MADIVA PODCAST 402 - Caroline Mincks AND sharing inclusive good practice for disabled voice actors (especially those hard of hearing / deaf)

Hellooooo!

How are you wonderous folks of the world?! Thank you SO MUCH for listening to this VOICE ACTING Podcast - I feel joyous to share these jam packed groovy interviews with amazinggg creatives .....AND THIS WEEKKK....

_CAROLINE MINCKS AND INCLUSIVE PRACTICE IN AUDIO DRAMA FOR DISABLED CREATIVES (Specifically hard of hearing / deaf folks)_

I was delighted to welcome Caroline Mincks on to the show in December, and yet, due to my life being crazy it didn't quite make season 3, so HERE WE ARE IN SEASON 4! Huzzahs!

Caroline is someone I HUGELY admire for their creative soul and GET-IT-DONE attitude plus general brilliance! Caroline's principles and championing of good and BETTER practice for inclusivity for disabled creatives is something we should ALL be working in to our creative practice, and this episode gives some solid examples of what we can be doing - all of us - to make the audio drama space more accessible for disabled (specifically hard of hearing / deaf) listeners, and also for those who are voice actors from these communities, like.... the amazing Caroline.

THEY ARE SIMPLY  AMAZING - please do listen and take notes, and, if you are someone from this deaf/hard of hearing community, please reach out and tell us what you think of this episode, and if there is anything we missed! Ping me on quirkyvoices@gmail.com

Also, missing from this were the finance needed for transcripts - here's a wee summary at time of publishing.
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Huge big love to Caroline and all the amazing creatives they mention on this show -please do follow the links below to enjoy the staellar POSITIVIE work Caroline works on....

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND ALSO HUZZHAS - @QuirkyVoices have new Patreons in Victoria Hawkins and GoodPointe podcasts - I AM SO SO HAPPY to have more folks helping me continue to make shows like this. THANK YOU PATREONS I ACTUALLY  LOVE YOU😍

Have a wonderful day folks - ALL OF YA and
Happppyyy Voice Actingggggg

Sarahx

Links to Caroline's Works
Caroline Twitter
Caroline Website

Links to Sarah's bits n bobs
OZ9 Kickstarter - help OZ9 make the show into a comic!!
Sarahs Twitter
Sarah's Quirky Website
ADWIT Podcast
Fiction Podcast News Weekly
Sarah's KO-FI account of funding alllll her projects for TRYING to pay her actors n crew

Discord links of joyyy
Audio Drama Creators 

PodUK 

This Planet Needs a Name 

UK Audio Fiction 

Indie Podcast Junkie  

Podcast Problems

Chapters

• 7:16 Cat Attack! (Oh no) (They were ok) (Don't worry)
• 13:11 Example of Seen and Not Heard - unable to hear exerpt
• 20:57 What the AD community is doing well for inclusivity
• 25:26 List of things to do to be more inclusive in your creative practice
• 29:20 Why transcripts are so important....
• 38:40 Advice for voice actors - JUST JUMP IN!
• 48:14 Casting call good practice - producers take note!
• 54:10 Caroline's future plans and recommendations...

Transcript

402_MADIVA_CAROLINE MINCKS_ACCESSIBILITY

SARAH GOLDING: . . [00:00:00] Folks of Audio fiction, loving natures! We have one of THE most exciting folks to explode onto the audio fiction scene in the last year or so. It's Caroline Mincks!  Who is a voice actor, producer, and editor of so many things. I think it's probably easier that you talk about your own amazing shows! Welcome!  

CAROLINE MINCKS: Hi. Oh my gosh. That is such [00:01:00] a lovely introduction (Laughs) 

SARAH GOLDING: Well, it's very cool to see you. Hear you, even! Not see you!. Well, I...I...I...Kind of, sort of see you, I do have a picture up here of your, your BEAUTiful face... You have been involved in so much in such a short time. You seem to be, a, Beauteous words and creative machine.

Um, so please do tell folks if for some reason they haven't heard of you yet- they will do - uh, let them know where they can find you. What do you make? What do you doo? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Oh, golly. Um, yeah, I am kind of all over the place. Um, that is a direct result of me. Auditioning for absolutely everything I could, 

SARAH GOLDING: Nothing wrong with that! (Laughs) 

CAROLINE MINCKS: When I first started a little over a year ago and I just was like, Oh, maybe I'll get one or two, things. And then I kept getting cast and things and I kind of panicked, but, uh, voice acting wise I'm on, um, that shows that I don't make I'm on 'This planet needs a name' as Zahava. Um, I'm on 'Ad read' as The Computer god. Um, and then I do some guest spots here and there. I'm on re Oh, I'm on [00:02:00] 're-ignition theory'. That just came out -as Chloe Vasker which is very cool..

SARAH GOLDING: Well, I haven't heard that one yet. A new one..... tick!

Yeah. The third episode just came out yesterday, I think. And um, yeah, I play zombie killer, uh, killing captain in the 1800's... 

Oh yeah the world needs more of that....In their ears! (Laughs)

CAROLINE MINCKS: yeah, it was a very exciting part. Um, and then I do make a lot of shows cause I have no self control.... 

SARAH GOLDING: Ha! Um, sounds familiar.

CAROLINE MINCKS: I know one that people probably know most is, um, ' Seenand not Heard'. And I also co-create. He's and Mincks, ghost detectives' and 'Light hearts'. I have a micro fiction series called 'shifts' that I do as well. And I'm, I'm working on another micro fiction with A. R Olivieri called 'Surreal love', which will come out pretty soon.

Very excited about that one. It was actually just working on that earlier today.  

SARAH GOLDING: Oh my Goodness!. Wow! All of these collaborators are wonderful folks and very exciting - you should hunt them all down too, my goodness. How exciting! And, you... You also have a family as well? So, you know, you're just a [00:03:00] superhuman. Somebody, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: I don't get a lot of sleep, but it's okay.

SARAH GOLDING: Now again, sounds familiar. (They Laugh) So how on earth did you jump in and find this wonderful world of audio storytelling? What sort of drew you to these climes? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: I've always wanted to do voice acting, but I didn't know how to get into it because I don't, I don't live in a city that has that kind of thing available really.

And so I was like, Oh, well, I don't live in one of these big cities where all these things are produced so I could never do it. So I didn't really think about it, but it was a lifelong thing I'd always wanted to do. And, um, I actually got into it because I was playing zombies run. I'm a runner and I loved it.

And I was like, I wonder what all these other voice actors have been in and, you know, Looking people up and then happened to Google Felix Trench's name. Cause I was like, who on earth is playing this character? And I just loved it and found 'Wooden overcoats' from that. Well that, Oh, it's [00:04:00] so good. I know it was like, this is an excellent way to get in.

And from there I found, you know, Quid pro Euro and Oblivity and We fixed space junk, and I was, and The Orphans,  and I was very much hanging out in like kind of a Sci-Fi, Uk podcast world for quite a while. 

SARAH GOLDING: Great!. Lovely...you lucky thing. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah. Very lucky. Good shows. 

SARAH GOLDING: Yeah. Superb! And so, uh, skills wise, have you kind of come from an acting loving background?

Is that the...the source?, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: I  have a theater background background, so I started in theater when I was five. And I've been doing that. My whole life and I, um, a lot of musical theater and Shakespeare are kind of where I've done most of my work, but, um, I also direct children's theater, which I've been doing for about six years. Yeah. 

Ah, so you have all of the skills needed to do pretty much everything.

