At the heart of sunny Parksville, the Berwick Retirement Community’s courtyard recently buzzed with something truly special: a hands-on training session tailored for six spirited seniors, aged between 55 and 95. With microphones, headphones, and sound equipment on hand, this program helps our cherished residents gain confidence and clarity in recorded conversation.

Getting set up for a run through

Doing a run through on-location is not as easy as doing it in the studio.

We packed up the Rodecaster Pro II, two Rode Podmics, two mic stands, our Audio Technica headphones and headed over to Berwick.

While the Podmics do pick up a lot of ambient noises, we were able to do the run through and gain practice.

Conversations in Pairs

In twos, participants sat with Mark and he guided them through a small set of questions to practice the conversation with them wearing the headphones and get a feel for how they sounded when speaking into the microphones.

Embrace and Record

After each round, participants removed their headphones and reflected on their performance. Together, we discussed voice clarity, pacing, and comfort behind the mic.

While on-site, we had the participants sign the video release waivers, granting permission for their recordings to be used.

Why It Matters

Boosting Confidence: Even for those less tech-savvy, the hands-on lesson broke down barriers and proved it can be fun, at any age.

Capturing Legacies: These sessions help preserve voices, stories, and smiles.

Building Community: Shared experiences in the courtyard deepened bonds, as residents cheered each other on with genuine enthusiasm.

Looking Ahead

Next steps? We’ll review the information before the session and begin to think about pairing our seniors with the teens for their actual conversations.

In Closing

Training sessions like these are more than just audio practice, they’re celebrations of insight, experience, and community spirit. At Berwick Retirement Community in Parksville, age is no barrier to learning, to sharing, and to being heard.

If you’re interested in being part of the cast, fill out our casting form.
For studio bookings or inquiries, get in touch with us.