It took a global pandemic to get me in front of a video camera for readers.

I interpret the role of editor as a behind-the-scenes one. Back there, I find refuge in turning conversations I have with interesting people into words readers find in the pages of our magazine and on our website. I never imagined turning that process inside out — having those conversations broadcast to an audience, then boiling them down for the magazine.

But here we are.

When we start talking about broadcasting, something in an editor’s genetics usually kicks in a fight-or-flight response. Being in front of a camera has none of the comfort of an editor’s usual responsibilities.

But here we are.

And, you know what? I’m good at it.

We started talking in this space last month about our relaunched video series Drilling In-Site. I’ve had interesting conversations with drillers, manufacturers, suppliers and other industry folks for years. We conducted these interviews the old-fashioned way: over the phone. While I’ve recorded those talks for years too, we’ve never published them. They remained behind the scenes.

But here we are.

Now, me and cohost Brock Yordy (borrowed from our Ask Brock video series) share those interviews for all who want to hear. If you haven’t already, click over to www.thedriller.com/insite to see them for yourself.

On recent episodes we interview a driller, Travis Flint of Thomas Flint & Son Water Well Drilling, and Jeff Blinn, retired training manager for Baroid IDP. Flint talks about this path to “stepping off the platform” into supervisory roles and Blinn offers tips on better training. We cut down those talks into stories for this issue (on pages 16 and 28, respectively), but readers can get a lot more from the full interviews. Stories you read in a magazine or newspaper often represent just a fraction of what an original interview covers. Now, you can get the whole thing. It’s a talk show all about the drilling industry.

But, as Steve Jobs liked to say, there’s one more thing.

We’re also now offering Drilling In-Site as a podcast. We understand that watching videos longer than a few minutes on the Internet isn’t for everyone. We understand too that watching a video in the cab of your work truck barreling down the road is, um, problematic. A podcast solves all that. So go ahead, bring us along whether you’re driving or just trying to get stuff done around the shop.

Visit www.thedriller.com/insite-podcast to hear the latest episode. We’ll also hit Apple Podcasts soon, so search for us there.

So here we are. Serving readers (and listeners) as always, just in new ways. During our talk, Flint said, “This business, obviously, if you do a good job, you’ve got a good customer. They’ll tell everybody else, and that’s how we’ll get more business.” He was talking about drilling, but it applies here. If you enjoy our Drilling In-Site conversations, tell a friend. We thrive on referrals and plan to earn them.

Have you seen or listened to our Drilling In-Site conversations? We welcome feedback. Let us know. Send an email to verduscoj@bnpmedia.com.

Stay safe out there, drillers.