So everything does translate pretty well. Well, it's really nice. I, I, I was surprised by how many things that I've learned in theater. Do work really well in audio. 

SARAH GOLDING: And I think it's important [00:05:00] to say as well that, um, the focus of this podcast is accessibility and inclusivity for disabled creatives. And you yourself are a member of the disabled community.

And d'you want to fill folks in as to how that works, how that changed your life and, and how, how at the moment ...as a partially deaf person, is that correct way of putting it because? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: I go back and forth between calling myself deaf and hard of hearing. Um, just kind of depends on who I'm talking to and what they will understand. . Because sometimes if you say, Oh, I'm hard of hearing to someone, they don't quite get that. No, that means I can't actually hear you. If you're whispering, I can't hear you. So that person might hear 'I'm deaf'. Um, but yeah, I, I, my hearing is ..estimated to be about half of what's considered normal, maybe a little less well, and yeah, I started losing it when I was in high school.

I've had two major drops in my hearing ...once when I was about 17, 18. And then again, when I was about 24...

SARAH GOLDING: Gosh, [00:06:00] and that must've been a shock and a change. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: It was, it was odd because I remember the first time it happened, I was like, well, I've been sick a lot lately. So it's probably just that I'm probably just, you know, bouncing back, but then, you know, a couple of months go by and the hearing doesn't get any better.

And I'm definitely, well, again, I was like, something's not right. And, um, but then again, when I was older realizing, uh, cause I didn't, it happened right after my son was born or right around the time he was ..almost cooked. And then when he was born, I was like, I kind of wrote it off to just like weird pregnancy things.

Cause I think ...

SARAH GOLDING: There's a lot that goes on there. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: And I think that unless something is like actively hurting you while you're pregnant, you're kind of like, no, it's just a weird quirk of that's just what your body does because so much weirdness does happen. Um, but yeah, it was another case of it's not coming back and in fact it's getting worse and I didn't quite.

Yeah, it wasn't, it was very strange because you get busy and you kind of adjust without realizing you've adjusted. And [00:07:00] it, there was that moment of me turning on the TV and thinking it was muted. But it wasn't. And I was like, Oh God, I can't hear it. 

SARAH GOLDING:  . What a massive change as well to yeah. To how then your, your sort of functioning life might change.

And I mean, I'm talking to now through my microphone, miles and miles away from where you are. Um...OH!,  

CAROLINE MINCKS: The cat is just trying to attack me.

Ziggy stop it! What are you doing?!!  

ZIGGY CAT: MIAOW MIAOW 

SARAH GOLDING: He is jealous, wants to be on MADIVA!. There's not enough cat representation in the audio fiction. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: He's such a rascal anyway...I'm sorry, go ahead...

,(LAUGHING) I'm sorry you were attacked live on...on audio...(They Laugh)... 

He wants attention so badly. I looked away from him for two seconds, heaven forbid! 

SARAH GOLDING: Ahhh bless!. Um, you know, I was just saying with regards to how, uh, how things work for you right now, like, uh, if you're. Obviously you have limited hearing. Um, could you talk to us about how you function as [00:08:00] a creative, not just for listening to folks to respond to perhaps as an actor, but also, uh, you mix and edit as well. Don't you? So yeah, I d'you wanna talk us through your processes - it'll be...fascinating.?! 

CAROLINE MINCKS: A lot of it. I have learned, I have learned a lot about ...asking for help and being willing to rely on others, which is not something that comes easily to me. I always want to be useful to everyone else. And so when people are like, let me, I help. I'm like 'noooo ...My value!'. Um, so, but I've learned a lot because obviously there are things I simply can't... hear or I can't understand. So when I'm editing, I do like, let's say I'm, I'm placing dialogue for something. I'll do that without headphones. I'll just place it because ear fatigue is a very real thing,(LAUGHS)so I'll just place it in audacity and I'll put it all together. And then when it comes time to fix levels and add sound effects and that sort of thing, I do a very basic again, just sort of dropping them in [00:09:00] and I don't mess with it too much and it's not until I get to the point where I need to mix it down for someone else to listen to that, I start really adjusting things like amplification of doing noise reduction and fixing all the little details. And I rely a lot on my site for that.

I, you know, I read the wave forms,, so like, I can't hear it. If someone doesn't- like that' click sound' with their mouth, I can't hear it, but I can see what it looks like. I can see the little click on the wave form. So I know to take that out. And the, the great thing about having not only really great collaborators, but also having really great friends (LAUGHS) ...Is I can edit pretty much anytime of the day.

I can ask someone, Hey, will you listen to this? And just tell me if everyone. Everyone's volume is right. And if the sound effects are coming through and people are willing to do it, and I lean very heavily on the, um, Evan Tess Murray and Tal Minear in particular for that. 

SARAH GOLDING: Both Legends have been on this show before giving so much wonderful advice.

Yeah. Yeah. I agree. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: The three of us [00:10:00] work on 'Light hearts' together and I do some of the dialogue placement for that, that cause that that usually ends up being. A job that I take on. And because of that, sometimes I'm like, Hey, can y'all ...does this sound right?  (Laughs) Because I can't always tell. 

SARAH GOLDING: Yeah. They're the best.

Yeah. I mean, and it's such a, beauteous positive kind of, uh, everything in, in the, in the audio fiction universe that I think if everybody could take a bit of light hearts and, and let it lift them, their world would be a better finer place. I do feel, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: It's my happy place - I love that show - I love working on it. 

SARAH GOLDING: Yes! You know, we do need that. We do need that, especially now. Um, and, and just for regards, as an actor, working on other projects, I'd imagine that you do table reads and, or live records with groups. And I mean, how does that work currently? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: It works. Interestingly, sometimes I. Sometimes it's fine. I actually just did a table read for the next episode ghost detective.

So I can actually use that as an example. Generally, we do it in [00:11:00] video. I usually ask, you know, can this be done on Google Meet? Because they have auto captions, which are not perfect by a long shot, but they certainly help. And then when I have the video as well, I can do like a split screen. So I can look at the video and have the script in the other side.

And that allows me to. Speech read, read lips at the same time. And I can tell who's talking because sometimes now it doesn't necessarily mean people sound alike, but to my ears, sometimes I can't tell who's talking. So depending on who's in the, in the conversation, I might need that video just so I can tell who on earth is (LAUGHS)speaking at the moment.

So, yeah, when I do, like, if I come on as an actor to something that I'm not actually producing in, in control of. Generally I'll ask, you know, Hey, can we do this on video? Can we do this specifically on Google Meet? Because the captions are helpful. And generally everyone's very accommodating. I've never had anyone be like, NNNOOOO!,  (LAUGHS) Everyone's great.

Yeah. 

SARAH GOLDING:  That Long may that continue!.

Yeah, in general, I've found that [00:12:00] it's, it's the most accommodating community I've ever been a part of. Like, I can say as a theater actor, I have not. Had that kind of experience before. So yeah, it has been interesting for me to compare and contrast that because like, again, as a cause I do musical theater, you know, that's an extra challenge because there's the music and I have to hear the harmonies and I have to hear my cues and I have to follow the rhythm.

And like I did, I did 'Sound of music' and. Uh, this was a few years ago when there was one part where I could not hear when I was supposed to start singing. And I was, I finally turned to the conductor and I said, can you just do like a BIG gesture ...for me?, That I can see out of the corner of my eye? 

Excellent. So brilliant.

