Z-Talk: Zelda Dungeon Podcast Invitation

This invitation is being extended to anyone interested in being apart of the ZD podcast.  You may record a vocal discussion of a Zelda topic and submit it to be a part of upcoming and future casts! We are looking for interesting and intelligent discussions, debates, theories, and opinions on everything Zelda.  Who better to ask, than the community and followers of Zelda Dungeon.  If you would like to get involved, please read the requirements and tips listed below and submit your discussion to us to be featured in Z-Talk.

Requirements:

• Your submission should be about 5 minutes long.  Your discussion cannot exceed 10 minutes.
• Record only your voice(s). Try to eliminate background noise.  Move away from any fans, open windows, or other people.  Do not add background music.  This is something that is done as a whole once all the submissions have been compiled into a podcast.  If there is specific music you wish to have accompany your discussion, you can make the request and it will be added for you.  It is important that we hear you! You are the interesting part!
• You must send the audio file to me in a format accessible for me.  I cannot accept .wma files.  Send your file as a .m4a (iTunes file), .wav, or an .mp3 file.  Audio files tend to be quite large and therefore the best way to transfer the file to me is to send it to me through Skype at din_akera.  Skype is free to download and makes file transfers much easier than email.  If you would rather use email, you can send your submission to us through our email available on the ZD contact page. Using this method may require you to zip the file first.
• Your section will be introduced by Rishian or myself, but introduce yourself and your topic at the beginning of your recording.

Tips and Ideas:

• Choosing a topic: If there is something about Zelda you are passionate about, or feel you have a strong theory on, this can be a great topic for a submission.  If you want to participate, but have don’t know what you would like to discuss, check out the articles published on the news page, and find one the interests you.  Or, if there is a thread on the ZD forums that you enjoy, you may comment on the thread topic.  For either of these choices, tell us the title of the thread or article and the username of the publisher.  You should also feel free to quote the article or post within your recording.  If you are really stuck for an idea, feel free to vm, pm, email, or Skype myself or Rishian, and we can make suggestions for you, or help you develop your discussion. In light of Majora’s Mask month, narrowing yourself to a topic in this game might be a good place to start.
• Your Discussion: Once you have chosen a topic, create your discussion.  If you choose to record by yourself, you should speak as if you are speaking to an audience or group of people.  Your section will be introduced by Rishian or myself, but introduce yourself and your topic at the beginning of your recording.  Express your theory or discussion clearly and be yourself.  Involving more people in your discussion is always a great thing.  If you wish to record with more than one person, be cautious of recording quality.  It is important to be able to hear everyone that is apart of the discussion.
• Recording: Try to be natural in your recording and avoid large blocks of blank spaces.  To help you with this, you may want to jot down some point form notes to follow, before you record.  This can relieve the pressure of not knowing what to say.  This being said, we are all human and the presence of a few ums, ahs, and short pauses is perfectly fine.  At ZD we are proud of the diversity of our members and followers. If you have an accent or your English is not top notch, that is okay!  Write out a script for yourself and have someone check it over.  Practice a few times.  But most of all, have fun!
• Software: There are several different programs available to record your podcast submission.
  • PC Users: Audacity, GarageBand for Windows, or Skype Record
  • Mac Users: GarageBand (Comes preloaded on all Mac computers)

As we have said, we want to hear from you, but not only once!  We are always looking for submissions that we can hold on to and use in future casts.  That being said, please, if you enjoy being apart of Z-Talk and have many topics you would like to discuss you may submit several casts.  All submitted casts will be saved and used when required.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me through the forums, by Skype, or through the staff email. (Contact info can be found here.)  We are more than willing to help with anything you need.

Now get out there and start recording!!