Audio & Digital Media Production Portfolio
In 2014, during my senior year of high school, I became obsessed with podcasts (I was on the “Serial” bandwagon). When I finally had access to DAWs (digital audio workspaces) in the computer lab at Barnard College, I began experimenting with the Adobe Suite and taught myself how to edit, mix, score, and engineer audio. I created soundscapes of spaceships, made silly audiograms for my friends, and sound designed the musical theater society’s production of Sunday in the Park with George, all while dreaming of producing narrative podcasts. My first opportunity came in 2017, when I became the founding producer of the Columbia Daily Spectator’s first ever podcast, The Ear. I can admit now that I had no idea what I was doing (who does when they’re 19?), but it was an invaluable experience. In 2018, I interned at Radiolab, where I learned how to cut audio selects on Pro Tools, pitch stories that really matter, and follow my curiosity, wherever it may lead. Since then, my work has been featured in NPR, FiveThirtyEight, and Gimlet, and I’ve been lucky enough to learn from some of the most talented and generous producers, editors, and writers in the world. While I’ve been focusing my storytelling work on writing novels for children for the past few years, my first love will always be audio and digital media production, and I am eager to return to this world. With a background in science and writing for young audiences, I love to make complex historical, political, and science topics accessible through engaging audiovisual narratives. Thanks for checking out my work!
Invisibilia: Poop Friends, Personal Essay aired 10/28/21
Credit: Sonnenzimmer for NPR
This is my first personal essay that aired on NPR. You can listen to the story here.
Emily Scherer for FiveThirtyEight
FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast: The Primaries Project
From May to December 2019, I produced, engineered, mixed, and scored a three-episode audio documentary series on the US primary system for FiveThirtyEight.
(the FiveThirtyEight website no longer works, but the series was released beginning on January 9, 2020, and can be found on the podcast app of your choice. I was able to find a link to episode two on ESPN, so that one is available to listen on browser.)
Emily Scherer for FiveThirtyEight
FiveThirtyEight PODCAST-19
In April 2020, I helped to launch FiveThirtyEight’s coronavirus podcast, PODCAST-19, and was the sole producer on the show.
Morgan Baker for NPR
Invisibilia: “Kraftland”
I produced this episode from the initial host tracking to scoring/sound design in Pro Tools. I loved bringing Meghan Keane’s beautiful story to life!
Not Past It: “Nazi Battle to Pop Musical”
I produced, pitched, mixed, and reported this episode, and came up with the concept of the “historical domino effect” episodes that are now a mainstay of the podcast “Not Past It.”
Ariel Davis for PopUp Magazine
Invisibilia: “Leave a Message”
I produced this episode in Summer 2018 as an intern at Invisibilia.
Episode description: In this story, comedian Cord Jefferson tells a heartfelt personal story and offers up some illuminating science about the power of the human voice.