And so, I mean functioning as, as well as possible with this in, in, in your every day, uh, I'm sure it can be quite. Overwhelming too. I mean, just want to bring up IN 'Seen and not heard', there's this wonderful part, I think quite early on in the episodes [00:13:00] where you do give an example of how things sound to you.

And I'd just like to play that now for a moment, if I may. So folks can just get an idea of what it is that you are having in your every day. So just play that for a moment.

RECORDING OF SEEN AND NOT HEARD: I can barely understand a word she's saying. With the reverb, its all sounds like...

 (TINNY SOUNDING UNINTELLIGIBLE SPEECH) 

Well,, this will certainly be a thing...

So, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, PLEASE WELCOMET TO THE STAGE, OUR JUNIOR CLASS

)CLAPPING, THEN TINNY UNINTELLIGIBLE SOUND OF MUSICIANS AND CHORUS SINGING FROM CHARACTER HARD OF HEARING PERSPECTIVE

It sounds so.....I cant make heads or tails of it, i cant make out the lyrics - the harmonies...just...bleed together. The entire concert is like that.  (LISTEMS AGAIN) And i can fake my way through it - i can smile and clap and look proud,Im great at that, but then ,of course i have to talk to people afterward in a.big loud auditorium.

 (HARD TO HEAR SPEECH) 

Oh yeah, great, [00:14:00] great

 (HARD TO HEAR SPEECH) 

Yeah, definitnely,

 (HARD TO HEAR SPEECH) 

Yeah, yup

 (HARD TO HEAR SPEECH) 

Uh yeah right.

I have bcomes a master at pretending I know whats being said.  A skill i picked up in eighth grade algebra - I mean, I failed eighth grade algebra but hey, a skills a.skill. The point of this skill is not for my benefit, but for the beneft of everyone  around me.  It lets them think I am  absorbing and particpanting and lets me  get away...relatively unscathed.  

SARAH GOLDING: When I heard that. I was like, wow, that's amazing. You know what I mean? It really almost moved me because I just thought, gosh, you know, that is, is really difficult to..

CAROLINE MINCKS: It is...

SARAH GOLDING:  With your thoughts. I'm sure as well. And you know, our own mind thoughts as well as trying to deal with that. How on earth do you sort of find a coping strategies to deal with that every day?

Um, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: A lot of it has to do with just. [00:15:00] Self-advocacy I have to constantly ask people like, 'Hey, can you look at me when you speak to me' or 'make sure that you've got my attention before you start talking.' And it's ,there's constant reminders to people, people who've known me. My, you know, forever still seem to forget.

Um, and. You know, cause in a crowd, I can't understand speech if there's background noise. Um, if I'm at a party, I mean, you remember those ...parties? Um, 

SARAH GOLDING: Oh...I vaguely - oh, my gosh don't I might cry....  

CAROLINE MINCKS:  Remember places and people?!

SARAH GOLDING: I haven't been in a pub since goodness knows when- I miss a proper pint, I must say. 

I know 

One day soon, Caroline, hashtag soon. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Soon, I I'm choosing to believe it someday soon. I too will be able to sit in a restaurant and not understand a damn thing. Um, I can't wait!  (THEY LAUGH) But it is, um, one thing I do want to, uh, I do this constantly, but I'm going to do it again. I want to shout out to TAL MINEAR for being the brilliant sound designer that they [00:16:00] are because I was, I was just saying to them, I.

I originally was going to do the sound design for 'Seen and not heard' and realized I can't give a hearing person that experience. I just can't do it. I'd need someone who actually I needed someone who didn't understand what it sounded like to create it. If that makes sense, because of what I was trying to do. It was SO accurate...to my experience that when they sent me the file, I was out on a walk, and I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and I just started crying, listening to it because it just, it was exactly it. And I've had several people say, Oh my God, that's what it sounds like for me too. 

SARAH GOLDING: Oh really?  Mmmm.

CAROLINE MINCKS: Um, yeah. And, and it was so exciting to get, to... have that moment of, cause I've been trying to make 'Seen and not heard '...since I was in college. 

SARAH GOLDING: Okay. I love that by the way. I think it's a wonderful show -just the gentle unrolling romance and just the relationships with them. Absolutely love listening to that. So yeah...

CAROLINE MINCKS: I'm really..., [00:17:00] I'm proud of it. I really am. It's um, it is something that has taken a lot of different forms over the years and the fact that it found its home in audio drama, I think is kind of.

Wonderful because it's, it's not even ironic. I think it's a perfect fit because that's what it's about ...hearing. And it's about what, you know, when the hearing is gone, what do you miss? What do you gain? Because you do gain. I have gained a lot from losing my hearing,, which I think surprises people, but, and it's, it takes a long time to kind of get to the point where I can acknowledge that and I can see the things that I'm, I've gained from it, but.

Now that I'm at that place, you know, I wouldn't trade it, honestly. 

SARAH GOLDING: I mean, can you share any of those things? Maybe one or two, like 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah!. Oh, people, the people I've met, um, I've, I've made so many friends. Who I cannot imagine my life without specifically, because I was looking for community and I was looking for [00:18:00] people who had that shared experience and actually one of our consultants for 'Seen and not heard' who is culturally deaf as well.

So they are, they sign and they are immersed in deaf culture named Riley. CJ Kenway is one of my dearest friends and I met them because... like six or seven years ago. I was on, I think I was on Tumblr and I was trying to see if there were other deaf people I could connect with on there. And yeah, they were one of them, And we've been friends ever since. 

SARAH GOLDING: Ahhhh the upsides of social media. Yes. 

Oh there are plenty of them. Thank goodness because, Oh my gosh, it can, it can be, (LAUGHS)  it can be a mess, but there are so many good things about it. 

I agree

CAROLINE MINCKS: Um, and I, I think, I honestly don't know if I would be in audio drama if I didn't have the struggles that I have participating in theater -I don't know that I would have turned to other performance venues ...or like other mediums rather because, um, it's hard to perform on a stage for me. Like there's a lot of moving parts of course, in a play. And that makes it really difficult [00:19:00] for me sometimes to be part of it. And then coming into audio drama where a lot of it is. ...solo, you know, you do a lot of your work on your own 

SARAH GOLDING: Can  do yes. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: In your booth or your blanket fort, sweating 

SARAH GOLDING: Yes! Hello to  any voice actors who've been sweating it out today. Yeah,

 (LAUGHS) I was earlier, but yeah, I think that I needed that creative outlet so badly. And if I hadn't.... been ...seeking something, a specific kind of experience. I don't know if I would've come into audio drama. I'm so glad that I did because it has been absolutely life-changing in every sense. 

Well so are we! (LAUGHS) I think you're a wonderful addition, the creativity and the amount of amazing things you're working on is just inspiring. So, so thank you for, you know, jumping in with all feet and everything. 

I didn't did kind ofdive in. I did cannonball... Like,' I'm here!'. 

I'm making big splashes [00:20:00]  (LAUGHS) So...I think one thing to focus on now is, is what this landscape of audio fiction -beautiful as it is, uh, is perhaps doing well at the moment. What, what are the things that, you know, do work for the disabled community? Do you think, that other folks should do more of?

CAROLINE MINCKS: The thing that I can, I can really only kind of speak for my own, um, experience here, but one thing that I have -that is to say, I really am just going to focus on coming from a deaf and hard of hearing perspective- um, one thing that I think has, has been ...REALLY nice is that I have not necessarily had to ask for things. People have asked me what I need. 

