As we have in years past, Transom is blogging the Third Coast International Audio Festival. David Maxon is new to radio, 31 years old with a law degree and running a small business from his home in Brooklyn. As he said, "I guess I could be sort of a poster child for the mission of entities like Transom and Third Coast to channel new voices to radio." So, David will be blogging for us. If you see him on the grounds, help him out. If you're at home wondering what's going on, ask him.

Thanks, radio.
Posted by David Maxon on November 13, 2007 03:14 PM | Comments (0)

It dawned on me, I think even before I wrote the “What I’ve Learned,” post that a list of ways to get involved in radio, while helpful and exciting, still does not explain all that can be gained from attending Third Coast or getting involved with Transom.

What I've learned
Posted by David Maxon on November 7, 2007 02:30 PM | Comments (4)

Three months ago when I first contacted Transom about getting involved in radio, I knew almost nothing about how the world of radio and audio documentary works.

Award Ceremony
Posted by David Maxon on November 6, 2007 02:28 PM | Comments (1)

The Award Ceremony on Saturday night was great fun. Peter Sagal from the NPR show Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me kept light a night that touched on some pretty heavy themes (from death to abortion and on – see this years award winning documentaries).

What is Salt?
Posted by David Maxon on November 5, 2007 05:32 PM | Comments (5)

Anyone who attended the Third Coast conference this year doubtless spoke with someone who was connected in some way with the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies radio program.

Back in Brooklyn
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Well folks, I am back in Brooklyn after a great weekend at Third Coast. I know for a fact that most, if not all, of you had as extraordinary a time as I did.

Kevin T. Allen: Phonoscopy
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One of the most unique things going on at this year's conference was Kevin T. Allen's installation piece "Phonoscope Gowanus."

Session: The Sounds Inside
Posted by David Maxon on November 3, 2007 07:17 PM | Comments (2)

This was an interesting session put on by Ann Hepperman and Kara Oehler about introducing sounds that were not a part of the original tape but were added to help illustrate the interview or audio content. Not to be confused with sound effects which might pretend to be part of the original recording, these are soundscapes that might be the soundtrack to someone’s imagination.

Session: Documenter and Documentee
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I’m sitting in “Documenter and Documentee” (moderated by Joe Richman with Michele Norris and Katrina survivor Sharon White) right now. This is the day's first session and conference goers seems mellow after yesterday’s intensity. Many were likely out late at the PRX/Vocalo party at Chicago Public Radio offices on Chicago’s Navy Pier.

Session: Pitching
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Yesterday, I attended the session on making a pitch. The session was organized by Steve Mencher with producers from Day to Day, This American Life, and Weekend America. Brave pitchers sat in front of a room packed with conference attendees posing their story ideas.

What's up, Doc?
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First, Ira Glass asked me to include in the blog the fact that everyone he saw in the doctoring sessions was not putting himself or herself in the piece enough. So, luckily if you are at the conference and want to know more about including yourself in your pieces you can go see "The Wonders of Narcissism" with Sean Cole.

Next, It would be accurate to describe my audio doctor session with Ira Glass as humbling. But what could I expect? It was a most unbalanced affair. A man with 30 years of public radio experience giving tips to someone who just started trying to make audio documentary a few months ago.

Ira Glass Interview
Posted by David Maxon on November 2, 2007 11:48 PM | Comments (2)

Today This American Life host Ira Glass was nice enough to sit down with me to talk about starting out in radio, his vegetarian identity, the excitement of Third Coast and being around people who like the same thing you do. Mr. Glass compares NPR staple shows to big dignified limousines and nearly scares me to death by asking if I was getting 'levels' during the interview (whether the recorder was actually recording).

Whirlwind day
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Today, first full day of the festival was pretty stacked. I started the day presenting my ShortDoc to the conference. Attended 2 great session but couldn't do a third because I was busy doing an interview with Ira Glass and later an audio doctor session. Stay tuned for lots of fun details and audio of the interview with Mr. Glass.

Stay tuned...

Making a Sausage: The Use of Verite
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Just got out of a very interesting session put on by Claire Schoen (Making a Scene: The Use of Verite to Show, Not Tell, Your Story).

You blog the sessions
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At the suggestion of Jay Allison, I thought I'd set up a topic for everyone else to blog about the sessions they attend. The rationale is that I won't be able to attend all the sessions. So, if you have anything to say about any of the events or happenings at Third Coast - what you loved what your hated what made you squirm, what made you happy - leave it in the form of a comment on this thread. Whether I asked you directly to comment, you are running a session yourself, or just attending. It's your thread.

Thanks.

First Evening
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Report after the first evening at the 2007 Third Coast International Audio Festival Conference:

Third Coast Conference: The Sundance of Radio
Posted by David Maxon on November 1, 2007 09:32 PM | Comments (1)

Earlier this evening I sat down with Third Coast Festival's Executive Director Johanna Zorn and Managing Director Julie Shapiro to talk a bit about the goals of Third Coast, radio as a visual medium, Johnny Appleseed, and how Third Coast is and is not like a film festival.

Chicago
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Well, I just arrived at the City Centre Hotel and Sports Club. It’s about four hours until registration starts so I have a few hours to settle in and plot out the next few days.

And the pitch...
Posted by David Maxon on October 31, 2007 12:26 PM | Comments (2)

Looking at the sessions at this year's Third Coast, there are a lot of really phenomenal sounding events. As someone interested in learning more about how to get pieces on the air and how the business of radio works, I am especially interested in Getting to Yes: Perfecting Your Pitch.

Third Coast 2007
Posted by David Maxon on October 23, 2007 12:12 PM | Comments (11)

Welcome to the official Transom blog for the 2007 Third Coast International Audio Festival Conference. Please check back here in the days before the conference for a look at this year's events. Once the conference starts, I'll be posting pictures, keeping you abreast of conference happenings and have interviews with some of the players. But don't let me hog the blog (or make me do all the work). Whether you are following from home or at the conference itself, please don't be shy about adding your comments to the conversation or asking me questions about the Third Coast experience or anything else.