❉ This week: Betamax Video Club, the podcast about 1980s movies.
We’re big fans of podcasts here at We Are Cult, and we’re always looking for more shows to subscribe to. So if you’re looking for ear candy, we’re here to help!
This week: Rich Nelson tells us all about Betamax Video Club, a podcast rewinding to the most popular films of the 1980s (ish).
What’s your podcast about?
Very simple – 80s movies! I’m not trying to analyse or critique the films, I’m just enjoying chatting to different people about films, giving me a good excuse to revisit some old favourites, and in some cases find some new ones that passed me by.
If you had to describe your show in 10 words or less, what would you say?
Nostalgia, quotes, soundtracks… Rewinding back to my favourite films.
Which episode would you recommend for a first-time listener? Do you have a favourite episode?
I think The Running Man would be a good start, it was set in 2017 and my guest (author and journalist James Montague) has been all over the world and gave a fantastic context of current affairs, with a lot of other tangents and film recommendations too.
What inspired you to create this podcast?
For a while I fancied doing a James Bond podcast, but by the time I got round to it, there were so many films I loved when I was younger that I’d have felt bad not talking about them! Already I’ve thought of 70s and 90s films I may have to crowbar in…
Which guests have you had on your podcast so far?
A combination of friends and people I’ve met through social media and shared interests… I’m hoping in time that all of them will do more episodes, but meeting new prospective guests all the time…
Who would be your dream guest?
Peter Cook would have been great, although I imagine it would have descended into a vulgar mess… But he hasn’t replied to my email. Cunt.
Which equipment do you use for your podcast set-up?
I’m very much experimenting on the job – at the moment I’m on Zencastr to record both sides of a call. I’m also trying different handheld devices for recording in person. Alas the quality has been a bit up and down, which is also teaching me editing…
What would you say is the best length of time for a podcast episode?
Ideally I was aiming for 40-45 minutes, ideal for a commute. With some of mine so far, especially about the films I’m especially fond of, they’ve gone way over… The two Schwarzenegger episodes so far (Commando and The Running Man) are the longest at well over an hour.
Which podcasts (other than yours) would you recommend we listen to?
SMERSH is the gold standard, all about Bond, while Oddjob Pod (also 007) is also a must listen. I used to listen to a lot of football podcasts, but it’s harder to find something creative. Sound Of Football and Quickly Kevin are my favourites from that world.
Where is your podcast available to listen to?
Betamax is hosted on Podbean , but is also on iTunes
What is the future of podcasting as a creative medium?
I think it’s still got huge potential, but in a crowded market it’s getting harder to stand out. Inevitably those with greater budgets or those with established followers will get bigger, but maybe it’ll give people more joy to find new material amongst the giants. As long as people continue doing it out of love/fun, then it’ll be fine.
❉ Follow Betamax Video Club on Twitter and Facebook
❉ Download past episodes or subscribe to future episodes of Betamax Video Club by Rich Nelson for free: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/betamax-video-club/id1261103701?mt=2
❉ Have you got a podcast? Email wearecultcontent@gmail.com if you would like it to be featured.