Author: Jack (Page 121 of 175)

Born to Teachers and Amateur Audio Enthusiasts in the small rural community of Belwood, Jack's first love was stories- writing, reading, telling, and singing. He developed his acting skills through High School, University, and through film and community theatre.
Jack writes the lion's share of Sonic Cinema Production's (previously Electric Vicuna) Audio Drama scripts and has his own writing site at www.jackjward.com. Jack also is the middle of book writing, screenplay production, and is the CEO of the Mutual Audio Network- where he and the best people in the world Listen & Imagine, Together!.
He's thrilled to co-host the Sonic Society with his wonderful, talented, friend David Ault as they enter their second decade in the medium!

The Audio Drama Rating System Update!

ADD-GIt’s been a few years since our first release of the Audio Drama Rating System that we released in the incredible Audio Drama Directory. Many audio drama groups, companies, and individuals have been using the rating system to help identify what their content contains with thanks to Matt Leong’s artistry for the rating system badges!

Some people have asked why even have a rating’s system in the first place? Here was my answer back then:

Audio Drama on the Internet has become a renewed golden age of entertainment. So many new companies and individuals have created plays and stories and are distributing them through Internet Radio, Direct Downloads, Streaming and of course Podcasts. But as we become a larger and more robust community, it becomes more and more difficult to sort out which show is most appropriate for which audience. As an educator and a father, I know I would love to be able to point more families, teachers and students to a number of different audio play productions.

In the old days of radio, we had specific requirements banning certain language and adult situations. Today we have virtually no limitations in the breadth and scope of our tales! So, to help sort appropriate audiences, I have, with the consultation of several folks, developed a basic ratings system. It is my hope that many organizations and audio drama producers will sign on and agree to rate their shows so that many more people can listen and enjoy!

And it’s only become more important today with so many productions as we move through the Silver Age of the Modern Audio Drama movement and find fantastic new shows and new listeners.

In the tone of that collective effort I’m proud to provide folks with the BRAND NEW AUDIO DRAMA RATINGS VOICINGS by none other than Tanja Milojevic famous from Lightning Bolt Theatre of the Mind (and the upcoming Biff Straker) and John Bell from the hilarious and compelling Bell’s in the Batfry (and the aforementioned upcoming Biff too!)

Please feel free to download the new audio drama ratings and use on all your shows. Let’s help spread radio drama far and wide!

Excelsior!

Download Required

downloadThere’s a strange new trend going on with some new audio drama companies, and it’s hurting their audience.

Loads of companies are putting out youtube videos and soundcloud audio. The problem with streaming audio is that it doesn’t allow for asynchronous listening. And this kind of distributed listening is by far the most effective distribution of audio drama.

In other words, please make it easy for your listeners to find you! Add a download link every time you download a show. If you’re planning to distribute your audio drama freely, the purpose is to give the widest, best possible opportunities to find new ears.

Most listeners either use direct downloads to mp3 players or subscribe to an RSS feed– usually through itunes. Many audio-philes listen while driving to or from work or when exercising or doing chores. To expect in this rush of a life, that most audio drama listeners will stream an audio drama from their computer is at best short-sighted, at worst intentionally hurting your marketshare of an audience.

We love audio drama in the Sonic Society. We respect and buy professional radio plays, but if you’re planning to make it free- by all means put it up for streaming, but please make it free to get for all!

Thrilling Adventure Hour Misleads Fans…

bensIt actually is more like 80 minutes of comedic action instead of just 60!

The Thrilling Adventure Hour packs a pile of fun in their live performances and according to The New Zealand Herald is just the right format for Los Angeles writing duo Ben Blacker and Ben Acker to hone their craft.

Folks who aren’t yet fans of the awesome AD have yet to experience some of their regular episodes like “Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars” and interplanetary cowboy tale and “Beyond Belief”, featuring Nick and Nora Charles, the high society ghostbusters among many other other sketches.

Find and subscribe the Thrilling Adventure Hour and enjoy hours (or more) of fun! You’ll really get the Bens.

Experimental Audio

beckIf you heard part one of my essay on the Audio Story over at the Audio Drama Production Podcastyou heard that I identify the audio landscape as having three corners like a triangle. Drama and Narrative are pretty easily defined with strong connections to play and novel sensibilities, but the third corner belongs exclusively to Experimental- the realm of sketches, surrealistic art pieces, and sometimes nonsensical aural works. Many of these are great comedic gems that intentionally break the fourth wall or provide some very mixed up non-directive story pieces.

Here’s another great example:

Have a listen to some of Samuel Beckett’s Avant-Garde Radio Plays: All That Fall, Embers, and More available now through youtube. Have a listen to the unusual and provocative!

Anime Audio

citrusSeven Seas Entertainment is releasing on July 18th the fourth collection of Saburouta’s yuri manga CitrusAlong with the collection will be a special CD audio drama. The audio drama will relate a new episode in their relationship. Ayana Taketatsu and Minami Tsuda reprise the leads after voicing them in an earlier preview.

Cast includes:

Yuzu Aihara: Ayana Taketatsu

Mei Aihara: Minami Tsuda

Matsuri Mizusawa: Sayaka Horino

Himeko Momokino : Yurika Kubo

Harumi Taniguchi : Yukiyo Fujii

So if manga is your jam, and Citrus is your flavour, go have a listen to the news!

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