How to choose a podcast studio in New Jersey
Twelve questions to ask any studio before you book, what a good answer sounds like, and what a session really includes. Take it on your phone to every studio you visit.
Written by Skyllamas Podcast Studio in Totowa. We run a studio, so we're not neutral. Under every question we say how we answer it.
Three things decide how your show sounds and looks
Microphones get the attention, but most studios own good ones. These are the parts that actually differ from one studio to the next.
The room
Echo and outside noise can't be cleanly removed in the edit. A treated room is the one thing you can't fix later.
The person running it
Cameras, levels and lights need someone watching them while you talk. Without a technician, you're the crew and the host at once.
What happens after
Editing, Shorts, thumbnails and publishing take more hours than the recording. Know who does them, and whether they're in the price.
Podcast studio checklist
Studio: ______________________ Date: __________ podcaststudionj.com
12 questions to ask any studio
Ask each one on the phone or during a tour. Tick it when the studio's answer is a clear yes, and watch the score build. Then check the next studio.
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Is the room acoustically treated?
Bare walls make every voice sound like a conference call, and the echo stays in the recording.
Listen for: treated walls and soft surfaces, and an offer to play you a sample recorded in that room.
How Skyllamas answers
YesOur studio is acoustically treated, and every package records in it.
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Is a technician in the room for the whole session?
Some studios hand you the keys and leave. If a level clips or a camera stops, nobody notices until the edit.
Listen for: one person who sets up, watches the levels and cameras, and stays until you're done.
How Skyllamas answers
YesA technician runs every session, in every package.
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Does every person get their own broadcast microphone?
Sharing one microphone between two people makes one of them sound far away. Each voice needs its own channel.
Listen for: a dynamic broadcast microphone for each person, recorded on separate tracks.
How Skyllamas answers
YesEveryone at the table gets a Shure SM7B microphone.
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How many cameras, and is the switching done live?
One camera gives a single wide shot. Two or three let you cut to whoever is talking. Switching live while you record saves hours in the edit.
Listen for: two or more cameras, proper video lighting, and live switching included.
How Skyllamas answers
YesUp to three Sony FX30 cinema cameras with professional lighting, switched live, in every video package.
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How long is a session, and what if we run over?
Conversations run long. Know the overtime price before the clock matters, not after.
Listen for: a clear session length and a fixed price for extra time.
How Skyllamas answers
YesEach package covers one episode of up to one hour. Extra 30 minutes cost from $55 to $240, depending on the package, and the price is listed for each one.
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Can they edit for you, and what does "edited" mean?
"Edited" can mean anything from trimming the start and end to a full story edit. Ask what you actually get.
Listen for: specific steps, like audio clean-up, loudness matching, titles, your intro and outro, and how many revisions.
How Skyllamas answers
Your choiceBasic packages give you two files to edit yourself: the live-switched video from your session and a separate audio file (polyWAV or WAV, depending on the audio recording system we use). Premium and up include editing: audio enhancement, loudness matching, lower thirds, intro and outro, and revisions.
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Can they make Shorts and publish the episode?
Most new listeners find a show through short clips. If you'll never have time to cut them, ask who will.
Listen for: vertical clips made from your episode, thumbnails, and uploading to YouTube and the podcast apps.
How Skyllamas answers
Your choiceElite includes 3 Shorts and a YouTube thumbnail. Platinum adds Dynamic Shorts, publishing to YouTube and the podcast directories, and social media posting.
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When do I get my files, and how?
A recording you can't post for three weeks is a show that loses momentum.
Listen for: a delivery time in days, and a download link you keep.
How Skyllamas answers
YesUnedited files within 24 hours. Edited episodes typically within 7 days.
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Is the price final, with tax and fees included?
A low hourly rate can grow once sales tax, card fees and "setup" are added at checkout.
Listen for: a written price that already includes New Jersey sales tax and fees.
How Skyllamas answers
YesOur listed prices include NJ sales tax and service fees.
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Can a guest join from home?
