podcast-studio

# Podcast Studio — Full Podcast Production Pipeline

An agent team collaborates to produce podcast episodes through the pipeline of planning → research → scripting → show notes → distribution, all at once.

## Execution Mode

**Agent Team** — 5 members communicate directly via SendMessage and cross-validate each other's work.

## Agent Roster

| Agent | File | Role | Type |
|-------|------|------|------|
| researcher | `.claude/agents/researcher.md` | Topic investigation, fact-checking, talking point extraction | general-purpose |
| scriptwriter | `.claude/agents/scriptwriter.md` | Episode script writing, dialogue cue insertion | general-purpose |
| shownote-editor | `.claude/agents/shownote-editor.md` | Show notes, timestamps, reference compilation | general-purpose |
| distribution-manager | `.claude/agents/distribution-manager.md` | Platform-specific metadata, promotional copy | general-purpose |
| production-reviewer | `.claude/agents/production-reviewer.md` | Cross-validation, consistency checks | general-purpose |

## Workflow

### Phase 1: Preparation (Performed directly by the orchestrator)

1. Extract from user input:
   - **Topic/Keywords**: The subject the episode will cover
   - **Podcast Info** (optional): Show tone, listener base, existing episode direction
   - **Episode Type** (optional): Solo/Interview/Panel/Storytelling/Q&A
   - **Guest Info** (optional): Guest name, area of expertise
   - **Constraints** (optional): Episode length, specific requirements
   - **Existing Files** (optional): Scripts, research materials, etc. provided by the user
2. Create the `_workspace/` directory at the project root
3. Organize the input and save it as `_workspace/00_input.md`
4. If existing files are provided, copy them to `_workspace/` and skip the corresponding phase
5. Determine the **execution mode** based on request scope (see "Scope-Based Modes" below)

### Phase 2: Team Assembly and Execution

Assemble the team and assign tasks. Task dependencies are as follows:

| Order | Task | Owner | Depends On | Deliverable |
|-------|------|-------|------------|-------------|
| 1 | Topic research | researcher | None | `_workspace/01_research_brief.md` |
| 2 | Script writing | scriptwriter | Task 1 | `_workspace/02_script.md` |
| 3a | Show notes | shownote-editor | Tasks 1, 2 | `_workspace/03_shownotes.md` |
| 3b | Distribution package | distribution-manager | Tasks 1, 2 | `_workspace/04_distribution_package.md` |
| 4 | Production review | production-reviewer | Tasks 2, 3a, 3b | `_workspace/05_review_report.md` |

Tasks 3a (show notes) and 3b (distribution) run **in parallel**. Both depend on Task 2 (script), so they can start simultaneously once the script is complete.

**Inter-agent communication flow:**
- researcher complete → deliver talking points & facts to scriptwriter, references to shownote-editor, trending keywords to distribution-manager
- scriptwriter complete → deliver segment timecodes to shownote-editor, key quotes to distribution-manager
- shownote-editor complete → deliver episode summary & quotes to distribution-manager
- reviewer cross-validates all deliverables. On 🔴 Must Fix: request revision from the responsible agent → rework → re-validate (up to 2 rounds)

### Phase 3: Integration and Final Deliverables

Compile the final deliverables based on the reviewer's report:

1. Verify all files in `_workspace/`
2. Confirm all 🔴 Must Fix items from the review report have been addressed
3. Report the final summary to the user:
   - Research Brief — `01_research_brief.md`
   - Episode Script — `02_script.md`
   - Show Notes — `03_shownotes.md`
   - Distribution Package — `04_distribution_package.md`
   - Review Report — `05_review_report.md`

## Scope-Based Modes

Adjust the agents deployed based on the scope of the user's request:

| User Request Pattern | Execution Mode | Agents Deployed |
|---------------------|----------------|-----------------|
| "Plan a podcast episode," "full production" | **Full Pipeline** | All 5 |
| "Just write the script," "script only" | **Script Mode** | researcher + scriptwriter + reviewer |
| "Create show notes from this script" (existing file) | **Show Notes Mode** | shownote-editor + reviewer |
| "Create promo copy for this episode" (existing script) | **Distribution Mode** | distribution-manager + reviewer |
| "Review this script" | **Review Mode** | reviewer only |

**Using Existing Files**: If the user provides a script, research materials, or other existing files, copy them to the appropriate numbered position in `_workspace/` and skip that phase's agent.

## Data Transfer Protocol

| Strategy | Method | Purpose |
|----------|--------|---------|
| File-based | `_workspace/` directory | Primary deliverable storage and sharing |
| Message-based | SendMessage | Real-time key information transfer, revision requests |
| Task-based | TaskCreate/TaskUpdate | Progress tracking, dependency management |

File naming convention: `{order}_{deliverable}.{extension}`

## Error Handling

| Error Type | Strategy |
|-----------|----------|
| Web search failure | Researcher works from general knowledge, report notes "data limitation" |
| Guest info unavailable | Provide generic interview framework, request guest info from user |
| Agent failure | Retry once → if still failing, proceed without that deliverable, note omission in review report |
| 🔴 found in review | Request revision from responsible agent → rework → re-validate (up to 2 rounds) |

## Test Scenarios

### Happy Path
**Prompt**: "Plan a 30-minute interview podcast episode on AI ethics. The guest is an AI researcher"
**Expected Results**:
- Research: 5+ latest AI ethics issues, guest background, 5 talking points
- Script: 30-minute length (~4,500 words in English), opening + 3–4 segments + closing, guest questions included
- Show notes: Timestamps, reference links, key quotes
- Distribution: Platform-specific descriptions, 3 social media copy variants, promotional calendar
- Review: All consistency matrix items verified

### Existing File Flow
**Prompt**: "Create show notes and a distribution package from this script" + script file attached
**Expected Results**:
- Existing script copied to `_workspace/02_script.md`
- Show Notes Mode + Distribution Mode merged: shownote-editor + distribution-manager + reviewer deployed
- researcher, scriptwriter skipped

### Error Flow
**Prompt**: "Just write a podcast script quickly, any topic"
**Expected Results**:
- Switch to Script Mode (researcher + scriptwriter + reviewer)
- Topic is unclear, so researcher proposes 3 trending topics before proceeding
- Review report notes "show notes/distribution package not generated"

## Agent Extension Skills

Each agent leverages the following extension skills to enhance deliverable quality:

| Agent | Extension Skill | Knowledge Provided |
|-------|----------------|-------------------|
| scriptwriter | `/interview-techniques` | DEPTH question model, emotional arc, type-specific question patterns |
| scriptwriter, shownote-editor | `/audio-storytelling` | 5 narrative arcs, BPM pacing, 12 audio devices |
| distribution-manager | `/podcast-growth` | Platform-specific metadata optimization, 7-day promotional calendar, HIKE copy formula |