Podcast Spotlights

Podcast Spotlight: The Earth Collective

August 29, 2017 10:03 am

What always intrigues me about podcasts, is the amazement from new listeners of the vast genres the community provides. Typically, new podcast listeners start with a podcast recommended from a friend. After seeing what all the buzz is about, they see what else is out there. There is no umbrella genre to podcasts. Not all podcasts are akin to news radio, or documentaries, or narratives, or interview style. The Earth Collective is another podcast that might not fit neatly into the predefined categories or genres we try to force podcasts into.

The Earth Collective is a sci-fi audio drama about a mechanic Joseph Crane who lives on the fictional planet, Oasus. The planet is wholly unique where people live in cities that are constantly circling the planet. The format of the podcast itself is unique as well. This isn’t an audiobook or just a spoken narrative. Instead, the story is told through audio logs from Joseph’s point of view.

They recently wrapped up the first season and production is underway for the anticpated follow-up. I got a chance to speak to The Earth Collective creator Michael Troup about how he got started with the podcast, what initially drew him to podcasts as a medium to tell the story, and the difficulties of building a following. Below is our full Q&A.

Discover Pods: What’s your podcast about?

Michael: Audio logs from a mechanic named Joseph Crane as humanity circles their planet in rolling cities.

DP: What’s unique about your podcast?

Michael: A unique and expansive world is brought to the listener via audio logs that are praised as being “realistic”, “personal” and “absolutely unique”

DP: Why did you choose to podcast?

Michael: It allowed me to create this very large and involved world within my budget. It also gives me unique ways of presenting situations and events that other mediums wouldn’t allow.

DP: How do you describe your podcast in 140 characters or less?

Michael: A lone mechanic broadcasts his life in the rolling cities of The Collective as he investigates the mysteries of the planet Oasus.

DP: What’s the biggest challenge your podcast current faces to gain more traction or grow your listener base?

Michael: Getting fans to actually share the show. Many listeners absolutely love the show, but not many of them talk about it publicly. Many of the shows with more traction have a more vocal fanbase.

DP: How has the listener feedback been so far?

Michael: Great. Every piece of feedback has been either incredibly positive, or constructive. Many of the aspects I have put special love and attention to, people noticed and enjoyed. The world building, the music, etc.

DP: Who’s your ideal podcast guest?

Michael: This is an audio drama. Although I really like to have other podcasters play small parts, mostly because it’s really fun to work with them.

DP: Anything else you’d like to add?

Michael: The Earth Collective has a lot of heart and a long ways to go with so much to explore. I hope people will give it a chance and hear a world unlike anything else they’ve listened to before.

DP: What are your five favorite podcasts?

Michael: