that already exist—think podfic twister, podfic spin the bottle, podfic musical chairs, podfic HORSE, etc. We’ll collect ideas and hammer out the rules for as many as we can in the allotted time. Then, in the second half of the panel, we’ll choose our favorites of the games/activities we’ve created and we’ll play-test them together!

Recreating the Source

Room 107 - Sunday, 2:45 P.M. Panelists: forzandopod, revolutionaryjo So you want to sound just like an episode of Night Vale/Unsolved/etc. Let's talk about what goes into recreating a source's soundscape in podfic form!

Fandom Osmosis Podfic Exchange

Room 107 - Sunday, 2:45 P.M. Panelists: Rhea314 Bring a short (1k or less) fic for an obscure fandom you love to this panel and we'll match you up with another panel attendee who knows nothing about that fandom. You'll have two minutes to tell them why you love that fandom and what's important to know about it, and the same for them to tell you about their choice. Then we'll all go record our short fics in new-to-us fandoms, and maybe have a little time afterwards for folks who are particularly pleased with what they have created to share.

What Podfic Means to Me 2

Room 107 - Sunday, 3:55 P.M. Panelists: cantarina Following up on the 2016 panel, we'll sit back down as a room full of people who are passionate about podfic and talk about what it means to us, how it's changed our lives, and how that relationship has evolved over the two years.

Closing Remarks

Room 107 - Sunday, 5:05 P.M. Farewell and last minute important information that needs to be relayed.

Programming 2019

Opening Remarks & Land Acknowledgment

Room 107 - Saturday, 9:30 A.M. Welcome to Podfication! Announcements and other important information.

Guess that Voice

Room 107 - Saturday, 9:55 A.M. Panelists: Shmaylor It's that time again! Join your friends and guess your way to team victory by picking out narrator, fandom, and fic from short clips of audio.

Podficcer-Beta Relationships

Room 107 - Saturday, 11:05 A.M. Panelists: bessyboo, reena_jenkins Many podficcers use betas for their podfics. But how do you find the right beta for you? How do you develop that relationship to get the most out of the beta process? Let’s discuss with a podficcer & beta who have been developing their relationship for nearly a decade.

Character Voices and You!

Room 107 - Saturday, 1:30 P.M. Panelists: Opalsong, Rhea314 Dialogue-only fic, cartoony canon, massive casts, or just an intimate scene between characters you love. Podfic of these things can be enhanced by giving each character a distinct voice. But how? What goes into a character voice? How do you do it consistently? How do you have one for every speaking role? Join us as we discuss these questions and more!

Voices, Gender, and Identity

Room 107 - Saturday, 2:40 P.M. Panelists: wingedwords, sophinisba The way people sound is often so closely tied to how their gender is perceived. In the case of podfic, the choices a reader makes in terms of pitch and tone affect how listeners hear both the genders of the characters and the gender of the podficcer. Sometimes voicing characters of different genders (or lack thereof) can be an awesome opportunity for gender exploration, and sometimes it's painful and fraught. Working within our own vocal range, how do we choose the way a character sounds, and what kind of feelings do we have about those choices? The moderators will explore some questions around gender and voice in podfic and facilitate group discussion.

In-Person Podfic Love Fest

Room 107 - Saturday, 3:50 P.M. Panelists: Lunate8 This event is an opportunity to enjoy listening to podfic in a room of people who love it as much as you do—sharing aloud the laughter, gasps, and sometimes even tears that great podfic inspires in us. But beyond that, it’s an opportunity for podficcers, who often receive little feedback, to have a few minutes of this con dedicated to showering them with in-person appreciation by fellow members of their community.

Live Performances

Room 106A - Saturday, 7:20 P.M. Live readings from your fellow Podfication attendees!

SUNDAY PANELS

Oral Not!Fic

Room 107 - Sunday, 9:00 A.M. Panelists: Opalsong, Rhea314, kes (exmanhater) Next verse, same as the first. Ever wanted to try oral not!fic, join us! Want to discover what it's like to create a story communally with our voices, here's your chance! Or maybe you're a pro at this already, come lend us your skills. :D We'll be talking about what goes into this style of transformative work, and different variations you can do, and then creating one of our very own.

Fix My Cover Art

Room 107 - Sunday, 10:10 A.M. Panelists: bessyboo Ever start fiddling with a piece of cover art, but no matter what you do, you just can’t get it to look QUITE how you want it? In this instructional panel, Bess will take 1-2 pieces of attendee-submitted cover art that they aren’t happy with, and walk through fixing them in real time on a projector so you can see how it all is done, step-by-step.

Podfic as Therapy: Feeling All the Feels

Room 107 - Sunday, 11:20 A.M. Panelists: kes (exmanhater) Sometimes performing a fic can be an act of mostly unrelated emotional catharsis as well as an expression of love for that particular fic or characters. Let's talk about how we use podfic, fic, and fandom to process feelings and help us work through things. And then let's share recs!

Multivoice Podfics

Room 107 - Sunday, 1:35 P.M. Panelists: Opalsong Ever wondered how that podfic that you love with 15 voices got made? How did they even do that? Focusing on multivoice podfics of the more complicated kind, we will discuss how to put them together - everything from what kind of fic works the best to how to find people to how in the world do you even edit that many people together.

Fandom Osmosis Podfic Exchange

Room 107 - Sunday, 2:45 P.M. Panelists: Rhea314 Do you have a fandom you dearly love and wish there was more podfic in? Bring a 2,000 or fewer word fic to this panel! We'll pair everyone up, spend a few minutes sharing with our partners about our chosen fandom (which they know nothing about) and listening to why they love their chosen fandom, then everyone will make a podfic for that new-to-you fandom, and then receive a podfic of the fandom/short fic you've been hoping for!

Pimp My Fandom

Room 107 - Sunday, 3:55 P.M. Panelists: revolutionaryjo Do you have a fandom you love that needs more podfic? Does your fandom have a higher than average number of Blanket Permission authors? Is your fandom already audio-based and supportive of experimental audio creations? Is your fandom full of amazing podfic and you just want to be sure we're all aware of it so we can listen too? Tell us about why we should check out this source you love and gain a wealth of podfic possibilities in doing so!

Closing Remarks

Room 107 - Sunday, 5:05 P.M. Farewell and last minute important information that needs to be relayed.

Related Events

The success of Podfication encouraged the creation of a similar convention for European podficcers in 2018: Europodfriends.

After attending the first Podfication, several podficcers in the Northeastern U.S. were inspired to gather in-person for group podficcing marathons/slumber parties. For example, see the Podfic Winter Chillfest AO3 collection.

Attendee Comments

• "I've been waiting for a podfic convention for years, I can't believe we're finally having one! It's amazing to put faces to many of the voices that have been in my ears for years, keeping me company, cheering me up, making me laugh, cry, and make funny faces at work. This weekend has been so amazing, I really hope we have more in the future." -paraka

External links

• Podfication collection at AO3
• Podfication 2016, some podfics recorded at Podfication and posted to AO3
• Auralphonic's episode about Podfication (2016-11-16)
• Podfication Live Performances, the recordings of all Live Performances events from the 2016 convention onward