Have you come up with a fresh and thrilling concept for an audio drama, but your production budget is a crisp fiver and a $20 gift card to Buffalo Wild Wings? Fortunately, there are several options for podcasting on a budget. There are many free apps and platforms at your disposal. For the purposes of this blog, I’ll focus on scripted radio plays, but you can apply these resources to whatever genre of podcasting you pursue.
Choose Your Audio Editor
If you have a script written and you’re eager to begin your podcasting journey, the first thing you’ll want to find is audio editing software. You’re not composing an album, so there’s no need to get fancy. These free audio editors will do the trick just fine:
Audacity: I lead with this sound editor because it’s the one with which I have the most experience. In my opinion, it’s the most user-friendly I’ve found thus far. I’m not a technological savant by any means, so if I encountered no issues using it, neither should you.Â
GarageBand: This software comes free with Apple products, so if you already have an iPad, MacBook, or iPhone, you have an easy-to-use sound editor at your fingertips. While I don’t find it as seamless as Audacity, it has some advanced features that can bring your audio drama to life.
Reaper: This is crunchier than the first two options. It can come off as a bit intimidating to the uninitiated, but if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, there are several online tutorials that can get you up to speed.
If you dove into the podcasting game with no sound editing experience, like me, fortunately there are countless tutorials available online or within the applications themselves. There’s no need to stress, especially since these software programs come free.
Recruit Your Voice Actors
People are more than willing to collaborate with you for free to build up their resume, but to attract free talent, you’re going to want an enticing script and a compelling pitch. If you’re reading this, I assume you’ve settled on a great idea or have your script already raring to go. Check out these resources to find talent willing to forego payment:
Casting Call Club: This is an incredibly valuable resource. Not just for recruiting voice actors but writers, sound editors, and more. You simply post your project, and voice actors will audition for the role by submitting audio files.
Reddit r/RecordThisForFree: I found a very talented voice actor in this subreddit. However, there’s much more variability when it comes to quality, and you’ll have to individually reject each voice actor that doesn’t suit the role.
Temper your expectations. While there are certainly some talented voice actors that are willing to support your podcast for free, you should not ask the world of a team of actors who are working pro bono.
Accumulate or Create Sound Effects
If you’re creating an audio drama, sound effects and music are vital to immersing your listener in the story. If you have a microphone or have enough funds to invest in a cheap one, you can create many sound effects on your own: crinkling paper, a slap across the face, snapping fingers, etc. However, there are plenty of websites out there that offer free sound effects. Freesound.org is the one I use the most as they provide thousands of user-generated sound effects for free (donations optional). Though, when it comes to music, you might have to search for royalty-free tunes or use samples from GarageBand.
Find Your Hosting Platform
There’s no way around this one. If you’re planning on hosting a twenty-episode audio drama, it’s best to pay a monthly fee to host your podcast. There are free podcast hosts out there, but I strongly urge you to invest in a reliable platform. Going the free route when it comes to hosting results in dramatically lower audio quality, limits on episode length and storage, and fewer choices when it comes to podcast app distribution. Fortunately, some platforms allow you to host your podcast for as little as $20 a year. I recommend starting with dependable hosts like PodBean or Captivate. Most platforms allow you to publish a few episodes for free, so if your first choice doesn’t pan out, don’t hesitate to move to another platform.
For the creatives with little to spare, there’s a wealth of free and cheap resources at your disposal. If you have the funds, you should certainly pay for talent, but many people are willing to forego compensation for a chance to contribute to a truly unique, creative endeavor. If you wish to ask me about my experience with podcasting or want to inquire about the services I provide, don’t hesitate to reach out. Best of luck with your podcasting journey!