OK

Um, and it's a small consideration, that I think anyone who is a creator or an employer or anything like that, bringing in anyone, asking, you know, 'Hey, what, [00:21:00] what do you need from me? What will make this smooth and easy for you? What can I, what can I provide that will make this work well, for both of us?'. I'll use, uh, working on Kalila, storm fire, as an example, I did an episode of that, and Lisette, they just, they were like, 'okay, so what, uh, when we do our table read what platform do you want to use, what's gonna work best for you?' Um, and then, uh, there were like, do you know, 'do you need me to record this in advance so that you can copy the pitch and the tone or what's going to help you?' Cause I had to sing for that and yeah. And so they were, it was really, really nice to just have those offers and I've had that experience... several times over, where, um, I haven't had to be like, 'hi, can I please have'... because it's always a little awkward, 

SARAH GOLDING: Sure, yeah yeah yeah... 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah. But that, that looking at someone and saying, okay, they're going to have these particular needs, what do I need to do to meet them? Is such a relief. Um, 

SARAH GOLDING: Sure.... 

[00:22:00] CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah, it makes life much easier.

SARAH GOLDING:  And just sort of as a rewinding winded back- step from that, I mean, folks who have issues like yours or other, uh, things that might affect them, do you feel, um, communication with producer... before anything happens, needs to be better? Or ...what do you think with regards to that? Is that an important thing? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I think, um, I've generally had very good experiences with producers and with directors and such. Um, but ...I think if you are a producer and you're looking to create something that needs to be very high on your to-do list, 

SARAH GOLDING: Aha,   aha.

CAROLINE MINCKS: um, I think one thing that I would encourage people to do before you. Post a casting call, before you reach out to friends asking if they want to do a project ...work things like, what am I, what do I need to provide my actors? What do I need to provide my sound designer? Whoever is involved. [00:23:00] What do I need to do to make- within my, the power that I have with the knowledge that I have- what, what do I need to do to create the easiest working environment I can? And how much time is it going to take me to get transcripts ready? How much do you know how much time do I need to work in to make sure that I've got content warnings thoroughly done, had a sensitivity reader, all that jazz. Work it into your schedule before, so that you don't get caught! And then don't have that flailing panic moment of, 'Oh no, I didn't think about this'. And of course you can't necessarily prepare for everything and, and, you know, human beings, forget stuff. I forget stuff all the time, but yeah. 

SARAH GOLDING: Oh gosh. Yes. Because, because probably like me, you're, you're juggling about a hundred things rather than just two.

CAROLINE MINCKS: It's 2020, all our brains are swiss cheese  at this point. We're all like, we're doing our best. 

SARAH GOLDING: We are! We're getting on 

CAROLINE MINCKS: ok, right?.Keep saying it...believe it... 

[00:24:00] SARAH GOLDING: Yeah, absolutely. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Well, I think too, um, yeah, as a producer, I think if you're, if you're sitting down and, and really planning as much as you possibly can, the other thing to do is once you've got your group assembled, whoever you're working with, ask the question again, is that, you know, show them what you're planning on. Is this enough? Is this accurate? Is this correct? What do you need, do I need to add anything to this list before we get started? Yeah. Being a planner is helpful. 

SARAH GOLDING: Okay. So let's, let's do that. Uh, so on that list, let's do a little like verbal one and we'll probably forget things because ..our brains...right?. (LAUGHS)  right? But, but yeah, so, so you're starting off, you know, who your actors are. You're going to communicate with them, what needs to be on that list? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Um, things like deadlines. And I think, uh, a really important thing to do if you are someone who is on a strict schedule and some shows are, some shows aren't, but generally you do need lines by a certain point, whether or not you have a strict schedule, um, When it comes to [00:25:00] deadlines, set them and then have a plan -add a buffer to your deadline.

Let's say, you need you, you need lines by the 25th, ask them by the 20th, that way there's like a grace period so people can get them in. And then, 

SARAH GOLDING: Soft...and hard...yes...

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah, be as flexible as you can be because things do happen. Have a plan in place just in case like a disaster happens. And I don;t know... Your lead actor can't get you lines for another two weeks. It happens. Um, Have something have a backup plan as much as you possibly can, or at least if nothing else ,have a plan for what you will say, if you're delayed, that's greatly helpful because a lot of folks who have ...any kind of disability or chronic illness or anything that might prevent them from getting lines in on time, mental health, that sort of thing, knowing that there's a grace period and knowing that you are willing to work with them, that alone means the world.

SARAH GOLDING: Yeah. So communicate is key - like being an open, please talk to me if there's [00:26:00] an issue kind of producer. Yes, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yes!. And having some kind of, um, depending on the size of the production and who you're working with, if you're working with people, you don't know it's in particular, it's a really good idea to have in place like. If you're, if, if there's a problem, come talk to me. If the problem is with me, talk to THIS person. Yeah. That's a really important thing to have. 

SARAH GOLDING: Yeah. Yes, yes. That's a great practice. And if that's possible, because a lot of folks do work solely, but yes, I think that's lovely practice.

Yeah. Or 

CAROLINE MINCKS: like with friends and you're like, Oh, we can talk to each other. (LAUGHS) 

SARAH GOLDING: So, so good. So deadlines, uh, who, you know, safety and who, who to talk to, if there's going to be something that needs to be resolved so you can move forward. Uh, and that it's, I guess for sure, the anything you need aspect, which you've just covered, what can we do so that everyone can do best practice? And what beyond that, that, um, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: and now I'm thinking in terms of, uh, of production, like once the show is out.

Build transcripts into your [00:27:00] schedule. I beg because especially if you are a chat podcast, um, chatty shows are harder to transcribe. I get that - actual plays too. It's a lot, it's a lot of work. I've been doing transcripts for the interviews I've been doing for seen and not heard. And it is a slog. It's a lot of work, but. Build it into your schedule from the outset and plan on having them right away. Because a lot of shows now are just realizing, Ooh, I should have those. And now they're having to go back, you know, seasons upon seasons and do their transcript. 

SARAH GOLDING: This is me. This is me right now. And honestly, putting them, I've tried so many different programs and it, because I speak nonsense. It comes out, even worse. So, you know, it says like, you know, 'nut owl trench bottom  fee'. And that was like, 'Hello! Welcome to MADIVA!'. And it's like, Oh, you know? And so I did, I it's on my long list of a few things do, and so I feel bad that I haven't, 

[00:28:00] CAROLINE MINCKS: It;s a  LOTTTT of work!

SARAH GOLDING: But it's because, you know, an hour. Of of talking, which most of these episodes are between 40 minutes and an hour and a, yeah. When pretty much every other word is wrong, you might as well just type it out yourself. Yeah. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Well, and actually that was what I was initially doing. Um, and a friend shared their Otter account with me, which has been very helpful. I still have to go back and fix quite a lot of it, but the bulk is transcribed, which is good, but it is still, it's still a lot of work and there's only so much actual listening. I am physically able to do before my ears will just sort of say, 'okay, no more comprehension for a few hours...'. And I'm like..... Well, 

SARAH GOLDING: Yeah, but no, you're right. It is a hugely important thing to be. So the folks who, you know, aren't able to listen effectively or use that to enhance their understanding can have another way in.

CAROLINE MINCKS: And if you have a fiction podcast, if nothing else just throw the, throw the recording script up, even if it's not. Perfect. You can make it perfect later, but have it available when you release your episodes is the biggest [00:29:00] thing. If you're able to have your transcripts available at the same time as the episodes are released, because... otherwise it kind of sends a message that... you can wait, Oh, you can't hear... uh?....You can wait. Um, and it kind of implies, uh, uh, assigning less value to people who might need that access. It doesn't necessarily mean that's where your heart is, but that's kind of. It kind of feels that way sometimes. And I, Oh my gosh. It's like when I find somewhere that has, there was some show, I don't remember what it is, and even if I did, I don't want to put them on blast, but there was something I wanted to listen to. I couldn't find the transcripts anywhere. And I went hunting for them and they're like, Oh, if you're a patron, you can have them. 

