We’ve had automated convenience stores and even gyms, but now, we are getting something unique. Introducing The LFG POD, the very first fully automated, unmanned podcast and content studio—located right in the heart of the city.
The studio is the innovation of LFG Content Co., made up of corporate strategist and entrepreneur Isaac Ho, creative director and marketing specialist JJ Ong, and production specialists Jian Ming and Jian Liang Wong. Before The LFG POD was conceived, they possessed their own creative studio, but created the automated studio in collaboration with the creators of The Gym Pod as an accessible and affordable option for the public.
Inside The LFG POD
Located within Esplanade MRT station, The LFG POD can be found around a quiet corner away from the prying eyes of the public. But the studio was already ready to go when we made our visit. JJ informed us that the studio powers up automatically five minutes before a booking in preparation for the user.
The LFG POD has been designed in such a way that users don’t need additional equipment to make their content. Once inside, you’ll find a table setup (with a microphone overhead) that sits up to four people and a big boxy structure at the centre of the room. That is SPECTRA—described by the team as “the brains of the pod”. It is a custom-made machine fitted with complex electronics, but all you need to know is that it enables much of the content creation process for users.
The front of SPECTRA is equipped with two screens, one of which functions as a live feed so that you can adjust your framing ahead of recording. Meanwhile, the second screen can be used for other purposes, such as a teleprompter for reading off scripts.
Starting a recording is as easy as pressing a button on the stream deck control panel found on the table. And the stream deck has other functions too, including changing the lighting colour for the backdrop or adjusting the viewing angle for the camera. While the various buttons seem daunting, the team did inform us that users can reference tutorial videos on the app to get up to speed.
Once users have finished recording, there’s no need to fumble around to transfer the video onto their computers. The app gives users a shared link to Google Drive to download the video files, which remain live for a couple of days.
Pricing
To use The LFG POD, all you need to do is simply download the dedicated app and make your reservation, which offers 30-minute time slots for booking. Each slot is priced at S$39.
First-time users of The LFG POD can get 50% off their first booking by using the promo code FIRSTTIMELFG.
For more information on The LFG POD, visit their official website.
The LFG POD
📍Location: 90 Bras Basah Rd, B1-38/39 Esplanade MRT station, Singapore 189562
⏰Operating hours: 8am to 11pm
Photos by Russell Loh of the DANAMIC Team.
