Category: Audio Drama

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY NEWS AUDIO EDITION – 03/26/2020

by Bob Tinsley

Why should you as a visitor to TVWriter™ be interested in making audio fiction? Why should you be interested in making podcasts? Discoverability, that’s why.

The meaning of the word podcast is evolving to include any episodic, audio-only production whether nonfiction or fiction. Agents and major studios have started trawling through podcasts and their creators for new content and talent. 

So here’s the latest news to help you and your podcast get discovered: 

Music from https://filmmusic.io
“The Builder” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

  • I TOLD YOU SO.

Manhattan Beach Animation Director Turns ‘spaghetti Western’ Animated Tale Into ‘audio Drama’.

Manhattan Beach‘s David Schaub and Surf’s Up animator, Roger Vizard,  created Spirits of the Western Wild, as an audio drama that is part spaghetti western, part The Twilight Zone. They didn’t feel they could raise the money to make an animated film, so they decided on an audio fiction show.

According to Schaub and Vizard, the idea was busy producers could listen to the story on their commutes instead of the “dread” of reading a script. Were you paying attention, there? I hope so. The audio is available on Audible and as an illustrated Kindle book.

https://bit.ly/2PCeBCp

  • RESOURCES, PART 1.

What is Apple Building Next in Podcasting?

Apple is making new, more user-centric podcast software, says Mark Asquith, the CEO and co-founder of Rebel Base Media, and looking to work with even more creators to, in turn, drive the user base up. From there, there’s an opportunity for Apple to create a suite of tools and platforms at relatively low cost to them that will help to drive the industry through the next decade. Apple might be the only brand in the world that can heavily invest in podcasting without needing to see a return immediately. It’s a long read but essential to understand the behemoth of the podcasting space.

https://bit.ly/394NnMt

  • RESOURCES, PART 2.

Podcast Marketing Strategy: The Podcast Discoverability Triangle.

Mark Asquith is back with another long, but necessary, read about discoverability, otherwise known as marketing. As I said, it’s a long read, but at the bottom of the article is an entertaining 6-½ minute video summarizing the whole thing.

Bottom line: “Whilst technology in podcasting is always evolving and bringing us new toys to play with when it comes to our marketing, none of these will work effectively over the long-term without a solid and sound understanding of base marketing strategy and running these multi-layered marketing campaigns for your show will help you to win the long game. Because that’s what podcasting is.”

https://rebelbasemedia.io/discoverability/

  • WE NEED MORE LISTENERS.

Audience Growth Isn’t An Accident: Your Podcast Needs A Web Strategy.

Radio Public has produced a twelve-part video series on how to create an audience growth strategy using websites, email newsletters, and social media to gain and retain listeners. Having a web strategy is integral to growing your audience. One more brick on the road. The videos will help you grasp the concept and start implementing it right away.

https://bit.ly/3ak4Z75

  • WE NEED MORE LISTENERS, PART 2.

Advertising A Podcast, Part 3.

Another must-read article from the tireless and unselfish Sean Howard. “In this installment, I share the results of experiments designed to gain listeners via cross promotion. This is about leveraging our shared reach as podcasts for mutual benefit. We are going to cover three types of cross-promotion: promo ad swaps, episode drops and crossovers.” A data geek’s delight, Sean gives us some solid, actionable strategies.

https://bit.ly/38ZlpRp

  • IF YA WANNA WRITE, YA GOTTA LISTEN.

Counterbalance.

A high-fantasy fiction podcast about three friends trying to fix a hole in the weave that creates magic and find out who caused it. Written by Kessi Riliniki the series shows the attention to detail, in both writing and production, that also makes her a wonderful graphic artist. She’s done cover art for a lot of podcasts out there and is available to do yours!

https://trilunis.com. 

Until next week, same Pod-time, same Pod-channel, keep listening and keep creating.

Podcasting Marvels

Thursday is podcasting day at TVWriter™, and, come to think about it, everyday here is pretty much a marvel, or even a Marvel.” So what could be more appropriate to share than this podcasting meeting of “Fantastic Minds?” (Not a comic fan? Keep reading anyway. You’ll get it.)

by Bob Raymonda

In late 2019, Marvel and Stitcher Premium partnered to release MARVELS, an adaptation of the beloved Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross graphic novel in time for its 25th anniversary. Instead of relying on a regular stable of Hollywood writers and sound designers, they enlisted the talents of veteran indie-podcasters Paul Bae (The Black Tapes, The Big Loop), Lauren Shippen (The Bright Sessions, The AM Archives), and Mischa Stanton (ars PARADOXICA, The Far Meridian) to create a brand new adaptation to celebrate the occasion.