SARAH GOLDING: Ok?! Ahhhhh

CAROLINE MINCKS: It's like, Oh, What? Have to pay? And everyone else can just get your content for free, but I have to pay???? Um, yeah. So have them available and have them available for free. 

SARAH GOLDING: Yep. And once, you know, that's instilled in the culture of doing then, you know, it becomes second nature. [00:30:00] I mean, regards to prices and things like that. Concern what it's kind of average ballpark, would you say for folks who aren't doing this, but wants to, could you give some examples perhaps? Of experience you've had?

CAROLINE MINCKS: Oh dear. Cost-wise I honestly don't know. A lot, because I, I, I have the luxury again of I'm sharing an account. My friend just gave me access to their Otter account. So I'm not sure how much it costs to use that service. I would have to go look it up, but off the top of my head, I'm not sure, but I know it can be well in some people will hire someone to do transcription, which is a totally and different transcriptionists are going to have different rates. But. Yeah. You know, depending on what you want to do, that might be the best way to go about it, but it's going to cost money too. 

SARAH GOLDING:  Ping out a  request. Can someone help me with my transcripts please?

CAROLINE MINCKS:  I do that a lot. ( LAUGHS)  I'm like, can someone just do this next section? I can't hear anything . 

SARAH GOLDING: I know the lovely Cheyenne Bramwell does that too. So, um, hunt Cheyenne  down and. Give 'em work! (LAUGHS) (CHECK SHOWNOTES TO CHEYENNE CONTACT DEETS) so with regards to beyond [00:31:00] transcript, um, I think the other thing that's come up as a... a more recent thing, to be honest in my realms is things like, um, information on Twitter, pictures and things to make them more accessible. What do folks need to do for best practice there? Do you think? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Oh my gosh. This is where I am failing at it, actually, because I didn't know that was a feature for the longest time for one thing 

SARAH GOLDING: Yeah, it's new to me as well, yeah.

CAROLINE MINCKS: Until I, yeah, it was brought to my attention. I was like, I don't even remember that. I don't remember seeing it. And. I think I posted something today, a picture without text- I always forget to do it. And I wish Twitter would prompt you the way that now they do a prompt. If you go to retweet an article, that's like, 'do you want to read this first'? Instead of just looking at the headlines, which is great, but I wish they would also do that. If you're posting a photo, I'd be like, would you like to add alt text to this? Because then I would remember it. Do it, and I'm trying so hard to remind myself, [00:32:00] but this is, this is something that I think we need to remember -disabled folks out there. Uh, we're not immune to messing up. Just because we're disabled. It doesn't mean that we are ...incapable of. ...excluding or even harming people who are disabled differently from us .

SARAH GOLDING: Right.

CAROLINE MINCKS: And that, you know, it's, it's really important to try and remember those who have other experiences than we do. And as to the best of our ability. To be inclusive and accessible whenever we can be. 

SARAH GOLDING: I think a lot of learnt behaviors are just through ignorance of not knowing other things that can be done really isn't it? So, so things like this, I think is a useful, uh, a heads up to folks who perhaps weren't aware that.... that why is it useful to have the alt text information on a picture?

CAROLINE MINCKS: It will allow people who use screen readers, the ones that read the words out loud to them, uh, folks with any kind of visual disability at all. It'll read the description of the image out loud to them. So you can put whatever... [00:33:00] description, like if you put, I don't know a picture of yourself up, you can, I could, I could be like, Oh, 'this is a picture of Caroline wearing a red shirt, looking to the left of the camera and smiling' or something like that, and they will get an idea of what the photo is, even if they can't see it ,or can't see it clearly. And it just, and that, that happens a lot. You see with, um, These really useful infographics that go around ...a lot of the time, they don't have the alt text. So like it's great information, but then people can't. Can't access it if they can't see the picture. 

SARAH GOLDING: Okay. So, there you go folks if you're using that kind of thing, make sure that you, you think about that other Avenue, which is important to, to include our, uh, friends who, who potentially perhaps can't see as well as you. And I think also, I mean, there are quite a few other things aren't there as well that people can  do. What other things do you feel are most important to.. To get inclusivity...in their... Audio fiction publications?

CAROLINE MINCKS: One thing that has been really, really interesting, um, I've been working on , 'Temegin' which... If you've [00:34:00] not...listened to that. Oh my goodness. You must. It's so good. I've been helping them out with the, uh, transcripts. And so I've been going through what my job has been, has been listening to the episode and reading the transcript alongside it. And I've been making comments here and there where like, Oh, this needs to be changed to be word. Perfect. Oh, add a description of the music here so that. People who can't hear the music can I have an idea of what it, what it sounds like, what the tone is? That kind of thing. 

SARAH GOLDING: Yes. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Those things are very, very helpful in transcripts by the way. Okay. Um, my, my role is the way with transcripts is I should be able to read the script and know what the mood is, what the emotions are, what the beats of the story are without listening to it.

So if your script is effectively done, And if, if the descriptions are correct in it and done at the right times, then yeah. You can read the script and truly understand the story and get all the emotions and the, the, the story without having to listen. And so that's what I've been doing with Temigin and they are doing [00:35:00] something very cool ...where they have, um, videos on YouTube with the audio from the podcast and the captions coming up in in...real time. 

SARAH GOLDING: I've seen this happen a lot more...yes! 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah. It's really cool. And I know that takes off whole different skills. Like I don't know how to do that. Um, it would take a different skill set than I have at the moment, but it is something I definitely want to do specifically with seen and not heard.

SARAH GOLDING: I mean, you've got two minutes, spare, surely Caroline, surely -isn't there an extra minute, every four years or something. 

CAROLINE MINCKS:  Do ya want it? Do you want to know something that's true and this is absolutely true. The other day I was... making dinner and editing a podcast at the same time I have absolutely. No, (LAUGHS)  what is wrong with me? Um, I was frying things. I was making latkes and I was editing 

SARAH GOLDING: brilliant,...

CAROLINE MINCKS: I was...editing something 

SARAH GOLDING: I've I've done similar jumping on my mini trampoline and listening to an episode and then stopping for a bit, and sort of bouncing on one leg whilst I just take that bit out then [00:36:00] jumping back on!.

Yeah. 

That's multitasking mama!

CAROLINE MINCKS: I can't do one thing at a time. I am incapable of it. Um, but yeah, I love this video thing and I, I want more people to do it. It's also a really great opportunity to show off your show art because it's, you're looking at, um, that's what, um, Rashaun did this beautiful thing, uh, Rashaan who makes Temogin, um, where, there's this gentle animation of the fire in the show ...

Always nice. 

Oh, it's beautiful. Well, the minute I saw it, I was like, Oh, so yeah, there are really cool things that you can do. Um, and I definitely want to specifically do it with seen and not heard for obvious reasons. Yes. So I'm going to try and teach myself how,

SARAH GOLDING:  I mean, I, I think also, you know, think about it's a wider audience too, isn't it? It's not just your audio fiction audience. And I think we are still in trouble in as much as there's a lot of Naval gazing. We sell things. If you like, we up our shows anti to other folks making [00:37:00] shows and it's about trying to get that wider audience. So things like that potentially helped with that too.

