Peanut: The World's Oldest Chicken is a Michigander
When I was 19, I interned at Michigan Radio, the NPR affiliate of Michigan. I got to develop a variety of skills, from interviewing for radio; how to use recording technology; scripting a radio spot; and editing and producing my own piece. I developed an "audio postcard" — a short radio spot about something from the local community emphasizing sound design — about Peanut, the world's oldest chicken. At the time, Peanut was 21 years old. Two years older than me. She was awarded the Guinness World Record for being the world's oldest chicken, and she lived in Chelsea, MI.
I drove out to the farm for a day to interview her owner, Marsi, and get a variety of sound bites to develop the segment. I then spent many hours in the studio sorting out the best clips and scripting the piece. Once the script was completed, I reviewed it with a Michigan Radio host and recorded the narration. The best tip I've ever received for audio narration came from her: read the script in an accent several times before you begin recording. It helps with natural inflection. I produced the piece on Adobe Audition, and it was published on Michigan Radio's website and ran on-air several times.
Listen on Michigan Public →An Oral History: Peggy Heffington
For a course for my Media Arts and Design minor, I developed an oral history podcast episode about one of my professors and mentors, Peggy Heffington. Peggy is a history professor with a specialization in feminism, women's movements, and motherhood in the United States. She is also a doula. I conducted a series of recorded interviews with Peggy about her historical interests and their connection to her work as a doula, and what that work looked like. At my instruction, she recorded several Radio Diaries-style clips that I utilized for the project in addition to the interviews. I scripted the piece and recorded the narration, and produced the project using Reaper. I also incorporated music into this piece, which was a fascinating experience — the addition of music allowed for more emotional emphasis throughout the work.