World-Class Video Podcast Production. Anywhere.

What on-location podcast production includes

A video podcast has to work as two things at once: a good listen and a good watch. Plenty of people will only ever hear your episode, while others will see just a 30-second clip on LinkedIn. So production has to protect the audio first, then provide enough camera angles to keep a long conversation visually interesting.

Fame Crew's role is getting the recording right wherever it happens to be, including a meeting room at your head office, a hotel suite or a stand at a trade show. As part of the Fame network, the same group that starts and grows B2B podcasts, crews understand what an episode needs. On the day, the setup can include:

• Two or three cameras to catch reactions as well as the person talking
• Individual microphones for each speaker, using lavalier or boom setups
• Portable lighting, so an ordinary room looks intentional
• Separate audio tracks for each speaker, which makes editing far cleaner
• An operator monitoring levels and framing throughout
• A mobile studio built on your trade show stand, where needed

Deliverables and turnaround

You can book a shoot only if you already have an editor, and receive the files via a secure link. Make sure your editor tells us how they want the camera and audio files organised. It saves a lot of time later, especially on a day with several episodes.

With shoot and edit, a recording session typically leads to a full episode for audio and video platforms and a set of vertical social clips. Our editors are the same team that works on Fame's B2B podcasts, and they cut for retention. Edited assets are delivered within 48 hours, and standard packages include two rounds of revisions.

Recording several episodes at once is a sensible way to work, but it does change your schedule. Agree with your production manager which episodes should be edited first, especially if one guest has a launch or event you would like to publish alongside. Show notes and transcripts can also be requested, which is useful for search and accessibility.

How to brief a podcast shoot

Your crew will solve the technical problems. Your part is to tell them what the show looks like and what is happening on the day. If this is an existing show, a link to your best recent episode tells them more than any written description.

Helpful details include:

• The number of hosts and guests, and whether any will join remotely
• The number of episodes and the time set aside for each one
• The room, including its size, windows and nearby noise, ideally with a phone photo or short video
• Your set preferences, such as branded backdrops, chairs or a table
• Your show's visual style and any existing reference episodes
• When guests arrive and who is responsible for welcoming them
• The topics or moments you think will make the best clips

What affects the cost

Filming time matters most, and it is linked to how many episodes you want to record in one session. A single conversation might fit into a short booking, while recording a batch of episodes calls for a half day or a full day. Remember to allow time for setting up the cameras and audio, and for resetting between guests.

The number of cameras and speakers matters too. More people need more microphones and framing to manage, and a complex event setup may require another crew member. Then there is editing, which depends on how many episodes and clips you want, and how much tidying each one needs.

Recording away from your office can add other factors, such as hiring a studio or dealing with the rules at an exhibition venue. Batching guests into a single session is often the simplest way to make your budget go further. For current rates by shoot length, see the pricing page.

Common mistakes

Podcast recordings tend to go wrong in predictable ways, and a guest's time is usually too valuable to ask them back. Watch out for the following.

• Choosing a room for how it looks rather than how it sounds. Hard walls, glass and air conditioning can all hurt the audio, and soft furnishings help.
• Filming too close to a noisy space. Corridors, kitchens and building work can all interrupt a good answer.
• Scheduling back-to-back guests with no gap. Resetting, overruns and a moment to brief the next person all take time.
• Sending guests no preparation. A short note on topics and on what to wear improves the conversation and helps the visuals.
• Having hosts read their questions from a sheet. It breaks eye contact, and viewers can see it. Use a short list of notes instead.
• Overlooking clips until the edit. If a host deliberately asks for a concise, quotable answer, the social clips become much easier to cut.

Making guests comfortable on set

Equipment does not determine whether an episode is good. What matters is whether the guest relaxes enough to say something interesting, and a room full of cameras works against that. Busy executives often arrive straight from another meeting, without having thought about the conversation, and they may never have been filmed before.

Small choices help. Get the room fully set up before the guest arrives, so nobody is left watching people adjust lights. Have the host meet them outside the room and talk for a few minutes before anyone sits down. Test the sound by asking an easy question, such as what they had for breakfast, rather than asking them to say something into the microphone.

Seating matters more than people expect. Hosts and guests should sit close enough to talk naturally, at an angle rather than directly opposite each other, and in chairs that do not swivel or squeak. Keep water within reach, in a glass that will not look out of place in the shot. Tell guests they can stop and repeat an answer at any time, as this often removes the pressure and improves what they say.

Remember the crew are part of the atmosphere as well. Experienced operators keep their conversations quiet and stay out of the guest's eyeline, so that attention stays on the host. When your team knows that the technical side is handled, they can do the same.

Sending a short note before the session can help too. It should cover the practical points, so that nothing comes as a surprise on the day:

• Where to go, who will meet them and how long the session will take
• The topics you plan to discuss, with one or two example questions
• What to wear, avoiding small patterns and noisy jewellery
• That cameras will be on throughout, and clips may be used on social media
• That the conversation will be edited, so a stumble is not a problem

When this service is the wrong choice

If every guest is remote and your show has no plans for in-person recording, a crew on site may add little. A good remote recording platform and an editor could give you what you need, unless you want the host filmed professionally to lift the look of the show.

If you want someone else to run the entire show, including strategy, guest booking and promotion, this service alone will not do that. It focuses on on-location recording and post-production. Fame's main podcast service is designed to start and grow B2B shows, and could be a better starting point.

It is also not the right tool for a one-off interview you do not intend to repeat. In that case, video production or a videographer booking will probably be simpler. Finally, if you cannot yet explain who the show is for and why they would come back, hold off on booking cameras. A better recording will not fix an unclear concept, so work that out before the first session.