CAROLINE MINCKS: And the thing that's nice too, about having it on a screen is, um, like if you're able to. I can, I could throw up an episode of it onto my TV and, um, it's a different kind of speaker. And there are times when that audio is better for me than putting on my headphones. Um, so I can still. Listen to it and hear it and understand it. And if I'm able to see the captions at the same time, all the better, but I know people will be like, well, 'then it's not technically a podcast'. And you know what? Yes, it is. Stop that stopping being a snob. 

SARAH GOLDING: There is a bit of that, ism't there? But no, I think. If it works 

CAROLINE MINCKS: I'm guilt y of it myself.......

SARAH GOLDING: ...and it works and it gets you more listens, then it's WON. Right? Um, and yeah, as  has been as inclusive as possible  superb, I mean, if there's someone listening right now who perhaps has similar issues to [00:38:00] your good self or other elements of life, as you talked of,  a chronic illness and so on that, just make it. Um, that bit more difficult to, to get in to this kind of, uh, creative, medium. What advice would you give to them to, to just jump in and do it to reach out? Uh, right. 

Honestly, THAT is the biggest 

CAROLINE MINCKS: thing, because that really is how I started. I decided one day I said, I'm going to make a podcast. And then three weeks later I had one. And, um, that was my. Scary stories, uh, kind of anthology thing that I've done.

SARAH GOLDING: Yessss

CAROLINE MINCKS: And I didn't know what I was doing. I'd never used audacity before. And I just said, okay. I said, I'm doing it. And I said it out loud on Twitter. And so it has to happen now. Um, and then it did, so it's absolutely possible. First of all, to do it, if you want to do it, I would say if you're looking to get into it and you don't know where to start.

There are some really good people to follow. I would say you are definitely one of those people. 

SARAH GOLDING: Ah, Thanks!

CAROLINE MINCKS: Um, I would, I'd recommend following you. I would say, [00:39:00] uh, Jordan Cobb, Sarah Rhea Warner A.R, Olivieri , um, Cassie Joseph's, Cole Burkhardt, Dany Ellett. There's a lot of really great people who are kind of constantly giving all this information about it. Um, Oh, the radio drama revival folks that fantastic Wil Williams. Um, all of these people I could just name, I could sit here and just list people. And I, I we'd be here forever because there are so many good people in podcasting. Um, but these are all folks who, um, really put a lot of information out there.

Just it's just available. You don't have to really go looking for it. So if you're following these people and many, many others, You'll probably find just by virtue of following them! . Um, you'll get a ton of information. Like I was thinking about Cassie specifically, Cassie does a lot of free information about accessibility and podcasting is just a fantastic [00:40:00] resource and has, uh, has provided so much information in, in threads and in presentations.

SARAH GOLDING: Yes.  

CAROLINE MINCKS: Um, and, and. You know, when you're finding those folks, you will, you will also find resources for what can help you specifically. Um, I reached out to Cassie and Cole Burkhardt very early on and both of them. Cause I was like, how in the blue blazes do I podcast while deaf? Like, is that even a thing? And then a few people were like, Oh yeah, here here's who to talk to.

And I remember reaching out to them and they both gave me so much amazing information and they were so helpful and so sweet. Yeah. And a lot of, I have found across the board. It's a welcoming community in the sense that we're excited to have people on we're pretty friendly in general, but also, so, because we want to listen to your show!

SARAH GOLDING: Yes! We're hungryyyyy.    

CAROLINE MINCKS: We WANT the show.... It's it's. Yeah. Interesting. In contrast to theater, not in contrast necessarily, but in [00:41:00] theater, local theater, you're competing for the audience. You're really are trying to get people to come see your show that's happening at this time and not the one across the across town that's happening at the same time.

You want that audience member with you. And that's not necessarily the case with podcasting. We're not trying to, we don't have to worry necessarily about. About that 

SARAH GOLDING: There is room, there is room, there is a lot of wide burgeoning space to be filled...

CAROLINE MINCKS: and we cravec ontent!

SARAH GOLDING: YES WE DOOO!

CAROLINE MINCKS:  Give us the shows like, Oh my gosh, look at any audio drama sunday thread that someone does. Like I was thinking about Bob Ramonda does these great ones and you will see us just geekinggggg about each other's work. And so like, if you are like, 'Oh, I don't think anyone's going to want to listen to it'. I promise someone will,  (laughs) we will be like, get in here, come play! 

SARAH GOLDING: The Cambridge Geek celebrate their releases every month. Uh, and also on the fiction podcast news weekly, we try and share people's milestones of their debuts and their like finales to [00:42:00] seasons and  so there's so many brilliant, wonderful things happening. JUMP IN!! Regards to communities, is there anywhere specific you've been on any of the social media platforms that, that perhaps are collated spaces, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Twitter, really great place to find people and then discord also has, um, I'm in, Oh God, I'm in too many servers, but it's, it's good. Um, I'm, it's great though, because I have, um, like I'm in one that's specifically for sound designers. And if I hop in there and I'm like, 'Hey, does anyone have a sound effect of a door? Because none of these doors sound like doors?'.

Uh, someone, someone will have something, or if I'm like, hi, I don't know what the heck I just did in audacity, but it's doing this. Someone helped me and someone will help me solve the problem. And, um, and there are a bunch of communities. Uh, on discord, a bunch of servers that are just open and available that you can join in. They're really wonderful. They're, they're good places to be. And discord also, I like it because it's, it's fairly intuitive for me to [00:43:00] use because you can divide everything into channels. And I happen to have OCD like actual, I actually have it.

SARAH GOLDING:  Right. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: So channels and organization are so good. I love these things 

SARAH GOLDING: All lined up beautifully with their lovely logos, and yes  all the channels 

CAROLINE MINCKS: It's so satisfying. I have, I have organized and reorganized my, the order in which my discord servers go in the folders so many times. And they're in color order right now because that's just who I am as a person. Um, 

SARAH GOLDING: Love it!  

CAROLINE MINCKS: yeah, it, it, uh, I, I have found that discord is also good for organizing podcast business in general. Like for the shows that I work on, it's really useful. I find it to be very helpful rather than just sort of chatting and emailing and trying to keep up with a bunch of things. You can have specific information in specific channels. Um, And that's been very helpful. So those two places are really, really good, I think for finding people and communicating with ...them.

SARAH GOLDING: I mean, I think I'd love to put any links that you'd like to share in our show [00:44:00] notes and I'll pop some of my own as well -give people, some places too, to jump into, I mean, as a, as a voice actor as well, just still thinking with that head set on . Um, what, um, what top tips would you give voice actors specifically with regards to approaching auditions and, just fight the fear and just jumping in. Yeah. What would you suggest?

CAROLINE MINCKS:  Auditioning is always a nerve wracking experience. I've been, I've been acting, uh, I'll be 33 this month. I've been acting since I was five.

SARAH GOLDING: Happy birthday!

CAROLINE MINCKS:  Thank you. Um, so, but that's like, I've been doing this for a long time and I still get so freaking nervous every time I have to open my mouth, I get so nervous. But the thing that I have found helps. Is having worn the director hat as many times as I have, and having been a creator producer or whatever, knowing that. I want to hear you, like, I want you to audition. I want you to perform. I'm excited to hear it.

And I don't know a single director. Who's not like I can't wait to [00:45:00] get these casting and Oh my God, like, we get so excited. So every time we get an email that's like such and so has auditioned. It's like, YYYEASSSS!, we've run over. I, every single time I saw that someone had auditioned for seen and not heard. I was like,HUHUHU YAYYY!I was so jazzed.

