Is Audio Drama The Only Medium You've Worked In? How Does It Compare To Other Mediums?

Is audio drama the only medium you've worked in? How does it compare to other mediums?

So I started out as a musician. When I was at university I used to busk with a bass and a loop pedal (an endeavour that got me quite far at one point) and this caught the attention of a couple of people in the filmmaking society, who asked if I wanted to make music for their short films. (One of these people is now my wife)

I worked in film as a sound recordist, sound designer and composer, sometimes all three at once. I really like film as a medium but, in my experience, on a set the sound recordist is often treated as an inconvienience (if the cinematographer says we need to go again, we go again, if the sound recordish says we need to go again, everyone groans) and after I while I found myself getting irritable about it, so I stopped.

I enjoy doing sound design and music for film, but I find it very limiting. To a certain extent you're stuck with what's on screen and you have to work within that, and so much of my job was fixing things rather than being creative ('we forgot to record this door closing, can you put it in?').

What I found liberating about audio drama is that you start with a blank space and you get to fill it with whatever you like, be that music or soundscapes or dialogues or monologues, and indie audio drama is still at the stage where a lot of things are still being worked out, which is exciting. I love talking to people about the idea of audio drama having its own musical vocabulary separate from film music and video game music.

It's not without its limits (money) but I agree with Ella when she says that audio drama is where comics used to be, and I think that's exciting!

Next week!

We've got one week to go, and I'm so excited! Podcast Girls Week is a week long prompt-based event where fans are encouraged to create works celebrating their favorite podcast women. The event will take place on July 8-14.

Ready to post? We'll be using the #podcastgirlsweek tag here on tumblr, and you can already start adding works to the currently unrevealed 2024 Podcast Girls Week collection  on Ao3.

Monday: What about sad wet cat women? Highlight a podcast starring women in the leading role(s).

Tuesday: This too is yuri... Spotlight a F/F ship (or platonic or familial relationship between women if that’s your preference).

Wednesday: WIP Wednesday! We all have art/fic/meta we’ve been meaning to get to. This is your day to finally commit (as long as your WIP is about podcast women, of course.)

Thursday: Nobody understands her like I do… Recognize a woman from a podcast you think is niche and/or underappreciated.

Friday: God forbid women do anything. Celebrate a female villain. Defend your #problematic fave.

Saturday: Self-indulgence Saturday! Make something you’ve really wanted to make but haven’t because you thought it was too self-indulgent, niche, or silly.

Sunday: Free space!

Have questions? Check out the FAQ. Join the Discord while you wait!

Finally, you are always welcome to tag or @ this blog if you’re posting content about podcast ladies, and I will happily reblog it!

Here’s an invaluable writing resource for you.

I love it when dimension 20 does the Thing*

(*nails a universal human experience in narrative e.g., the tendency to triumph in what you’re great at when people put faith in your abilities, don’t undermine your value, and give you the tools and support you need to succeed)

"I like my room better, but I wish it didn’t have to have a monster in."

Jenjie, the Child – played by Lizzie Waterworth

In your benevolence, the Child wishes for Courage, and a reprieve.

@merelymatt says, Lizzie is an immortal, timeless voice wizard. I thought I might've made things difficult for casting director Fiona by writing a very young character, but she knew exactly who to call. I don't know what vocal alchemy Lizzie practises to be able to sound convincingly like a five-year-old but I'm thankful for it! As well as what the Child is actually asking for, there's a kind of implicit yearning for approval, for a parent figure to tell them they're good, which I didn't know was there until I heard it in Lizzie's performance. I'm calling it now: this one is going to make Dave from @merelyroleplayers cry.