Production System · Producer's Playbook

Open doors. Show up. We run the rest.

The end-to-end machine that takes us from greenlight to a published, broadcast-quality episode every two weeks, while keeping the host's job to exactly two things.

Prepared for
Matt Van Horn
Host & Principal
Prepared by
Justin Miller
Producer
June 2026Status · Operating plan for review6-month pilot season
00
The operating principle

This is the engine room.

◆ One promise to the host

Your only two jobs are to open doors and show up. Booking, logistics, travel, recording, edit, publishing, and promotion are all owned, scheduled, and standardized below.

The quality bar, 4K and broadcast-grade now, cinematic later, is the moat, so every part of this system protects it.

Episodes 1–6 · Remote

We record on Riverside in 4K, no travel. This launches the show fast, banks a back catalog, and proves the format on a ~$63 / month tool stack.

Episode 7 onward · In person

The travel-to-guest, multi-cam, cinematic upgrade kicks in as momentum and budget justify it: the durable moat. Riverside stays our remote-recording and tech-check tool the whole way.

01
Pre-production

Six weeks from greenlight to episode one, live.

The schedule sets the rhythm; the checklist is the work.

WeekFocusKey deliverablesOwner
1Brand & identityLogo, cover art, color/type system, channel art, thumbnail templateJustin / designer
1–2MusicIntro theme + the signature Suno outro system; confirm commercial licenseJustin / Sivan
2Distribution & techPodcast host + RSS, Apple / Spotify / YouTube, site, newsletter, analyticsJustin
2–3Tools & kitRiverside + Descript set up; remote kit; coach-the-guest checklistBlair / Justin
3Guest pipelineTracker live, first warm intros out, first 3–4 bookedJustin
4Internal pilotA/V test with Matt; lock look & sound; cut a sizzleBlair / Justin
5Dry runFirst guest record + post dry-run; templates, SOPs, show bible finalAll
6Launch3 episodes in the can, episode 1 live, clip engine onAll

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The checklist, by workstream
01

Brand & artwork

Cover art (3000×3000, legible at thumbnail), channel banner and avatar, a thumbnail system (guest face + a 3–5 word hook), lower-thirds, and a per-guest template. Build each once, then fill in the guest.

02

Music

An intro sting plus the one-of-one Suno outro built from each guest's last 30 days. Lock commercial + monetization rights before episode 1, the one signature element that could become a takedown risk.

03

Distribution & tech

A video host with dynamic ad insertion (Transistor, Captivate, or Megaphone), RSS live to Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, captions, the l30 landing page with email capture, analytics wired. Pick video + ads now so Phase-2 needs no migration.

04

Gear & legal

Remote 4K kit at home base, Riverside + Descript tested with local backup every session, cloud storage, guest release form, documented licenses (the show owns all masters), and P&L, banking, and insurance set up. Travel rig before episode 7.

02
Booking

One pipeline, one tracker, clear owners.

3–4
Guests booked ahead at all times, so the calendar never stalls.
~13
Episodes in the first season, a sustainable biweekly cadence.
1–6
Episodes recorded fully remote before in-person travel begins.
The pipeline
StageWhat happensOwner
1 · WishlistThe tiered 50, prioritized by reach and reachabilityJustin
2 · Brief-readyRun /last30days on the target; personalize the askJustin
3 · OutreachWarm intro via Matt first; personalized direct ask otherwiseMatt / Justin
4 · RespondedHandle scheduling; double opt-in the connectorJustin
5 · BookedDate locked; calendar + Riverside or travel confirmedJustin
6 · Pre-recordTech check + day-before reminder; brief prep packJustin
7 · RecordedEpisode captured, in person or remoteBlair / Justin
8 · PublishedLive; clips out; guest assets sentSivan

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How it runs
01

Sequence smart

Lead the pitch with a marquee, but fill the calendar from the tiers where Matt's network runs deepest. Don't let a moonshot gate the schedule.

02

Warm-first rule

Every Tier 1–2 name gets a warm intro from Matt before any cold touch. The /last30days brief is the cold-outreach hook: we've done the homework, which flatters the guest.

03

One source of truth

The tracker holds name, tier, contact, intro source, status, target episode, last touch, and next action. Reviewed weekly.

04

Remote-first season

Episodes 1–6 record on Riverside in 4K, no travel, to launch fast. From episode 7 we travel in person for marquee guests and city clusters.

03
Templates

Drop-in copy for every step of the booking flow.

Brackets are fill-ins. The producer is cc'd on all guest-facing mail. Tap any template to expand.