So know that we are very supportive on that end. Like we, and, and, um, Advice that I can give though, for just kind of the technical stuff of auditioning -room is going to matter more than your equipment. For the most part, you need a semi-decent mic. You need like one that isn't your phone, you know, but you can get them for not that expensive, but what really matters is your environment. You gotta soundproof that environment. You gotta make sure you don't have tons of neighbor noise, right? If you can avoid it 

SARAH GOLDING: ... ask them to stop the planes at Heathrow would be. Really useful.

CAROLINE MINCKS: Oh god. I live next to the highway and I live in an apartment. So it is  (LAUGHS) chaos, but blanket forts are your friend.

Um, and I mean, I literally do everything on a free recording [00:46:00] program. Sitting on my son's bedroom floor in a blanket fort with a $90 microphone that I splurged on. So you can do it without very much, but you got to make sure you do have, um, a good recording atmosphere and Oh, follow the directions on the casting call and ask questions if you aren't sure, because I promise we will answer them.

We're not -for the most part, people aren't going to be jerks about it. If you ask a question, like 'what does a BBCC mean'? You know, we'll help you out. We want you to succeed. I know for me personally, I went back, I got a few auditions for seen and not heard where the audio was really bad or there was background noise and I would, I emailed them and I said, can you give me, can you try it again? And. Fix the environment. So I can see if that's something I can work with. Um, and you know, or like if someone misunderstood the instructions, I was like, okay, let me, I think, I think it was just a misunderstanding. Let me see if I can help. Cause we, again, we want you to succeed. I [00:47:00] have never once met someone who was like, 'gosh, I hope I get these terrible auditions so I can laugh at them'. Like, no, we want you to do well. We want to help. 

SARAH GOLDING: Um, I mean, just as a point on that as well, the process of this is probably a very naive question from somebody who's not in the disabled community, but ...at what point is it important or should you disclose any specific ...needs you might have at what point would you do that? Would you say ?

CAROLINE MINCKS: I personally think it's different for everyone? I think, um, it depends a lot on your personal comfort level. I'm very comfortable and very open with, um, talking about the fact that I'm deaf. Um, I have no problem bringing that up, but some people, depending on what they're dealing with might not want to disclose it right away.

For me though, when I auditioned for something, uh, cause a lot of times the casting call would be like, tell us something about you or any relevant information. I always bring it up. Um, and I say like, I'm hard of hearing and I, if we do table reads, I need a visual. Or I just kind of mentioned briefly what kind of accommodations I generally need, just so that they have a [00:48:00] heads up.

Um, so they can make plans if they want to cast me. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It, it, it depends so much on your personal comfort level. I do think it would be. Useful in casting calls. To be like, if cast, what accommodations would you need? Or some, some kind of similar question. That's something that I plan to do going forward.

SARAH GOLDING: Yes, I love that. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: That it's a useful thing. And it kind of takes the pressure off of someone having to bring it up out of the blue, which I think is where a lot of people struggle because they're like, Oh, they didn't ask, but should I tell them? Yeah. I just say, 

SARAH GOLDING: ...yeah, I mean, how relevant is it? This is the thing it's like, yes. Is it, is it important that will it make it any difference, yes?? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: That's the struggle too. I think anyone who's ever been on a job interview knows... It's like, do I mention this, this and this? Or, but yeah, I think if a lot of it, if you're the producer opening the door... so that the person who's auditioning for you doesn't have to open it themselves is [00:49:00] very helpful and it kind of, yeah, it relieves a lot of that anxiety. I think, at least for me it does. 

SARAH GOLDING: I think that's yeah,a wonderous thing. We should all be doing that for sure. I think maybe this is the snippet we should ping out into the world first!. Um, but yeah, I mean, just with regards to your process as voice actor as well, kind of what preparation do you have before either audition or actual recording? Uh, for, for the role? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: One thing that I do. Pretty much always I will record just a cold read of whatever I'm auditioning for, which means I will, if I will open up the side, I'll find whatever character it is and auditioning for. And I'll do a recording of myself, reading it ...without looking it over or anything, just sight unseen.

And, um, that helps me kind of. Get a sense of where I might have trouble words. Cause I also have a stutter. Why am I a voice actor? I'm deaf and I have a stutter, but, um, goodness, 

SARAH GOLDING: Oh Goodness! It hasn't shownit's head so...

It gets written 

CAROLINE MINCKS: into things. Sometimes. Sometimes if I [00:50:00] stammer that's me trying to find a different word to use because I can feel iit coming.... Um, or we have written it into... A couple of...podcasts... Evan likes to use it,  (LAUGHS) but yeah, it helps me to know like, okay, this line is going to give me trouble. I need to work on this a few times and read it over a couple of times before I record. Yeah. And that's actually what I did, actually, the, the monologue I sent you was my cold read!, 

See,, this 

SARAH GOLDING: is, I have to tell you, I'm very excited to have Caroline on this season ofQuaralogues....

Yeah. I, I sent it to you yesterday and it's pretty much been done. And it's Beautiful I was like...how's that for a turnaround.!!. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: I actually did a couple other takes of it. And I was like, I think the cold read is best!. So i sent it in..., but that's why it's also nice to have the cold read because sometimes that's going to be your best take. Um, I have found it,...

SARAH GOLDING: True

CAROLINE MINCKS: You know, it's never, it's never a waste of time to. Rehearse it, you know, it's, it's always, I always find value in that. 

SARAH GOLDING: I agree. Do you know, I think [00:51:00] some voice actors I feel, and I'm not going to name anyone, but I just feel have got lazy and they do very much just jump in. And the script is the script, as, is then.... Whereas I feel like any acting role, you know, theater, film, whatever.

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah. 

SARAH GOLDING: You...spend time and you, you learn those ins and outs and yeah, reasons and motivations. And I just think, I can't understand why folks don't 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah, and like sometimes you'lldiscover something. If you go through and rehearse it a couple of times, you're like, Oh wait, I should say it like this, or, Oh, I should try this voice. Um, so it's, I think it's useful to play. And, um.

SARAH GOLDING:  Yeah, I totally agree!. 

So when 

CAROLINE MINCKS: I, when I'm auditioning, one thing that I'll do too, is when I'm reading the casting call, I will physically write down onto a piece of paper, like what they need from me. And like how they want it done, because that helps me to remember, because it's so easy to be like, you know, auditioning for a whole bunch of stuff.... and everyone has a slightly different format that they want like, Oh, this audition wants you to read the whole thing all the way through and then do the whole thing all the way through again. Or this one wants you to go line by line three [00:52:00] times or whatever it is taking notes helps me a lot. Um, it helps me keep track of everything.

And then also, if I'm not looking at the casting call while I'm writing the email, that's the thing, right? But yeah, it, it, I think just being as prepared as you can be, look over the casting hall a few times, read it out a few times, do a cold read, very helpful. And don't be afraid to ask if you're unclear on something.

I think that's something, a lot of people, I see it with my friends a lot, and I kind of do the same thing sometimes depending on who it is, I'm auditioning for it. But. You see something and you're like, I don't know what this means. And you go ask your friend, like, Hey, what do you think this means? It's like, no, ask the person who wrote it, ask the person who wrote it. They will know what they meant. Um, and, and like I say again, for the most part, we're all pretty nice. You're not going to get yelled at...I promise!. 

