Karl Walker and Craig Williams talk about Urban Flux Podcast Studio

Express & Star

Karl Walker and Craig Williams talk to James Vukmirovic about the first purpose-built podcast studio and YouTube space to open in Wolverhampton.

Transcript

00:00Hello, I'm James Romerovich and welcome to Urban Flux Studios here in the heart of Wolverhampton.

00:05It's probably the first purpose-built podcast studio and YouTube studio in the city

00:10and it's run by these two gentlemen, Carl Walker and Craig Williams.

00:14Tell me a bit about the idea to actually build your own studio

00:18because I don't think you've been podcasting for a while.

00:20Yeah, I think where the idea came from was there was a chance that our podcast that we was doing

00:26was going to get broken up because I was on the verge of perhaps moving away

00:30and there were just things where we said, right, okay, we don't want to give that up.

00:33Let's create a space where regardless of where we live in the country,

00:37we can meet up, we carry on recording our podcast.

00:39And then when we sort of started to think about it and we started to think about

00:43the way that the world is going with AI and people talk about a personal brand

00:48where their online presence is almost the best asset people have got

00:54in regards to business and hobbies, we just thought, well, this is perhaps where the future is

00:59because AI is coming for a load of jobs, I think, you know, when we look at like design

01:04and stuff like that, we believe people are going to still want to express themselves creatively

01:09and we think video, audio and that kind of thing is going to be, you know, the way to do it.

01:15Carl, was that the same thought with yourself?

01:18Yeah, it's pretty much nailed the answer there.

01:19Yeah, it just kind of grew as well, so our podcast that we did about Rugby League

01:24just kept getting bigger and bigger and we kind of just really wanted to have

01:29like a professional edge to it to make sure we're above the competitors

01:32and all the rest of it.

01:33So, yeah, that was also behind creating the studio.

01:37Was this just the first area that you could find or was it the place that it fit your knees the best?

01:41The biggest thing about this building is it's really cheap for us getting started.

01:44It's a tough economy, you know, starting business right now and this is really cheap.

01:49But when we look at like the location, it's within five minutes of the train station.

01:54So anybody travelling in, you know, within five minutes they can be in here recording

01:58back into, you know, the centre of Birmingham or whatever.

02:02And the other thing as well is that Wolverhampton is full of incredibly inspirational people

02:08and amazing stories.

02:10We have met already, having opened the doors a month ago, met some incredible people

02:15with just unbelievable stories and Wolverhampton is full of them.

02:18Is that what's sort of happened then?

02:20You've gone from just talking about Rugby League to the city and the area in general?

02:24Yeah, so we develop podcasts for other people.

02:27I mean, we have solicitors come in here, we have creatives come in here.

02:31But then we're also starting a new podcast, which is called The Wolves of Industry,

02:35which is literally for creatives, businesses, people with inspirational stories within the city.

02:42And we're creating a space for them to tell their stories as well.

02:45So that's our next project that we're just working on at the minute.

02:49So if people want to hire this space, what's the process?

02:53Well, you can look us up online or find us on social media and all the sort of main platforms

02:57and everything, Urban Flux.

02:59Go on there and if you kind of know what you want, then there's a booking system online.

03:04You can get yourself booked in and take it from there.

03:06And if you don't know what you want, then we can do a bit of consultancy, a bit of a chat,

03:09work it out, help you and advise you, which we're actually doing quite a bit of.

03:13I think people know they want to do something, but the actual how is a little bit of a mystery to them.

03:20So we help them develop that as well.

03:21I suppose that's the thing.

03:22Podcasting has become such a big medium that there's so many people out there who maybe think,

03:27I want to tell my story and it's almost the perfect way to do it.

03:29Yeah, I think a lot of people want to create authority within the industry.

03:35And I think having a podcast is one of the main ways to create authority in the industry.

03:40So it's incredibly important.

03:42And we've also found it's a bit of a networking system as well.

03:46So people might start their own podcasts and they start for their own business,

03:50to promote their own business.

03:51But then they get to start getting other guests on from other businesses.

03:55And actually, before you know it, the podcast becomes almost like a networking event.

03:59And we've found some real power in that.

04:02Ultimately, you two have built something from nothing and it's become your baby, hasn't it?

04:09It is very much like a baby.

04:11And, you know, with it being still an infant, it falls over every now and again.

04:15You know what I mean?

04:16But we're working to kind of nurture it and build it and grow it.

04:18And I can't wait for, like, the teenage years where we're kicking back on the beach.

04:24I was going to ask, is there a grand vision for this?

04:26I have a vision.

04:27Gals might be slightly different.

04:28But I'd like a bigger sort of building, bigger location with a couple of different content studios, let's say.

04:35But also, you know, a nice, relaxing, inspirational coffee shop downstairs.

04:40And, like, some co-working spaces.

04:43So it becomes a creative hub, not just a studio where you turn up, you're in, you're out and you're off.

04:49You know, you can sit and have a coffee with other creatives and meet your guests and perhaps have a bite to eat and a coffee and that.

04:55Is that your vision as well or is that different?

04:57No, pretty much, yeah.

04:58It's pretty much nailed it.

04:59I mean, there are a number of different projects that we're sort of wanting to work on as well.

05:04So besides the podcast studio, we, you know, we do documentaries, do other video work, adverts for people.

05:12So, yeah, just a creative space, creative hub that we can venture into different areas is what we're all about, really.

Category

Transcript

Recommended