This project has taken you down a new hallway — less visual and more writing and audio. How different is this new medium from the visual landscape you are used to?

Since I typically do animation and illustration, the through line for me is still storytelling, just in a different medium. What’s new, especially with the narrative nonfiction podcast I’m doing, is the longer-form writing. I’m not as used to that. That’s definitely been a fresh challenge.

What made you decide to start a podcast, especially coming from a visual background?

It felt liberating to create something that was only audio versus video, because with video, I’m constantly worrying about both aspects. With audio, I can just focus on one thing. I’m also a huge podcast fan — shows like Radiolab, Invisibilia, and Search Engine really immerse you. You don’t have to look at anything. You can be working or doing other things. I wanted to create something similar for the creative industry because there are a lot of interview podcasts out there, but not many narrative nonfiction ones.

“I wanted to create something similar for the creative industry because there are a lot of interview podcasts out there, but not many narrative nonfiction ones.”

Are you enjoying the written storytelling part of it now that you are several episodes in?

Yes, I am! I have five episodes planned for the first season, and I’ve finished four and am working on the fifth. It’s really fun when I can get deeply into a topic that excites me. Sometimes it’s harder, like with an episode on retirement in the motion design industry. There aren’t many people who have retired yet, so it was a conversation with older folks, but it was tough to write about because I’m not at that stage myself. Overall, though, I’ve really been enjoying stretching those muscles that I don’t normally get to use.

Can you walk me through the process of building out a single episode?

Honestly, I didn’t really know where to start! I knew what I wanted to hear, but not how to execute or structure it. So, I actually watched a Domestika course—it was the only one I could find on writing narrative nonfiction content for podcasts, and it was all in Portuguese with subtitles! It taught me a lot about the process from beginning to end.

I started by mapping out the story of my career crisis, how many episodes I’d need, and the theme for each. Then, I interviewed people based on those themes, with a general idea of what I wanted to say but without writing anything down yet. After I had all the interviews transcribed, I figured out more closely how to weave everything together, starting with outlines and then filling them in.

What kind of equipment do you use for recording? Do you have a studio at home?

This is my studio! (Gestures around her space) The sound quality is great due to Hope Brush who does my mixing and music production. She also helped with my film, Between Lines, and she is excellent at podcast formatting. She helps make it sound even better than I think it is possible.

Once you have your script and interviews, do you go through multiple rounds of edits? Does anyone else read it?

It’s mostly me. After I’ve written everything and gone through it a few times to ensure a clear thread, I’ll record the entire narration in one go. Then I go back and add in the other elements and piece it together. I had to learn how to use Ableton and Audition since I didn’t know audio editing beforehand. I wanted to make it really easy for Hope, because I don’t have a big budget. So I basically give her the finished audio without music, and she goes in to edit things, makes them clearer, and tells me if something doesn’t make sense. She acts as a bit of an editor in that sense.

How are you balancing podcasting with motherhood?

I started the podcast when I wasn’t booked anywhere, so I had more time to really devote to it. But then I got a contract at Duolingo in March, which is great because I need the money. However, it’s been difficult to balance. I often have to work on the podcast at night, which I’m not loving. If I were to continue past season one, I’d need to find a better balance to ensure I’m still present for my son Artie.

That said, it’s nice to have a finite end for this season — just five episodes. It makes it manageable.

Episode two delves into the idea of “create vs. curate.” Can you elaborate on this idea?

Everything online is so perfectly curated. It’s frustrating because you want more eyes on your work, but then you lose the plot a little, wondering if you’re making something because you truly want to or because others expect you to.

“You want more eyes on your work, but then you lose the plot a little, wondering if you’re making something because you truly want to or because others expect you to.”

What’s the story behind naming your podcast Ghost Frame?

It probably doesn’t make sense to anyone not in the industry. So, when you watch TV now, it’s often set to 60 frames per second, but most things are still filmed at 30 frames per second. What your TV does is create fake frames between two real frames of film. This phantom frame is like a blurred version between the two real ones. It makes the images on your TV look really smooth. You can actually see the difference if you go into your TV settings and turn frame blending on or off.

It’s more about the concept, though. I also like the idea of being in limbo. For me, a big part of it was that it sounded cool, but I also wanted it to relate to the industry in some way.

Why did you choose Substack to promote Ghost Frame?

I like that it functions as a newsletter, so subscribers get an email every time I post something. I also like the potential to monetize it later if I want to, where people could pledge a tier. I considered Patreon, but that felt like too much pressure right away. Substack offers me the flexibility to change to a paid subscription later while still providing email notifications and everything. I’d heard other podcasters using it, and I’ve also been wanting to try Substack for myself. While Substack is where I’m doing my announcements, the podcast episodes are also available on Apple and Spotify.

In your opinion, what elements make a really great podcast?

There are so many different types of podcasts, and people love interview podcasts to hear from someone they admire. But for me, I love any story that I feel immersed in or can visualize in my head. A lot of my favorite podcasts tell an anecdote or a story from A to B. Even with interview podcasts, I like ones where people are talking about an actual thing that happened.

It’s crazy how you can turn anything into a story. There’s a Radiolab episode I love called The Little Things or Sweating the Small Stuff where they take boring things and make them fascinating. Like a guy who sees how long it takes him to squeeze all the toothpaste out of a tube, or another who takes a potato with him around the world and talks about how it changes. It’s weird, but fascinating! I think you can frame anything into a story, which is why I wanted to tell my story, even though it’s more about “here’s my brain” than a linear narrative.

I also really love good sound design and music. That’s very important to me, as it also plays a big role in animation.

What is your ultimate goal for starting the podcast, beyond just craving a change?

A few years ago, after finishing my short film Between Lines, I felt a void and needed another passion project. I almost started a podcast with friends back then, but it didn’t have much meaning. I just wanted to make one. Now, part of it is exploring a story and narrative I’ve had in my head. I also like to process things out loud, so it’s been almost cathartic to figure things out podcasting live.

“Now, part of it is exploring a story and narrative I’ve had in my head. I also like to process things out loud, so it’s been almost cathartic to figure things out podcasting live.”

A lot of people are feeling weird about the creative industry right now — work is slow, and everyone I know is in a similar boat. It feels like the right time to address this in the zeitgeist, to make something where people feel heard, and to create positive, hopeful content. That’s the goal right now. I’m not trying to hit a certain number of streams. It’s mostly a passion project and an excuse to talk to people who might have more valuable input on these thoughts and decisions than I do.

Listen to Sarah Beth Morgan’s latest passion podcast here: Ghost Frame.