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About this tool
Build a podcast guest prep pack with a timed rundown, segment questions and a pre-record tech checklist.
Podcast Guest Brief Builder converts a target recording length into a timed rundown, a question count that actually fits the tape, and a pre-record tech checklist. It budgets the episode as intro plus segments plus outro plus a technical buffer, then divides the remaining interview minutes by the minutes a question realistically consumes (1.5 for quick takes, 2.5 for a standard interview, 4 for a deep dive). Built for hosts and producers who want to send a guest something concrete instead of a vague 'let's just chat'.
Open Podcast Guest Brief Builder on AltFTool — it loads instantly in your browser.
Add your input to the workspace.
Adjust the options until the result looks right.
Copy or download the output and put it to work.
Questions are derived from available interview minutes, so the prep sheet matches the recording slot.
Every block carries a cumulative mm:ss start you can read against the recorder's clock.
A separate technical buffer covers level checks and restarts instead of quietly eating the interview.
Budget roughly 2 to 3 minutes per question for a standard interview, which works out to about 10 to 14 questions for a 45-minute recording once intro, outro and buffer are removed. Prepare a few spares you can drop, and never plan to ask every question you wrote.
Two to three minutes is enough for a hook, the guest's credibility line and the promise of the episode. Longer intros push the strongest material past the point where most listeners decide whether to stay.
Send the episode topic, the segment structure with rough timings, the themes of the questions (not necessarily the exact wording), the recording platform and start time in their timezone, and the tech checklist covering headphones, a quiet room and a wired connection.
It depends on edit style: a lightly edited conversation loses roughly 8% of the tape, a normally tightened episode around 15%, and a heavily produced show 25% or more. Record longer than your target runtime rather than hoping the raw take lands exactly right.