Your best guest may live three states away. A studio should make remote guests easy.
Listen for: a link you send to your guest ahead of time, and a test before the day.
How Skyllamas answers
YesWhen you book, we email you a Google Meet link to send to your online guest.
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How many people fit, on mic and watching?
Panels, co-hosts and a guest's assistant all need a seat, and someone always wants to watch.
Listen for: the number of people on microphones, and where others can wait or watch.
How Skyllamas answers
YesUp to 4 people in the studio, and up to 3 more can watch the recording live from our green room.
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Can I see the studio before I book?
Photos flatter every room. Sitting in the chair tells you more in two minutes, and so does the parking lot.
Listen for: a free visit or tour, and easy parking on the day.
How Skyllamas answers
YesBook a free studio tour online. Parking is free.
One price, three very different things
Studio prices are hard to compare because each one bundles something different. Almost every offer fits one of these three. Know which one you're looking at before you compare numbers.
Record and go
- The room, the gear and a technician
- Your raw or live-switched files
- You edit and publish
Fits you if you already edit, or have an editor.
Recorded and edited
- Everything in record and go
- Clean audio, titles, your intro and outro
- A finished episode back to you
Fits you if you want a polished show without learning to edit.
Done for you
- Everything in recorded and edited
- Shorts, thumbnails and descriptions
- Uploaded and posted for you
Fits you if the show is for your business and your time is the scarce part.
Our prices start at $285 for a video episode and $165 for audio only, with NJ sales tax and service fees included. See every package
Which setup fits your show?
Answer two questions and see the package that matches, at any studio. We show ours, with the price.
What a studio session looks like, start to finish
It's simpler than it looks. A good studio handles the technical side. Your job is the conversation.
Plan
Outline three to five talking points, don't script. Send guests the address, the time and what to wear.
Arrive
Bring water, your outline and two outfits in solid colors. Fine stripes shimmer on camera.
Set up
The technician seats you, sets each microphone and checks levels while cameras and lights are adjusted.
Record
Talk to each other, not to the cameras. If you stumble, pause and say it again. It's easy to cut.
Receive
Depending on your package, take your files or let the studio move on to the edit and clips.
Read the full first-session guide · How many cameras does a video podcast need?
Check us against the list, in person
Bring this checklist on your phone. Sit in the chair, hear the room, ask all twelve questions.
Skyllamas Podcast Studio
225 US Route 46, Suite 2BTotowa, NJ 07512
- Finding the door
- The entrance is between TJ Maxx and Blinds To Go: the door with the green overhang and the "225 Offices" sign.
- Parking
- Free, right outside.
- Ask us
- (973) 913-5885 · info@skyllamaspodcast.com
Website: skyllamaspod.com
Before you book anywhere
How much does it cost to rent a podcast studio in New Jersey?
It depends on what the price includes. A recording you take home and edit yourself costs least; an edited episode costs more, and a done-for-you package with Shorts and publishing costs most. Compare what each studio includes, not only the headline price. At Skyllamas Podcast Studio in Totowa, video packages start at $285 and audio packages at $165, with NJ sales tax and service fees included.
Do I need podcasting experience to book a studio?
No. A good studio has a technician who sets the microphones, cameras and lights and guides you through the session. Your job is the conversation.
Can a guest join a studio recording from home?
At many studios, yes. Ask how the remote guest is recorded and test the link the day before. At Skyllamas Podcast Studio, you get a Google Meet link to send to your guest when you book.
Is this guide neutral?
No, and it does not pretend to be. Podcast Studio NJ is written by Skyllamas Podcast Studio in Totowa. The checklist works at any studio, and under each question we say how we answer it, so you can hold us to the same standard. We don't name or rate other studios.
Skyllamas Podcast Studio, Totowa
Podcast Studio NJ is written and run by Skyllamas Podcast Studio, the podcast studio of Skyllamas Productions LLC, a video production company in Totowa, New Jersey. We wrote down the questions we'd want answered before booking any studio, including ours.