April Check-In & Webby Finalist?!
Hello! (This month I'm trying my newsletter in a text and audio format, so read, or listen to my updates!)
Every time I sit down to write one of these, I promise myself that I will get into a routine of writing newsletters more often. And theoretically, I'll have the first entry in my "How To Make Podcasts" series coming later this month!
But today, I want to write a quick check-in and share some cool things!
First, I'm writing this from a hotel in Chicago. I flew out to attend Podcast Movement and spoke on a panel about using podcasts & fandom to promote films and grow audiences! It's all pretty nerdy, but I suppose this is where I get to geek out about podcast biz. And of course, it also means I get to bump into some creators I love - Notably Nate DuFort (Unspookable, & Reach: A Space Podcast for Kids) and Eleanor Hyde (Unwell, & World Gone Wrong). Both of them are incredibly insightful, and every time I talk to them, I feel like I understand my job a little better.
Also - Quick sidebar, I seriously recommend both of their shows. World Gone Wrong is my current favorite fiction comfort podcast. Unspookable is an excellent podcast for kids that explores why kids love horror stuff. I even did an episode with Nate about SCPs! Both are worth a listen next time you have a moment. :)
But let's get to the real meat of this email- We've been nominated for a Webby?!
Seriously, a Webby
Vote for “Dead Space: Deep Cover”!
Just before my panel, I learned that Dead Space: Deep Cover was nominated (is a finalist) for Webby's best Original Music Score / Sound Design in a podcast!
I am incredibly proud of our Dead Space team, especially Mattie & Brad, who poured their hearts into this show! To celebrate, here's a little origin story about Dead Space…
It probably comes as no surprise that I'm a big fan of Dead Space. Perhaps more surprisingly, I'm a big wimp. I get scared so easily, and I can't stop fretting about strange shadows in my room late at night. Despite this, my Dad & little sister are both big horror fans, and growing up, we'd regularly watch horror movies together. I remember sitting on our couch one night watching all of The Fog through my fingers!
As you can imagine, playing a horror game wasn't high on my list growing up, but something about Dead Space captured me. The clunky designs of the spaceship, the beeps & trills of the UI, and something about Isaac's cool fucking spacesuit.
In 2008, I was in middle school. Every morning, I'd wake up, get ready, make breakfast, and then plop down in front of the TV and open up OnDemand (Imagine really early YouTube, but on your TV). I'd scroll through G4TV's listings, looking for new game trailers, or play-throughs, and watch one or two videos before heading to school. One day, sometime in November or December 2007, I stumbled onto "First 15 Minutes of Dead Space." I watched it, bracing for something a little too scary (the early morning sunlight emboldened me). And I was hooked.
I watched that 15-minute video every morning for the next month, sometimes two or three times before school. And when the game finally came out, I went to GameStop with my Dad and bought it. Now, I was feeling pretty brave and bold. I mean, I'd seen the first 15 minutes a dozen times by now and knew what to expect. But as soon as the game loaded up, the quarantine protocol went into effect, and Isaac started running from Necromorphs, I panicked. Watching was one thing, but actually playing was horrifying.
And yet- Every day after school, I kept coming back, playing a little further each night. At school, I'd gush about it to friends, and we'd trade tips or share stories about the gruesome deaths we'd encountered. Dead Space was my first real survival horror game, and I loved it. Though- I couldn't beat it. I got stuck a half dozen times, either because I was too scared to continue or had blasted through all of my ammo. Whenever those roadblocks arose, it was up to a sleepover with friends to try and get past it. My first time beating Dead Space was with my friends, passing the controller around every time we died.
Dead Space is near and dear to my heart. It will always be my first survival horror game. Of course, after beating it, my friends and I became obsessed with the spin-off comic books, movies, and all the subsequent sequels.
It's nice to look back, knowing that I've been able to add a little to the Dead Space lore- None of which would have been possible without my friends and our incredible team. And if you haven't already, pick up the Dead Space remake. It's incredible and nails the original game's spirit while polishing up some of the gameplay.
And maybe once you finish playing - Give our podcast a vote in the Webby's.
In Reflection
Podcast Movement is always humbling. There's still so much I want to learn about podcasting, and so many incredible folks in our industry are making some really cool things.
Seeing my team's hard work recognized by the Webby's is even more humbling. I'm proud of everything we've done in the past year.
And this year, like the last one, there are a lot of exciting projects on the horizon. Without spoiling anything:
- I've been traveling to LA a lot recently.
- Many of our 2024 shows are returning for new seasons this year, including Poe: Evermore!
- I just got the first six scripts for a super-secret new SCP project (airing early 2026).
- Plus, I have some new audio and video podcasts that I expect to launch later this year. They won't be like anything I've worked on before, and I'm excited to try something so new and different!
Some days, it feels like I'm running in place. But some days, like today, I can glance back and see how far we've come. Yet there is further to go.
Stay tuned for everything coming soon - including that "How To Podcast" newsletter I promised earlier. Seriously, if you don't see it in like two weeks, yell at me. Or at Daisy.
As always, thanks for listening and making this all possible!
~ P
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