cover of episode Behind the Scenes of Throughline

Behind the Scenes of Throughline

2024/11/14
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Throughline
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A
Anya Steinberg
C
Christina Kim
D
Devin Katayama
L
Lawrence Wu
R
Ramteen Arab-Louie
R
Rand Abdel-Fattah
Topics
Rand Abdel-Fattah和Ramteen Arab-Louie讲述了《ThruLine》播客的起源故事，从2015年两人在NPR相遇，到共同构思并制作试播集，再到获得支持、克服挑战，以及在制作过程中不断学习和改进的过程。他们分享了试播集《War of the Worlds》的制作以及对播客未来的展望，以及试播集播放给老板后的反馈，以及这段经历对他们的激励作用。他们还讲述了Lawrence Wu加入团队的过程，以及团队合作对播客发展的重要意义，以及播客成功的关键因素，包括团队成员之间的友谊和共同的愿景，以及听众的支持。 Lawrence Wu和Devin Katayama介绍了播客节目“Two Miles Down the Road”的主题，讲述了北卡罗来纳州沃伦县环境正义运动的起源，以及寻找采访对象的过程，以及克服困难的经历。他们比较了采访“亲历者”和历史学家的不同之处，并讨论了如何处理采访中获得的信息。他们分享了采访中一些令人难忘的故事，以及这些故事对节目制作的启发。Lawrence Wu描述了制作节目中关于抗议活动的片段的过程，以及如何将不同视角的故事融合在一起。 Anya Steinberg和Christina Kim介绍了播客节目“Mythos and Melodrama in the Philippines”的主题，讲述了菲律宾马科斯家族政治王朝的兴衰。Anya Steinberg解释了选择菲律宾马科斯家族政治王朝这一主题的原因，以及这一主题的意义。Christina Kim描述了节目制作过程中对故事选择的考虑，以及如何塑造节目的叙事风格。Anya Steinberg讲述了制作节目片头（cold open）的经历，以及最终选择的故事和原因，并讨论了节目片头（cold open）的制作过程，以及最终版本的选择。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why was the creation of ThruLine considered a top-secret project initially?

It was a pilot project under Guy Raz, and the team was isolated to figure out how to make a podcast without prior journalism or podcasting experience.

How did the friendship between Rand and Ramtin contribute to the development of ThruLine?

Their friendship provided the emotional and motivational support needed to sustain the show through difficult times, as they enjoyed working together and wanted to create something meaningful for each other.

What was the pivotal moment that convinced the team ThruLine had potential?

After playing the pilot episode 'War of the Worlds' for their boss, he declared it the future of NPR, validating their efforts and setting the ball in motion for further development.

How did the team handle the challenge of finding guests for the 'Two Miles Down the Road' episode?

They followed a trail of recent panels and found a local reverend who was well-connected in the community, making it easier to find other key figures like the Ferruccios.

What was the main challenge in producing the 'Two Miles Down the Road' episode?

The challenge was in fact-checking personal accounts and ensuring the accuracy of events described by the guests who lived through the historical event.

Why did the team ultimately decide to change the cold open for the 'Mythos and Melodrama in the Philippines' episode?

They chose to start with the Filipino folktale of Malacca Samaganda to provide a clearer through line and better introduce the Marcos' self-mythologizing, which was central to the episode's narrative.

How did the team use sound design in the cold open for 'Mythos and Melodrama in the Philippines'?

They used archival footage from 1970s documentaries about the Tassadai to create an immersive experience that mirrored the discovery and eventual revelation of the hoax.

Chapters
The origins of ThruLine, from its inception as a secret project to its early days of development and the pivotal moment when it was recognized as the future of NPR.
  • ThruLine began as a secret project in 2015 under Guy Raz.
  • The founders, Rand Abdel-Fattah and Ramteen Arab-Louie, had no prior journalism experience.
  • The first pilot episode, 'War of the Worlds,' was a personal and experimental project.
  • The show was greenlit after a positive response from NPR executives.

Shownotes Transcript

Today on the show, we're taking you behind the scenes. We'll tell you how Throughline was born, some of what goes into making our episodes, and a little bit about how we make our special sauce — the Throughline *rizz, *as the kids say.If you want more of these behind-the-scenes conversations become a Throughline+ subscriber. You can find out more at plus.npr.org/throughline.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)