Podcast Trailer
Written and recorded by Ryan Vannucci
Concept and Brand Development
The Cyber Diner Podcast aimed to connect students and professionals interested in learning more about cybersecurity with experts talking about the frontlines of cybersecurity innovation and development.
As part of the California Cybersecurity Institute at Cal Poly, we wanted this podcast to also help connect students to opportunities and drive awareness and thought leadership within and beyond our organization.
The concept and brand for the Cyber Diner was meant to be both nostalgic and fun to resonate both tech pros looking to make a lateral move into cybersecurity, and young students looking for entertainment and novelty.
The brand design and review process took a few rounds of design testing before landing on a neon-flat design which alludes to vintage diner signs, and retro flat design.
Sample Episodes
Discusses the attack on millions of devices in one full swoop, as well as setting the stage for modern loT security challenges. Guest Ulf Lindqvist goes over problems with loT security such as too many devices on the network which makes it hard to rely on patching quick updates.
One of the most effective methods of improving cybersecurity is penetration testing. Eric Escobar, principal consultant at SecureWorks and three-time Capture-the-Flag champion at DEFCON, describes his journey into cybersecurity, the ins and outs of penetration testing, and the implications of space technology growth for security in space-based systems.
Alethe Denis shares tips on how to break into the cybersecurity industry and build a career that she is excited about. She also discusses social engineering and risk management to help individuals and companies defend against cyber attacks. Alethe shares some best practices on how to protect yourself online and the skills that can be applied to positions in the cybersecurity industry.
Production
I produced the podcast almost entirely on my own out of an isolated studio during the pandemic.
In setting up the production equipment, I had to solve for high quality audio and video for recording remote guests.
After experimentation, I ended up setting up a mix-minus audio configuration in the studio to record, mix, and monitor guest audio simultaneously.
I connected a Canon c100 to my computer to use as my Zoom webcam, and mounted an iPad on a teleprompter with a duplicate of the Zoom meeting so I could make eye contact with the guest and the camera at the same time.
If that's hard to make sense of... yes. Yes it was. But it allowed for smooth production with great user experience for the guests.
The Mix Minus audio setup drawn out by hand. I watched a few YouTube videos to figure this out and scraped together the hardware required to support it.
Podcast Planning Process
Significant time and training went into development of the podcast and process for sustainability.
In total, eight students were hired over three academic quarters to support the podcast research and marketing.
I led the team of students to create research profiles for guests, script episodes, and produce marketing materials following production.
I also received training from a professional broadcast journalist turned podcast expert on how to structure a podcast, plan an interview, and interview guest live.
This document outlines the entire episode production process from start to finish. It includes checklists, timelines, schedules, edit templates, and more.
Social Media Posts
To advertise the launch of the show, we took to Instagram with a retro, CRT screen command line message. I made this in After Effects.
Themed social post templates were created to advertise each episode on social media.
Remote Guest Guide
The Cyber Diner started with a plan for hosting in-person interviews, but was forced to pivot by the onset of the pandemic.
Remote podcasting allowed us more access to guests in the long run. But, it presented challenges for a video podcast.
We tried to help guests setup their webcam and microphone with this guest guide designed to fit the theme of the Cyber Diner.
Content and Concept by Ryan Vannucci
Designed by Aly Aguilar @designs_by_aly
