Quora: How can I create an audio drama with my friends?

Audio Drama (Radio Drama to some) has become a kind of hot topic for those in the know more recently. My weekly podcast/radio show “The Sonic Society” features new audio drama from around the world now for fourteen straight years. Creating audio drama is so much easier than filming movies, and has become a favourite entry-point for many storytellers because …

Your Character’s Spirit Animal (Polarization)

Always looking for new options to polarize characters. your intrepid Jack has discovered the writings of Coryelle Kramer whose speciality is animal communication. Ms. Kramer has identified what she considers to be six animal dynamics. Look at her list here: The Direct & Demanding The Rule Breaker The Energetic The Sensory The Shifter The Transcendent Now consider what they may …

Audio that Moves You

Crossposted From The Sonic Society, August 26th, 2018 Recently, I was catching up on the Audio Drama Production Podcast and I listened to Steve Schneider’s excellent discussion with Sarah Golding about the importance of having a powerful beginning. Steve is a deft writer/producer, and always has some key insights in what makes excellent audio drama. And this made me consider what struck me most in …

Tomorrow is NADSWRIM

I’m lying in bed and feeling like it’s Christmas Eve again. That’s because starting tomorrow, NADSWRIM begins! Every year for the month of February, Audio Script writers are tasked- through NADSWRIM (The National Audio Drama Script Writers Month) to write one of several challenges. This year I’m going to take on the quarter challenge, and among all my other unfinished …

Want to Write AD? Listen to OTR

The incredible Craig Robotham is hard at work doing great analysis of audio drama. One of his latest articles is How I Learned to Stop Hating, and Love (Limited) Narration. For all the hatred of OTR– and the hatred is extremely ill-founded and frustrating to me- if you despise old time radio it’s usually for one of the following reasons: 1. …

Storyshowing

Mouths gape in awe as my students struggle to believe me. I explain again, that I don’t keep music on my phone. This doesn’t mean, I don’t use audio. I listen to spoken word- podcasts and audio drama. Recently, I’ve discovered the “speed up” feature on my podcast app and I devour my audio efficiently. What a joy! I remember …

Audio Drama has a Diversity Problem

It is safe to say, I’m an audio drama addict (apologies to Dani Cutler who first coined the term). I’ve been listening to radio plays and audio plays and audio books and experimental audio storytelling since I was very young. From my earliest memories, I remember my parents gave me records of Old Time Radio heroes. I grew up listening …

Don’t Phone it In Anymore

The most frustrating part modern day teaching is seeing five or six hands shoot up automatically. “I don’t get it,” is the usual complaint. “What don’t you get?” “The whole thing. I don’t understand.” “Did you read it?” “No…” “Well, once you’ve read it. Think about it. Come up with some options, and if you’re still struggling with the problem …

Dude… Your Audio Drama Lost Me

Why? What happened? What is this? These are three questions that almost always turn me off of listening to a full episode of audio drama. You can play with these questions, but beware that your audience will get frustrated or bored and turn off. If your listeners are tuning out, here could be some of the reasons: 1. Where are …

Virtue and Vice in Polarization

In a previous post I spoke about Polarising Your Cast. I hope to provide some updated ideas as to use other concepts that can provide polarization for larger groups than just the head, heart, and guts. Consider for example the classical Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Heavenly Virtues. The benefit is you can focus on a collision of Virtues versus Vice …