by Bob Tinsley
Why should you as a visitor to TVWriter™ be interested in creating audio fiction? Why should you be interested in making podcasts? Discoverability, that’s why.
Here’s the latest news to help you and your show get discovered:
- I TOLD YOU SO.
New iHeart Podcast Thriller Light House Provides Comfortable Chills.
Forbes Magazine keeps covering fiction podcasts. Light House, a new release from Bamfer Productions and iHeartRadio continues the ancient tradition of haunted house stories in audio format. Written and directed by Jeff Heimbuch, who also created the comedy/horror series Return Home which has been running since 2016, Light House debuted at #1 on the fiction podcast charts for Apple. It stars Aly Trasher from Hornet, The Source, and Cerebrum. If you can get Forbes to cover your podcast, I think you’re well on your way.
- RESOURCES, PART 1.
How to Make a Fiction Podcast: The Ultimate Guide.
Matthew McLean, one of the creators of A Scottish Podcast, takes you on a guided tour of the process of making an audio fiction podcast. He covers everything from story format, writing, finding and rewarding talent, to launching, growing, and monetizing. Each section is easy to read and relatively short. Links out to further illustrate or expand on his points are liberally distributed through the document. Appropriate for everyone from those just thinking about starting a podcast to those already in the weeds.
- RESOURCES, PART 2.
What Does 44100Hz Mean? Podcast Sample Rates.
Now that you’re getting into the detail of podcast production, you need to know about sample rates. You don’t need to know much, and this article by the aforementioned Matthew McLean will inform you without hurting your head. A quick and informative read.
- RESOURCES, PART 3.
Archers Actors Record At Home During The Coronavirus Pandemic.
Since January 1, 1951, five 15-minute episodes (since 1998, six 12½-minute episodes) of the soap opera, The Archers, have been transmitted each week, at first on the BBC Light Programme and subsequently on the BBC Home Service (now Radio 4). It has been available as a podcast since 2007. Since the advent of COVID-19 and the subsequent shelter-in-place orders, there was no way to continue recording. Until now. Archers actors are now recording from their homes using the setups shown in this photo essay. If you want to record and don’t have a studio available, these setups work just fine.
- IF YA WANNA WRITE, YA GOTTA LISTEN.
Return Home.
From the website: “Return Home is the story of Jonathan Barker, who returns to his home of Melancholy Falls, NJ, after five years away. An unknown entity beckons him back East, in order to unravel the mystery of what his home town has become…or has always been. Reunited with his best friends, Buddy and Ami, Jonathan must discover the secrets of Melancholy Falls, and why he was told to return home.”
The sound design is spare, but first-rate, not intrusive or overwhelming. The music, by Kori Celeste, punctuates and supports the story-telling without getting in the way. Cliff hangers abound making you keep clicking on that next episode.
Heimbuch has also leveraged his IP into a book of short stories available on Amazon, so there’s another lesson for you.
http://www.returnhomepodcast.com/
Until next week, same Pod-time, same Pod-channel, keep listening and creating.