TypeDrawers podcast?

Eris Alar

I am thinking I’d like to start a video podcast YouTube channel* based around TypeDrawers where I chat with different members about their history, news related to type, threads on the site, and anything else related. 

Does this seems a good idea? Who would need to approve such a thing? 

*audio only version would be exported too with the goal to have on regular podcast venues

Ray Larabie

I'd definitely watch a show like that.

Andreas Stötzner

a charming idea!

Mark Simonson

Sure, why not? Not enough type design podcasts. (OhNo Radio and the seemingly defunct Type Radio are the only ones I know of.)

Mark Simonson

Only problem is we'd have to decide how to pronounce the name. In my midwestern American accent, it can be either Type Drors (in the sense of a drawer in a cabinet) or Type Draw-ers (in the sense of someone who draws type).

Eris Alar

Well I'm Aussie so who knows how it will come out haha 

Paul Hanslow

'Type Draws'. Am an Aussie, can confirm. 

Tyson Edwards

Type radio saw me through the pandemic. I'm all for more type-focussed audio content.

Cory Maylett

I would be more inclined to listen to an audio podcast than watch a video podcast. I typically listen to podcasts while I'm driving or walking our dog. Video, however, requires me to sit down and take the time to watch.

Of course, talking about typography lends itself to visuals. Perhaps you could produce a video podcast that considered that many of the subscribers would only be listening. Any important visuals could subsequently be looked up on the podcast's website.

André Simard

It would be great to have this kind of listen Podcast (Balado in french). Historics or unknown stories about typefaces family would be a good start from my point of view.

Craig Eliason

Mark Simonson said:

Sure, why not? Not enough type design podcasts. (OhNo Radio and the seemingly defunct Type Radio are the only ones I know of.)

There's also The Tiny Typecast (which also delves into printing more broadly). And The Interrogang, though that's new-release overviews and hosts chatting rather than interviews like the previous three. 

Eris Alar

Cory Maylett said:

I would be more inclined to listen to an audio podcast than watch a video podcast. I typically listen to podcasts while I'm driving or walking our dog. Video, however, requires me to sit down and take the time to watch.

Of course, talking about typography lends itself to visuals. Perhaps you could produce a video podcast that considered that many of the subscribers would only be listening. Any important visuals could subsequently be looked up on the podcast's website.

I’ve had YouTube premium since about 2017 and one of the reasons was that it lets you listen to videos with the screen off, so great for commuting. These days I watch most podcasts as I enjoy the video aspect. But yes, the intention would be to record a video podcast that could then be also distributed as an audio podcast, so keeping visuals to a minimum. 

Eris Alar

There is also The League of Moveable Type Podcast

Dave Crossland

Eris Alar said:

There is also The League of Moveable Type Podcast

I was about to mention that Its excellent!

I am thinking I’d like to start a video podcast YouTube channel* based around TypeDrawers where I chat with different members about their history, news related to type, threads on the site, and anything else related. 

I love it! I think a regular format where you ask those 4 topics -

About you: how did you become interested in type, what type/typography are you making at the moment, and what do you see in the future of type?

Type today: What recent type news was interesting for you?

TypeDrawers itself: Ideas, or recent, or inactive, threads on the site?

Anything else: What else do you think will be interesting to this audience?

- is a fantastic idea, and I expect many posters here could easily fill up an hour with such stuff that could be super fun and interesting.

Who would need to approve such a thing? 

Well, this is just my personal opinion (as always) as a regular poster on this forum, with no higher affiliation:

If you don't ask questions about TypeDrawers threads directly, and you don't use the name TypeDrawers yourself, and you don't post about it on TD outside one thread announcing it, then, I think absolutely no-one - its just another type & typography podcast/vlog. 

If every episode has content about/referencing TypeDrawers, but you don't use the name yourself, well, its a bit borderline, but probably the same as above.

If you want to call it "The Official TypeDrawers Show" or whatever (lol) then you probably need to get approval from the current moderators (listed currently in https://typedrawers.com/discussion/3573/meet-the-moderators); or I should say, the other 2 moderators, since you are 1 of the current 3; and, especially, James, since he currently has donations made directly to him and so I guess is personally most highly responsible for the project.

Since it is an unincorporated project, it is ambiguous if you would need to get anything in writing about using the name, and IANAL, but I suspect there's some kind of unregistered trademark accrued to the TypeDrawers name, such that James could probably ask someone using the name without approval to stop doing so, via a lawyer, especially if it was "a podcast about this forum" and not something unrelated to typography that happened to use the name.

James Hultquist-Todd

I think it would be a great idea! I’d be happy to work with you to set something up (and try to figure out some sort of compensation for podcast startup expenses.)

Eris Alar

 @James Hultquist-Todd Glad to hear you are ok with the idea, I'll DM you to talk about specifics. 

John Hudson

One of the things I liked about Type Radio is that the standard questions enabled one to get to know something about the interviewees beyond their involvement in type and typography, or how that involvement intersected with other interests and areas of their life. Type Radio’s opening ‘Are you religious?’ question was genius.

Eris Alar

Was Type Radio the one by the folks at Underware? I remember they also asked something along the lines of “do you have any stolen fonts on your computer” haha

Dave Crossland

Yep, http://typeradio.org - although it seems broken atm

Mark Simonson

No, it was by a couple of Dutch graphic designers, one of whom (Donald Beekman) also has done some type design.

Eris Alar

It seems they co-created it https://underware.nl/typeradio/

Mark Simonson

Ah, I didn't know that. Never mind.

Akiem Helmling

Mark Simonson said:

Sure, why not? Not enough type design podcasts. (OhNo Radio and the seemingly defunct Type Radio are the only ones I know of.)

We just fixed the Typeradio site.
Sorry for the trouble.
Enjoy listening. 

And for those who are interested, a few copies of Type Legends are still available. A box of 4 LPs, 4 CDs, and a small booklet containing extended unpublished interviews with Ed Benguiat, Wim Crouwel, Adrian Frutiger & Gerrit Noordzij.

https://typeradio.org/#/type_legends

Mark Simonson

Another mostly type-oriented podcast is Monotype's Creative Characters. For a podcast that you would presume to be overtly self-promotional, it's kind of the opposite, interviewing people from the type world that are not necessarily connected with MT.