As I was researching for my review of MARVELS, I had a chance to speak with Bae, Shippen, and Stanton by email about each of their individual impacts and experiences in working on the series together.

Bob Raymonda: The performances you were able to pull out of this entire cast are incredible. I was particularly struck by the work in episodes 1.6 (“Warheads”), where Marcia Hardesty’s monologue segues directly back and forth to the action of the Mutants for Peace protest. Did you direct the monologue sections separately from the action and assemble them in postproduction, or were you able to work through both naturally?

Paul Bae: Thank you! Lauren structured that scene beautifully. I love how she already knew how it would sound given her experiences working with Mischa and general familiarity with how I’ll direct the actors. I had AnnaSophia Robb do the monologue separately in Stitcher’s studio. We did the whole thing once or twice through and then took it again block by block to give me lots of choice in takes. The initial once-through was our “recorded rehearsal” that I like to do just in case we capture an incredible first performance.

BR: Your work on shows like The Big Loop and The Black Tapes feels at times more intimate than something like MARVELS, which included several massive set pieces with a lot of moving parts. Was this your first time working with a larger cast all together in the room? How different did it feel from your previous work?

PB: This was the largest cast I’d ever worked with but Mischa set up the recording studio in such a way to not only maximize our acoustics but [also make] me comfortable in that room, given that I like to be in the recording space with the actors instead of in the booth with the board. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how I’d like the experience of working with such a large cast, but excluding the loop cast recordings [in which 8–10 actors record in a ring of microphones], we rarely had more than 4 or 5 actors at once, which is similar to The Black Tapes. So I was comfortable….

Read it all at bellocollective.com

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY NEWS AUDIO EDITION – 03/19/2020

by Bob Tinsley

Why should you as a visitor to TVWriter™ be interested in making audio fiction? Why should you be interested in making podcasts? Discoverability, that’s why.

The meaning of the word podcast is evolving to include any episodic, audio-only production whether nonfiction or fiction. Agents and major studios have started trawling through podcasts and their creators for new content and talent. 

So here’s the latest news to help you and your podcast get discovered: 

Music from https://filmmusic.io
“The Builder” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

  • I TOLD YOU SO, PART 1.

Spotify & HBO Max In Final Talks To Adapt Family Podcast Series The Two Princes Into Animated Special.

Anthony D’Alessandro writes in a Deadline Exclusive article about a deal being negotiated between Spotify and HBO Max to adapt the family-oriented podcast, The Two Princes, into a 60-minute animated special. Noah Galvin, Samira Wiley, Cynthia Erivo, Christine Baranski, and Ari’el Stachel star in the podcast, but no announcement has been made about the cast of the adaptation. Kevin Christopher Snipes, writer of the podcast series, will be involved in the special. From D’Alessandro: “there is increasing trans-media demand for original podcasts as IP fuel for film and TV.”

https://bit.ly/39Kt1rF

  • I TOLD YOU SO, PART 2.

German Distributor SquareOne Launches Podcast & Digital Unit.

German movie distributor SquareOne Entertainment is getting into podcasting. SquareOne CEO, Al Munteanu, said, “SquareOne Unlimited . . . is our digital business largely in the space of podcasts. The idea is to increase ownership of IP and be as much a creator as a distributor.” He also said that “the end goal is to generate audio content which can be adapted for the screen.”

https://bit.ly/2Tv5HrI

  • RESOURCES, PART 1.

Podcasting Is Getting Its Own Oscars. Will It Work?

This article in Vulture by Nicholas Quah examines the reactions to the recent announcement of the formation of the Podcasting Academy. Reaction has been — mixed. On one side you have several members of Big Podcasting saying “we need this to promote the form.” On the other side you have lots of indies saying, “you’re going to shut us out.”

Quah says, “The newly formed Podcast Academy must also contend with an even bigger challenge: It has to effectively develop some sense of legitimacy as a body that speaks for so-called industry professionals as well as independent podcasters. Who ‘legitimately’ gets to represent podcasting isn’t always clear.” It’s a long read, but worth the time.

https://bit.ly/2Vy15DQ

  • RESOURCES, PART 2.

