The Journey from Music to Voiceover to Podcasting: A Conversation with Jamie Muffett - Part 1

Audio Branding

“There was one we did a few years ago. This was while COVID was going on and it was with Nicolas Cage. And he was such a surprising guy. I mean, we all know, kind of… He’s an unusual fella. His films run the gamut really, and stylistically and genre. But he showed up early to get the tech right. He was super chatty. I always gauge, like, how someone is based on how they work with me because I’m not the host of that show. And if they’re sort of friendly and helpful and wanting to get things right with me, it’s usually a good sign that they’re, you know, not just there for the glory of being on the show.” -- Jamie Muffett

After twenty years of experience as an audio engineer and podcast producer with millions of downloads, as well as a successful voice talent and lead producer, my next guest founded RPS, a boutique podcast production company that turns the spark of an idea into compelling, beautiful-sounding podcasts. He’s worked with such companies as HBO, Warner Brothers, Google, NBC, Backstage, and National Geographic, helping them to create captivating and engaging audio content that resonates with audiences. His production clients include the likes of Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, Natalie Portman, Janelle Monáe, and many more.

His name is Jamie Muffett and not only does he craft incredible-sounding podcasts, he also co-hosts VOcation, a voice conference about the business of voiceover. You may also recognize his voice from his narration of the TV show Bondi Vet and some of its spin-offs. If you’re interested in podcasting, voiceovers, or sound in general, you’re going to get a lot from this conversation.

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - From Music to Podcasting

As our conversation starts, we talk about Jamie’s early memories of sound and what inspired him to become a musician and voice artist. “I think probably the first memory of sound that moved me was hearing ‘Imagine’ for the first time,” he says. “Obviously it’s a great song, it’s an iconic song, but as a kid, I’d never been exposed to creativity like that before.” We discuss the early days of digital workstations and cassette recorders, and how Jamie’s career shifted to podcasting. “I was so focused on voiceover and music,” he recalls, “and as music drifted away and production drifted away, I started sort of leaning more into podcasting, because it’s sort of a combination of those two worlds.”

(0:10:33) - Podcast Production and Audio Branding

Our conversation turns to some of Jamie’s most memorable production moments, such as helping Nicolas Cage prepare for an interview. “I always gauge, like, how someone is based on how they work with me,” he explains, “because I’m not the host of that show, and if they’re sort of friendly and helpful and wanting to get things right with me, it’s usually a good sign.” We talk about his podcast production company RPS and how it all started with a suggestion from his wife. "‘Why don’t you just put it under a banner,’” he recalls her saying. "‘Create a company that you can put it all together, you can highlight all the different shows that you do and, you know, maybe grow that thing as its own thing.’"

(0:24:01) - Podcasting and Work Updates

The first half of our interview comes to a close as Jamie talks about his role as the narrator of Bondi Vet and Vet on the Hill, and about a heartwarming podcast he just recently produced. “They wanted to create a podcast,” he says, “where a sort of older generation was sort of giving advice to a younger generation, and it’s the most adorable podcast you’ll ever listen to in your life.” He tells us about his upcoming projects, and what he’s working on right now. “We’re in the middle of the planning phase for our conference,” he explains, “which is coming up, you know, a couple of weeks’ time, and we’ve got a virtual conference coming up in September. So any time we’re chatting, it’s work.”

Episode Summary

• Jamie’s early musical memories and his journey through piano, drums, and the guitar.
• Working with Nicolas Cage, Bondi Vet, and a crocodile with a taste for lawnmowers.
• Jamie’s upcoming projects, including the upcoming podcast The VA Breakfast Show.

Tune in for part two of my chat with Jamie as we talk about the origins of the voiceover business conference eVOcation, Jamie’s experiences with AI-assisted sound editing and digital compositions, and which creative industries he foresees being hit the hardest by machine learning.

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