AForwardable intro requestMatt → contact
Subject · Quick intro: [GUEST] x Last 30 Days
[CONTACT], would you be open to introducing me to [GUEST]?

I'm launching Last 30 Days, a video podcast bringing the top voices in AI on camera. It's the show from the team behind the /last30days skill ([STAR COUNT] GitHub stars). I'd love [GUEST] as an early guest: we come to them, it's a real conversation, and the audience is exactly their people.

Happy to send more. Thank you!
[MATT]
BDirect outreachMatt → guest
Subject · You + Last 30 Days
[GUEST], I'm Matt Van Horn; I built the /last30days skill ([STAR COUNT] stars on GitHub). I'm launching the podcast version: the top voices in AI, in person, on camera.

I've been following what you've shipped over the last 30 days, [SPECIFIC, FROM THE BRIEF], and I'd love to have you on. We travel to you, it runs about an hour, and it's a real conversation, not a press tour. My producer Justin (cc'd) handles all logistics.

Would [TIMEFRAME] work to find a date?
Matt
CDouble opt-inMatt → contact
Subject · Re: intro
Thanks [CONNECTOR], moving you to bcc to spare your inbox.

[GUEST], great to meet. Short version: Last 30 Days brings the top voices in AI on camera; we come to you, about an hour, a real conversation. My producer Justin is cc'd to find a time that works. Looking forward!
[MATT]
DBooking confirmation + tech checkMatt → guest
Subject · Looking forward: Last 30 Days (+ a couple quick questions)
Hi [NAME], thanks again for coming on the podcast, really looking forward to the conversation.

A few quick technical questions so we capture the best possible recording:
–  Do you have an external microphone?
–  Do you have headphones that connect to your computer?

We'll record via Riverside. Here's your studio link: [RIVERSIDE LINK]

Plan for about an hour. I'd love to get into [THEME, e.g. the lessons behind the build, where AI goes next, the calls you'd make differently]. It'll be a natural conversation, so there's nothing to prepare.

I've copied my producer, Justin, who handles scheduling and logistics. Shout with any questions, looking forward.
[MATT]

In person instead? Swap the Riverside line for: "We'll come to you. Justin will confirm location, timing, and our setup, so all you have to do is show up."
EDay-before reminderJustin → guest
Subject · Tomorrow: Last 30 Days, [TIME / TIMEZONE]
Hi [NAME], a quick reminder for tomorrow at [TIME, TIMEZONE].
–  Riverside link: [LINK] (no download, works in Chrome or Edge)
–  Please use headphones and your external mic if you have one
–  A quiet room, wired internet if possible, other apps closed

We'll do a 5-minute tech check at the top. Nothing to prepare, see you then.
Justin
FPost-record thank-you + share askJustin → guest
Subject · That was great: what happens next
[NAME], thank you, that was a great one.

Next: we'll edit and send you the episode link before it goes live ([TIMEFRAME]). When it publishes, you'll get a clip pack, short captioned cuts plus graphics, ready to post, so sharing takes 30 seconds.

Anything you'd like us to highlight or link (company, hiring, projects), send it over and we'll work it in.

Thanks again, Justin
GPublish-day assetsJustin → guest
Subject· You're live: Last 30 Days
[NAME], your episode is live!
–  Watch / listen: [YOUTUBE LINK]  ·  [PODCAST LINK]
–  Your clip pack, ready to post: [LINK]
–  Suggested caption + tags: [LINK]

If you share to X or LinkedIn, tag @slashlast30days and we'll amplify. Thank you for a great conversation.
Justin
HGentle nudgeMatt / Justin → guest
Subject · Re: You + Last 30 Days
[NAME], floating this back up in case it slipped by. Still would love to have you on; we make it easy and we come to you. Even a 20-minute call to find a date works. No worries at all if the timing's off.
[MATT / Justin]
04
Pilot

Lock the look and sound before a single guest.

We record an internal pilot with Matt. It locks the standard, stress-tests the rig, doubles as our sizzle, and becomes the written reference every future shoot matches.