The Most Crowded Categories In Apple Podcasts (February 2020 Edition).

In this article, Dan Misener, Head of Audience Development at Pacific Content analysed 764,379 shows in Apple Podcasts. His advice on starting a podcast, choose the less-crowded category. That’s good news for us fiction podcasters. Of the 764,379 podcasts he examined, only 2,114 of them were fiction podcasts. Compare that to the Religion and Spirituality category that had 99,390! So, take heart fiction podcasters. You’ve got room to grow!

https://bit.ly/2I1efky

  • IF YA WANNA WRITE, YA GOTTA LISTEN.

Y2K

Y2K is a tale of love, identity and long-distance friendship set in two timelines and on opposite sides of the world. The story revolves around two friends in the year 2000, and the modern-day student who turns their voice mails into a podcast.  It was released on January 3, 2020, with 52 weekly episodes throughout 2020, and an epilogue in January 2021. Y2K is created, written and produced by Karin Heimdahl. Great production values, writing and acting.

https://y2kpod.com

Until next week, same Pod-time, same Pod-channel, keep listening and keep creating.

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY NEWS AUDIO EDITION – 03/12/2020

by Bob Tinsley

Why should you as a visitor to TVWriter™ be interested in making audio fiction? Why should you be interested in making podcasts? Discoverability, that’s why.

The meaning of the word podcast is evolving to include any episodic, audio-only production whether nonfiction or fiction. Agents and major studios have started trawling through podcasts and their creators for new content and talent. 

So here’s the latest news to help you and your podcast get discovered: 

Music from https://filmmusic.io
“The Builder” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

  • I TOLD YOU SO.

Fremantle’s Storyglass Preps Scripted MK-Ultra Podcast With Australia’s Easy Tiger.

Storyglass, the scripted podcast label set up by American Gods producer Fremantle, is developing a six-episode international audio series based around the controversial Project MK-Ultra, called, oddly enough, Ultra. The story is set in 1959 and follows a young intelligence agent who suddenly finds himself up to his neck in MK-Ultra. The show is currently casting and set to debut later this year.

https://bit.ly/2vLvraK

  • RESOURCES, PART 1.

Podcasts Make the Big Time.

Google now has a dedicated podcast search page that also lists what it considers the top ranked and top trending podcasts.

https://podcasts.google.com/

  • RESOURCES, PART 2.

More News About Fiction Podcasts.

Edited by Sarah Golding and Lindsay Harris Friel, two of the most active members of the fiction podcast community, this weekly compilation of neighborhood news from both sides of the Atlantic gives a wide range of stories and opportunities in our favorite corner of show biz.

https://bit.ly/2Hueswf

  • RESOURCES, PART 3.

From Lost to Listeners.

This article by Josh Cary, creator and host of The Hidden Entrepreneur Show, addresses what I consider THE biggest thing that keeps people from starting their own podcast: fear.

Cary says, “The reason most shows never launch, or worse, launch without any fanfare, is not because the hosts are unskilled or untalented. It’s because of this glaring fact: They are scared out of their minds! . . . They allow the fear and concern of the unknown to take over. ‘What if I look or sound stupid? What will they think? What if this doesn’t work?’ Or worse — ‘What if this does work?'”

Having dealt with that issue myself, I can tell you that this article is worth reading.

https://bit.ly/2P8n5kC

  • OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS.

Hearing the Haunted Seeks Scripts.

Hearing the Haunted: a Sirenicide Anthology Podcast is looking for scripts. And they’ll actually pay you coin of the realm for them. Their requirements, including script format, are very specific, so be sure to read and FOLLOW the guidelines. This is apparently an ongoing call for scripts as no deadline is mentioned.

The only downside: “Upon acceptance the author agrees to release ALL their rights to the script to Atrium Dynamics LLC.” But — as you will be writing in someone else’s universe on a work-for-hire basis, this is at least marginally acceptable. Just be aware. Their sound designers composers do some exceptional work, so you could do worse for a platform to highlight your writing.

https://bit.ly/329ZANm

  • IF YA WANNA WRITE, YA GOTTA LISTEN.

Down.

Down is a 24-part science-fiction series about an expedition into a newly-discovered Antarctic trench, dubbed The Bottomless Pit. The company-backed research submarine Virgil is elegant, state-of-the-art, and capable of withstanding enormous pressures.