Yeah, I agree - don't be 

SARAH GOLDING: shy. I think communication is key and honestlyyou'll  probably make some of the loveliest friends. I must say [00:53:00] the golden heart of the people that I am involved with. I had a lovely table read on Friday for something called Cyclone by Graz Richards and... the cast assembled there was just glorious. And I just uplifted my mood, which was, you know, it's been a tough week, I must say. So it was really so superb!, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Oh, there's nothing like a good table read. It puts you it's your heart right. I had a really good one the other day for Ghost detectives. I'm very excited for this cast. Cannot wait to tell everyone who's going to be that episode. Um, but it was just, Oh my God, like y'all, aren't ready. Um, but I, uh, I got off of it and I immediately got a text from one of the actors. It was like, that was so much fun. I was like 'I KNOW!'  Just felt so good. And you get that.... creative rush. And it just feels reallt good! 

I have a 

SARAH GOLDING: deep respect for my fellow audio fiction folks. And when you hear something, it was something between specifically Angelique. Lazarus and Erika Sanderson... and my goodness they're on fire! [00:54:00] I'm very excited. So yeah. Can't wait to see whenever that comes up, but yeah. So what else are you involved in? What are your future plans for taking over the podcast world? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yes, I'm. I'm, I'm, it's the same thing we do every night. Pinky. Um, I am. I have a couple of shows that aren't out yet. So the things that are coming up are going to be, um, 'Surreal love'. There's going to be another season of 'Shifts' and Ooh, that one is definitely shifting.... there's a lot happening, and a lot has changed. Um, I'm doing another show called 'Crossing stars' that I just announced. And that is, um, me and Alexander Doddy, who I worked with. Um, yeah, I worked with him on 'This planet, needs a name'. He plays James and he's just a lovely, wonderful person. Yeah. 

SARAH GOLDING: Yeah, i just did a  scene opposite himfor Ninth World... Well, I didn't actually sadly get to do it with him, but I, I was told, yeah, of the excitement ahead..!,

um, yeah, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: I was just like, as I was writing it, I was like, I think Alex needs to play this part. And I just reached out. I was like, [00:55:00] Hey, you want to? He was like, yeah. Um, and he's also gonna be on the queer'Ppride and prejudice adaptation that I'm working on. I just announced him. So I get to say we're still announcing cast members as we go, but, um, 

SARAH GOLDING: Exciting!

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yeah, we're  going to do, it's going to be very faithful to the. The text, except that there's going to be some fiddling about, of gender and sexuality. 

SARAH GOLDING: Okay, pkay.... 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yes, it's a very faithful adaptation. It's just very, very, queer!. 

SARAH GOLDING: Okay you know, the world could do with a bit more queer...everyone  needs just...relax and enjoy everybody! 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Yes! Put it everywhere! That'sI my ntention. If I ever make anything that seems, uh, uh,cis het,  it's by accident. Um, I was joking. I was like, I think seen and not heard as the straightest thing I make and ...no, it's not!  (LAUGHS) Yeah.  () Um, Yeah, I'm excited. I do have a few other things kind of up my sleeve that I haven't announced yet. So I can't really say, but I'm so excited.

I have, I have so many projects. 

SARAH GOLDING: Adventures ahead. Sound s very exciting!. How about other [00:56:00] people? What are you listening to that you can recommend that folks must jump onto right now or any specific creatives to follow? Other than the ones you've mentioned 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Everyone. I work with. Please follow them. They're wonderful.

Um, I shows that I'm really taken with right now. Um, I was just listening to 'Donna is her name' today, which is a phenomenal micro fiction. It is like my jaw drops every single episode, at least once it's just incredibly well done. And so, so interesting. I also love 'Dos after you'. That is a poem... Oh, it's beautiful. David does such a beautiful job on that. And David is such a sweetheart. And 'Desperado'. I am mildly obsessed with- AND I AM ON IT NOW!. I have been the biggest Desperado fan since, um, since I was told to listen to it and then I get to be on it now, and I'm kind of losing my mind. 

SARAH GOLDING: That's the thing. When you get to be on something, you've been a fan of people don't understand how very amazingly exciting that is! 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Oh my God. That's what happened with 'Great and terrible' too. Cause I love [00:57:00] 'Great, terrible'. I'm just telling you, Anthony, I'm like, I'm your biggest fan? Um, and they're just like, okay, (LAUGHS) 

SARAH GOLDING: Let's go all Annie...Annie  Wilkes? Is it ?  Number one fan!? 

CAROLINE MINCKS: No, no a little nicer than that. 

SARAH GOLDING: Of course, of course!

CAROLINE MINCKS: But they asked  if I wanted to be on 'em. 'Great and terrible'. I was like, are you kidding me? Yes. So I get to do that. And it's just that one's wonderful. It's such a good show. And Leslie Gideon is just incredible on that and of course, she plays my sister in 'Seen and not heard'...And getting to work with her was so great.

SARAH GOLDING: Yeah. Yeah. No, superb. But I think now there's a few people who have the Midas touch. I do feel, uh, yeah, everything they're in is...is fantastic stuff. 

Sure. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Oh my God. Oh, there's so much good stuff out there. Um, and I keep, I keep feeling like. Every it's like every other day I find out about some podcast I really should have been listening to long ago, like, Oh yeah.

There's so much like there's something out there for everyone. I feel 

[00:58:00] SARAH GOLDING: There truly is. And if it isn't make it yourself. Yes, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: YES! Exactly!. Yes. And you can!

SARAH GOLDING:  And you can, 

CAROLINE MINCKS: ...you totally can. I will help you. 

SARAH GOLDING: This is it. I. Wholeheartedly offer up my services to be of any use to and Caroline just as, as, as, has well. So, uh, people there's no excuse, right? And hope you feel suitably inspired. If, if Caroline can do 500,000 podcasts at once,  and cook and look after crazy active Pussycats, then you can

CAROLINE MINCKS: Maybe don't  necessarily follow my, my amount of work. I don't necessarily recommend it.

SARAH GOLDING:  Yeah, I want to say, please do take care. Cause you're very precious and I don't want you to burn yourself out. It's very, very important. So do you take some, some Headspace time, some jumping on mini trampoline times...

CAROLINE MINCKS: I need to get one of those - sounds fun! 

SARAH GOLDING: D'ya know what, you really should! But... My God. It really hurt !

CAROLINE MINCKS:  My son would love it. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I got on a trampoline, [00:59:00] one of the big ones with my son and I couldn't, I was like, I don't know I had vertigo or something for like an hour after I don't feel right. The world feels weird now.  (THEY LAUGH) 

SARAH GOLDING: Well, I've been doing pelvic floor exercises very well, thankfully, so I'm okay.

But I know some people would struggle ...just to say, start now. Yeah. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: Safety first.  (They laugh) 

SARAH GOLDING: Wonderful to have you on MADIVA podcast. 

CAROLINE MINCKS: This was so lovely!

SARAH GOLDING: Thank you so much for coming on and sharing all of your expertise and fun. And as I say, you are hugely inspiring so ...long may you work on all of the things you wish to and people should employ, forthwith,, uh, as a, as a voice actor to..so.....

So yeah, I really hope your, your next year is the best yet. So 

CAROLINE MINCKS: thank you. And same to you.... This was so much fun. 

SARAH GOLDING: Well, Thank you so much. Have a wonderful everything. [01:00:00]

CAROLINE MINCKS: You too!

SARAH GOLDING: Ok, bye byyyyyee!

CAROLINE MINCKS: Bye!  

SARAH GOLDING: <MUSIC ENDS>