Halfway there…

Doctor DILF Series One is halfway there in its production. Four episodes are in the can and there are four to go (with the possibility of a ninth episode, but we’ll see). It’s been a very steep learning curve, but I am proud of what we have achieved. I say “we” because, as with all good projects, it is a team effort.

I’ll give you an example. I’ve just listened to the first episode of Doctor DILF: Extra Length for the fourth or fifth time. Not to quietly pick holes in my own rookie production skills but just to listen and just to nod along in recognition and to laugh. James is a seasoned orator and John’s voice is just wonderful to listen to. That man knows how to tell a good story. We all had such good chemistry that I ploughed ahead with the same team on every episode. This wasn’t the plan at all, but something just clicked in recording. I’d have been a fool to ignore it.

Then, there’s the experts on Doctor DILF. It’s been a joy to chat with them and to listen back to them speaking so eloquently on their own field of expertise. Their passion for their subjects really shines through, and I thank them from the bottom of heart for their time and effort. Together with Doctor DILF: Extra Length, I hope that you, the listener, will gain multiple perspectives on the issue of the week.

Take what will (most likely be the) Episode One of each podcast, for example. There’s Joe Langley, a personal trainer, talking us through how we engage with gyms in later life. This is followed by counsellor Scott McKellar discussing the mental health side of gym environments from an older gay and bisexual male perspective. Then, there’s me, John, and James in Doctor DILF: Extra Length discussing body image and our own experiences with physical exercise. That’s five different perspectives on the same subject over two podcasts. Incredible. That is why Doctor DILF is a team effort and I’m eternally grateful to everyone involved or who has given me advice.

It exemplifies what I set out to do with this podcast from the very beginning - to provide evidence-based food for thought with depth for us - older gay and bisexual men. We’re a clever and savvy bunch, and I think in this age of soundbites and vacuous celebrities, we deserve intelligent media tailored for us.

You might not agree with all of the perspectives put out there, or you might think we’ve missed out something vitally important to you. This is the reason for the #DoctorDILF hashtag - to get you involved in the conversation. All I ask is that you be respectful of others. We may not agree on everything, but we have to stick together… now more so than ever.

On this note, I have a favour to ask of you, the listener. Please bear with me with technical things. I’ve never been a techie and I’m learning things on the fly - and very rapidly! If there are jarring variations in sound quality, then that’s down to me, and I aim to iron these difficulties out for Series Two. Especially since I got my new lovely microphone. It lights up and everything. It’s GORGEOUS! Perhaps I am a techie after all and I just never knew it?

Series One is experimental by its very nature. I am letting it grow organically, allowing it to find out what it wants to sound like rather than to force it into a shape that doesn’t suit it. Does going out and about work? Is it better being a studio-based show? Who should be on it? My intention was to have recorded demonstrations of activities… they may well still happen, but for Series One, they’ve fallen by the wayside. Instead, you can hear me en route to meet Joe and the sound of my rusty old banger Bessie II. Lucky you.

This approach has paid dividends so far, notably in the above example with Doctor DILF: Extra Length. The unexpected thing I am most pleased with, though, is the laughter. OMG, we laugh such a lot! And that includes the experts. It’s so nice to hear media where people laugh in common recognition! Also, the wonderful things my colleagues bring to the table I had never thought about - listen out for my penny drop moments…

Most importantly, even in its embryonic stage, Doctor DILF is encouraging me to get my arse off the sofa and get out there. I’m going for more walks and I’m going to the gym more. The podcast is already doing me good. Doctor DILF is already enriching my life, and I hope it does the same for you too.

Look after each other and keep talking,

Simon x

Production News

Production on Doctor DILF gathers pace this week with some interviews done and many more lined up. I am at a truly exciting stage now because I love talking with people about their passions and their jobs. Whilst editing the interviews, I’ve had to remind myself that I am actually meant to be editing because I get such enjoyment from listening to them, I just stop what I’m doing and laugh along or nod in recognition with what’s being said. I hope that this is a good sign and I can’t wait for you all to hear the episodes. One of the joys of interviewing is seeing (or hearing) your ideas spring to life. You can plan all you want but the sound of a podcast, I am learning, is something all of its own. It’s organic and, I suspect, has a life of its own.

One of the biggest learning curves of doing this podcast is the tech side. I’m not a techie at all - if anything, I’m a bit of a Luddite. However, in order to get this done (and actually be listenable to), I have thrown myself in the deep end and have learned about SEO and how to build a website, and have taught myself how to use Zencastr and Audacity for the actual recordings. Not to mention how to use Garage Band for the theme music! Then came the unexpected memory storage issues, so I had to learn all about that… no knowledge is ever wasted, even if it does come in an entirely new language to me! I’m keen, however, for Doctor DILF to sound as professional as possible, so please bear with me for this first series whilst I try things out.

My determination for Doctor DILF to have sure foundations has led to the reactivation of the organisational skills I learned during my doctorate. There are many sides of conducting a doctorate-level study, and the organisation of a large project is one of them, involving scheduling time doing different tasks and allowing yourself enough time to learn new things. As such, I’ve applied the same working practices to the podcast , providing participants with standardised information sheets and pre-prepared questions. These questions, however, are not set in stone as the best information comes about through a free-wheeling conversation on a chosen subject… and what subjects! The recently-recorded interview with counsellor Scott McKellar on mental health, for example, is wide-ranging, intelligent, and life-affirming. I’m glad to say that you will hear him throughout the series talking about the mental health side of our identity, of our body image, and of our sex lives.

More progress reports soon - Simon x