348 Sophie Bearman - The Making of a “Life in Seven Songs”

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In this episode, I speak with Sophie Bearman, the Director of Special Projects at the San Francisco Standard. Sophie shares her journey from New York to San Francisco, detailing her career in journalism and video production. We dive into her passion for documentary filmmaking and how it led her to the world of podcasting. Sophie opens up about her experience hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, a six-month adventure that provided her with a much-needed break and a fresh perspective. Her story is a testament to the importance of taking risks and following your passions, even when the path isn't clear.

We also discuss her latest project, the podcast "Life in Seven Songs," where she interviews fascinating individuals about their lives through the lens of seven songs that have shaped them. Sophie explains how this unique format allows guests to share personal stories and memories that they might not have revealed before. From San Francisco Mayor London Breed to global architect Norman Foster, the podcast offers a fresh and intimate look at the lives of its guests. Sophie’s warmth and genuine curiosity make for engaging conversations that are sure to resonate with listeners.

Join us as we explore the power of music and storytelling in this exciting new podcast.

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Key Takeaways

00:00:00: Introduction

00:00:33: Sophie's New Project

00:01:09: Life in New York

00:02:30: Journalism Beginnings

00:03:58: Early Video Production

00:05:16: Transition to Audio

00:07:33: First Podcast Experience

00:09:56: Podcast Production Process

00:10:18: Joining the San Francisco Standard

00:13:05: Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

00:15:25: Trail Experience

00:16:45: Return and Podcast Genesis

00:19:16: Podcast Format and Guests

00:20:24: Interview Process

00:21:43: Interview Skills and Preparation

00:24:45: Surprising Interview Moments

00:25:27: Episode Release and Promotion

00:27:19: Internal Feedback and Goals

00:29:00: Emotional Responses in Interviews

00:30:24: Holding Space for Emotions

00:32:21: Power of Silence in Interviews

00:33:01: Sophie's Seven Songs

00:34:41: Recent Changes in Perspective

00:36:10: Misunderstood Aspects

00:37:09: Closing Remarks and Future of Local News

00:39:09: Where to Find the Podcast

Tweetable Quotes

"Growing up in New York is amazing. I didn't learn to drive until my twenties, which shocks a lot of people, but for a New Yorker, that's par for the course. You could just do whatever, and it was very freeing in that sense."

"I think my passion that I discovered in college was actually documentary filmmaking. I had pretty grand ambitions of making feature films, but I got lucky. I also wrote for the college paper, the Harvard Crimson, and my first job out of college combined journalism and video production."

"The hardest part was tracking and writing narration. Writing is hard, and it's even a higher bar when people can't see what the place looks like. The sound can help describe it, but you have to write to that too."

Resources Mentioned

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebearman/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/stbearman

Podcast Junkies Website: podcastjunkies.com

Podcast Junkies YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Podcastjunkies/

Podcast Junkies Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/podcastjunkiesjunkies/

Podcast Junkies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podcastjunkies

Podcast Junkies Twitter: https://twitter.com/podcast_junkies

Podcast Junkies LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podcastjunkies

The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/

Podcast Index, Value4Value & NewPodcastApps: https://podcastindex.org/

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Mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Blueprint 101