Pilot run-of-show
The A/V standard
ElementStandardRecommendation
Camera4K, 24–30 fps, lens at eye level, eyes on the upper thirdMirrorless (Sony ZV-E1 / a6700 or Canon R-series), clean HDMI; coach remote guests to raise the webcam to eye level
AudioPro dynamic mic, 48 kHz / 24-bit, a separate track per personShure SM7B / MV7+ or RØDE into a Rødecaster or Focusrite; remote guests need an external mic
HeadphonesMandatory for everyone, closed-backKills echo and bleed. Non-negotiable, including for remote guests
LightingSoft key at ~45°, near eye level; no window or backlight behind the subjectAdd fill plus a subtle hair/back light; carry a consistent travel light kit
RecordingLocal + cloud, double-ender; 4K video with separate audioRiverside captures high-res per track; always run a local backup alongside
ConnectivityWired ethernet, no VPN, other apps closedKeep a hotspot fallback on location
In person (ep. 7+)2–3 camera angles (a wide + two tight), lav + shotgun mics, portable lightingStandardize a "studio-in-a-bag" so quality is identical city to city
DeliveryAudio −16 LUFS (podcast) / −14 LUFS (YouTube); captions on every episodeLock these once so every export matches

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◆ Before every remote record

Send guests a one-line checklist: external mic, headphones, a quiet wired room, Chrome or Edge, other apps closed. Template D already asks the first two.

05
Post

Raw to published in a repeatable two-week window.

Each episode posts while the next one records. Owners and target days are fixed; only the guest changes.

StageOwnerOutputTarget
Ingest & backupJustin / BlairAll tracks pulled, 3-2-1 backup, loggedDay 0
Story editBlair / editorRough cut to structure: brief → build → take → best takes → outroDay 3
PolishEditorColor, audio mix to spec, lower-thirds, B-roll, Suno outroDay 5
Review & lockJustin → MattOne notes round, Matt sign-off, locked masterDay 7
VersionsEditorYouTube master, audio master, captions / transcriptDay 8
ClipsSivan / editor8–12 platform-native clips, captionedDay 9
PackageSivanTitle, thumbnail, description, chapters, episode artDay 10
PublishJustin / SivanRSS + YouTube scheduled; clip calendar; newsletterDay 12
Go live + guest assetsSivanEpisode live; clip pack + graphics sent to guestDay 14
Archive & measureJustinProject archived; analytics logged vs. targetsDay 15

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Tooling & the clip engine
01

Edit & caption

Descript is the core tool: transcript-based editing, AI cleanup, auto-subtitles. Premiere or Resolve only when an episode needs heavier polish.

02

Review

Frame.io for time-coded notes, which keeps Matt's sign-off to a single pass.

03

Clips

Vertical (9:16) and horizontal, captioned, with a hard 3-second hook; lead each with the guest's sharpest best take.

04

The flywheel

Every guest gets a ready-to-post clip pack on publish day: the single highest-leverage growth habit we have.

06
Roles

Who owns what, at a glance.

WorkstreamJustin · Prod.Matt · HostBlair · ContentSivan · Social
Vision & P&LOwnsAligns··
Guest introsCoordinatesOwns··
Booking & logisticsOwns·Supports·
Travel & on-siteOwnsShows upRuns set·
Recording / A&VDirectsOn cameraOwns rig·
Edit & postManagesSigns offOwns cutClips
DistributionOwns·SupportsChannels
Promotion & clipsCoordinatesAmplifies·Owns

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07
Stack

A deliberately lean stack. Two tools do the heavy lifting.

FunctionToolCost
RecordingRiverside, 4K remote recording · riverside.com$39 / mo
Editing & subtitlesDescript, AI editing, transcript, captions, clips · descript.com$24 / mo
Review & sign-offFrame.io, time-coded notes, one-pass approvalFree–low
Podcast hostTransistor / Captivate / Megaphone (video + ad insertion)~$19–99 / mo
Tracker & show bibleNotion or Airtable, single source of truthFree–low
StorageCloud (Drive / Dropbox) + local; 3-2-1 backup~$10–20 / mo
NewsletterCompanion brief on the l30 domainVaries

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Core season-1 stackRiverside $39 + Descript $24 = $63 / month
08
The ask

The whole system exists so this list stays short.

01

Open doors

Warm intros to your top picks, starting with Tiers 1–2.

02

Show up

One recording day every two weeks. We handle everything around it.

03

Sign off

One quick review per episode before it locks.

04

Amplify

A post on publish day. We hand you the clips and the caption.

09
Guardrails

The non-negotiables that keep us protected as we scale.

Signed guest release

In hand before every episode, no exceptions.

Music cleared

Commercial use + monetization confirmed for the Suno tier and any beds.

We own the masters

The show holds all episode masters and assets.

Recording redundancy

Cloud + local on every shoot. Never one capture.

No-show policy

48-hour confirm, one easy reschedule, a backup guest on deck.

The show bible rules

Tracker, templates, brand kit, gear specs, and SOPs all live in one place.

◆ Why it matters

The show bible is what lets this scale past you. When an editor or teammate joins, the system is the document, not anyone's memory.

Two jobs for you: open doors, show up. The machine does the rest.