The same cannot be said for her crew. Departing from Beckett Station in Antarctica a five-person crew begins a two-day mission exploring a part of the ocean floor where no human has gone before. The crew, plagued by doubts and conflicting personalities, have a hard time keeping it together. And then, there’s that odd monster fish. Subscribe and listen.

http://definitelyhuman.co.uk/portfolio/down/

Until next week, same Pod-time, same Pod-channel, keep listening and keep creating.

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY NEWS AUDIO EDITION – 03/05/2020

by Bob Tinsley

Why should you as a visitor to TVWriter™ be interested in making audio fiction? Why should you be interested in making podcasts? Discoverability, that’s why.

The meaning of the word podcast is evolving to include any episodic, audio-only production whether nonfiction or fiction. Agents and major studios have started trawling through podcasts and their creators for new content and talent. 

So here’s the latest news to help you and your podcast get discovered: 

Music from https://filmmusic.io
“The Builder” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

  • I TOLD YOU SO, PART 1.

Podcasters Sign With William Morris.

Comedy writer Ben Mandelker and comedian Ronnie Karam, who produce and co-host Watch What Crappens, have signed with William Morris Endeavor. If William Morris is signing podcasters, why aren’t you podcasting?

https://bit.ly/2vzxA9J

  • I TOLD YOU SO, PART 2.

‘The Black Tapes’ Co-creator Inks Multi-Series Deal With Spotify.

Paul Bae, co-creator of The Black Tapes, creator of The Big Loop, and director of the new Marvel Studios podcast Marvels, signed a deal with Spotify to create two new audio series. Amanda Chi and the Ghost Sessions follows a Korean-Indian girl who wanders into the role of ghostbuster. Boyland focuses on a disgraced K-Pop star who tries to make it in America.

https://bit.ly/32CwwxW

  • RESOURCES.

4 Steps to Make the Most of Any Conference.

If there is one thing LB has harped — umm — emphasized all along is that connecting with people in the biz makes a huge difference in your potential for success. Conferences provide the best opportunity for making that connection. This article by Jennifer Grimson lays out a simple and effective strategy to make getting out of our shells and meeting people easier and more productive. One thing I’ve learned from my own experience is that 96.3% of the people attending such conferences feel just as overwhelmed as you do. Some just hide it better than others. Grimson even gives you a strategy for that. Read it.

https://bit.ly/37utblG

  • OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS, PART 1.

Stormfire Productions Wants Stories That Matter.

Stormfire Productions, a creative production company founded by Lisette Alvarez, produces high-quality audio fiction podcasts. From the website: “We aren’t looking for scripts that are supremely clever with dazzling sound design and magnificent plot twists (though that’s a bonus, too). We aren’t looking for technical genius. We are looking for storytelling magic.”

The Spring/Summer Submission deadline has already passed, but there will be another submission window for Fall/Winter 2020 coming up in late summer. Check the website for details. This is just the thing for those of you who want to get into audio fiction but don’t yet want to plunge into production.

https://bit.ly/3bFL97X

  • OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS, PART 2.

New Jersey Web Festival Seeks Audio Fiction.

From the website: “Whether you call your show a fiction podcast, audio drama, audio fiction, #meowmeowmeow or anything in between, you’re still welcome to submit! What we call this artform doesn’t change the fact that we are all lovers and supporters of podcasting!”

This contest fits the brave souls that want to plunge headfirst into “doing it all!” 

“Ideally,” they say, “you should have at least three episodes produced, but if you have one or two outstanding episodes, with future episodes in the works, feel free to submit.”

Deadline is June 12, 2020, with a submission fee of $30.

https://bit.ly/2SxPlit

  • IF YA WANNA WRITE, YA GOTTA LISTEN.

Observe and Report.

Zuri and Mira make an unauthorized trip to Earth. And crash their shuttle. The two aliens have to contend with finding and obtaining repair parts, without money, dodging a ruthless team of government alien hunters, find their shuttle again, repair it, and return to the Mother Ship before their absence is noted. Teenagers! Whadda ya gonna do? Written by Nate Fisher, this show has accomplished actors, great music, and top-notch sound design. Speaking of which, audio fiction shows are not audio books. Most are in stereo and the sound designers spend a lot of time and effort to deliver an immersive experience, so listen with headphones or earbuds. You’ll be glad you did.

https://www.observeandreportpodcast.com/

Until next week, same Pod-time, same Pod-channel, keep listening and keep creating.