Davy Gardner
Davy Gardner is a writer, actor, producer, and Head of Podcasts and Audio at Tribeca.
What was your entry point into audio and how did you get here?
I came into audio through live shows. I started writing comedy and improvising at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and joined the weekend team The Foundation, which I still write for when I can. A producer from The Truth Podcast saw one of my stage pieces and thought it could work in audio. That turned into an episode, which turned into a staff writer position—and eventually associate producer and editor. (If you’re a fan of The Truth, we’re working on bringing it back—support the show!)
From there, I produced and wrote for several networks while freelancing on the side. After seeing how audio writers were being treated in deals, I helped found the WGA Audio Alliance, alongside great people like James Folta and Lauren Shippen.
Then I started working for The Tribeca Festival, which was in a unique position to aid discoverability for independent podcasts. It became the first major film festival to create an official podcast selection. Now I’m the Head of Podcasts and Curator of Audio Storytelling at Tribeca. I curate and produce a lineup of live podcast events as well as oversee the narrative audio program, in addition to year-round work.
What’s the recipe for a good individual Tribeca pick? Do you have a checklist?
No checklist. I never want to be prescriptive about what narrative audio “should” be. Some of the best work we get reinvents the form in ways I couldn’t have predicted, and I want to stay open to that. I always tell the listening committee to trust their guts and try to listen with curiosity.
That said, I can usually feel it when there is a story that the creator “had to tell”. When it’s driven by artistic necessity, the creators are naturally more likely to take risks—not for the sake of being unconventional, but because it’s the most honest way the story can live.
Do you choose a bunch and whittle it down, down, down?
Yes, the selection process is rigorous. We use a 1–5 scale (and yes, that becomes 4.36s and 3.89s in practice). Every piece gets at least one second listen by someone else, and anything averaging above a 3 enters serious consideration. We have weekly meetings where we keep narrowing the pool.
Eventually, we land on about 25 projects that are all strong contenders. That’s when we start thinking about the group—how they work together as a cohort. The final Official Selection lineup needs variety, but also cohesion. Not sameness—but a shared resonance. A collective push against the boundaries of the medium, each in its own way.
That’s a big part of what makes Tribeca specifically a festival, and less of an awards program. We love awards programs and hope our official selections go on to win some! But we are pushing a group of podcasts that have never been heard before to the front of the conversation. It’s not shows with existing audiences up against each other, it’s a group of Tribeca-curated shows launching together and with the power of their mutual endorsements.
What’s the recipe for a good Tribeca [live event] lineup?
In addition to the Official Selections, I curate and produce an invitation-only group of around 15 Tribeca live podcast events every year, with the help of my incredible Audio Storytelling Producer, Allyson Morgan. That lineup is invitation-only and highlights shows that I think should be at the forefront of the industry’s attention for one reason or another. Overall, live events at Tribeca are about energy. They have to be surprising, sharp, and communal. The kind of thing that gives people a reason to show up in real life.
What tips do you have for someone attending?
Hydrate. Be open. Take chances on shows, films, exhibits, you haven’t heard of. Don’t just stay in the audio lane, explore all of what Tribeca has to offer. Even if something doesn’t hit for you, the conversation afterward is half the fun.
And talk to people! Tribeca is full of creators, listeners, and fans. It’s the kind of networking that doesn’t feel like networking—no name tags or prompts, just conversations about the work. At every stage of my career my peers have been my biggest resource, so introduce yourself! Audio people are nice. And if you’re coming: join the community WhatsApp!
Give a shout out to someone in audio who deserves a shout out.
I’m going to do two because I have to: One is Cara Cusumano, the director of programming at the Tribeca Festival. I think it’s important to acknowledge that she made me understand how a film festival works, how to make things worthwhile and meaningful for independent filmmakers, and has been a champion of the audio program. So Cara has played a big role in helping audio to get a seat at the table among other forms of storytelling at the festival – and continues to embrace new forms of storytelling media.
The next is Lauren Passell. I’m probably not supposed to shout out Lauren, but I’m doing it. My wife Margaret and I are expecting a baby in October, and at The Podcast Show in London, I was having a normal “holy crap I’m going to be a father” moment. And in the middle of this hectic work conference, Lauren made time to have a real, human conversation about becoming a parent. This has nothing to do with her incredible work in audio—but that moment deserves a shoutout. And if you don’t already subscribe to her newsletter, FIX THAT! Or better: get friends to subscribe.
UMMM!!! Thanks, Davy! ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️