Tag: CBC (Page 2 of 3)

BBC Must Not Become BCE

7360Some folks are quite concerned with the latest budget considerations for the famous British Broadcasting Corporation. Public radio has a long history of audio drama in England, and if the mother country wants to avoid the terrible state that conservatism has placed the CBC in Canada, they might do well to listen to the words of Sir David Attenborough from this Guardian article:

“There is plenty that viewers can do. Politicians don’t wish to be the people who are branded as getting rid of the BBC. They know that the BBC holds a very precious place in a large proportion of voters’ minds and they can’t play fast and loose with it as they would wish.

“When I saw what the [funding] deal was I thought, that’s terrible, that’s a distortion. What the BBC will say, and I daresay they are right, is the alternative was something worse.”

He added: “The basic principle of public service broadcasting is profoundly important. If we lose that we really lose a very valuable thing, you are throwing away one of the most precious things that we have.”

Let’s hope that cooler heads prevail and the people speak up before the BBC gets gutted.

The (Radio) Show That Happened Long Time Ago

empireradioad2_t328x500In a generation far, far away, Americans everywhere were treated to Star Wars the Radio Drama trilogy in 1981, 83, and 96. While my reintroduction to modern audio drama was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as CBC replayed the British phenom  just before the bus came in the morning, yanks were thrilling about George Lucas‘ game changing space fantasy not only on the screen, but in the theatre of the mind. Adapted by the incredibly talented Brian Daley, the extended Star Wars series lit the imagination of the current crop of Gen-X’ers who currently dominate the audio drama realm.

The Lawrence Public Library Staff write this article, expressing their own (although I suspect it was just one person’s) enthusiasm reliving the classic series:

…the “Star Wars Radio Drama” adds new depth to a classic story so many of us have come to love. And most importantly, it’s a lot of fun. And luckily for us, we don’t have to wait years between episode; the library’s copy comes with dramatizations of both “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” So get listening!

May The Force be with you, always….

Blurring Sounds Waves

mira-burt-wintonick-blogMira Burt-Wintonick who was a producer for ten years on the popular CBC Radio show Wiretap has some incredible things to say about making fiction on the air. While I think her thoughts are especially valuable for those making podficts (fictionalized podcasts), her clear thoughts can be found in detail in the article Storytelling through Sound but here are a few of her notes:

  • Performance- less is more, go off script, imperfections are your friend, take charge
  • Writing- keep it tight, read aloud before, ladle out unbelievable elements, base your writing in truth
  • Sound- leave in mic noise, paint a picture
  • Develop emotional truth
  • Break the rules

DIY Sound Booth!

Professional_Soundbooth-865x505Years ago I went to the new building of CBC in Toronto. A friend of mine had arranged a tour through their branch Radioworks. I got to stump the lady giving the tour with my knowledge of my beloved public broadcaster and I got to drool over their sound stage.

The stage, I fear, is empty as of late. But at the time imagine a huge room with various leveled parts of the ceiling which allowed the actors to stand in different places and provide different echos be it a large hall or a small room. Down one side on a series skateboard like rollers were a series of windows and half doors with latches and chains and a variety of knobs. Off to the side was a working washroom and working kitchen entirely microphoned built only for sound effects. Ranging down at the end outwards like the long tail of an “L” was a hall with various pits. Each pit was filled with different material from gravel, dirty, garbage, and leaves to emulate walking.

It was a audiophile’s paradise. Long have I wanted to create my own perfect sound space.

Well, you may not have space or the money to create a national broadcasting standard sound stage, but with this Do It Yourself Booth you’ll be sounding like the pros in no time!

 

CBC Sentimentality

cbcloveRecently Sibby P Wieland was speaking in an interview about the great loss of CBC audio drama. As a child who grew up in the eighties- one of golden ages of the CBC, I concur. My imagination exploded with everything from CBC’s Nightfall, Booster McCrane PM, Rumours and Borders, and of course my childhood favourite, Johnny Chase: Secret Agent of Space among many others. The reasons why CBC doesn’t make audio drama any more are wide and varied (ask me some time), but Howard Fink has an excellent article in the oral history forum as to The CBC Radio Drama Project and its Background for anyone who is as sentimental as I am about the good ol’ days of the CBC.

 

We Don’t Make Radio Drama Anymore (CBC)

CBCFor someone who grew up with CBC Radio, it’s really heartbreaking to see the lowest point in Canada’s finest broadcaster (It is the lowest point, isn’t it? It can’t go any lower… please?)

With scandals, and criminal charges, and cutbacks from the federal government, the CBC seems to have entirely lost its way. For years, the CBC has tried to stop being the “nerd’ and befriend the “cool kid” in the class. Their new choice for the hosting spot in “Q” is no exception.

Dear CBC. You’re smart. You’ve always been the place where people go to get their minds fed. Go back to accepting and appreciating that. You created who generations of kids who grew up loving that about you. Bring us thoughtful drama, hilarious comedy, serious journalism, brilliant counter-culture ideas, and radio drama. Bring us back radio drama in all its myriad forms.

With Love,

The Sonic Society.

Now go check out Andrew Cohen’s thoughts on this in the Ottawa Citizen.

 

Sonic Echo- 0113- A Wonderful Escape

 
From the twisted but brilliant mind of J.G. Ballard comes these tales of excitement, science fiction, and fear in the rare CBCseries “Vanishing Point”. Come complete our month of November Nightmares with “Escapement” and “Having a Wonderful Time”. Be sure to stop off at the boutique before you leave and stock up on all these shows from archive.org.

Sonic Echo- 0112- Night Falls

 
“In the dream you are falling” was the first words you heard in this spine tingling series from the CBC. “Nightfall” kept Canadians in terror on the radio weekly and tonight’s Sonic Echo November Nightmares is no exception with “Gerald” and “Angel’s Kiss”. Stop by and check out all these grand shows at archive.org- if you can get your balance!

Happy Birthday CBC! (You don’t look a day over thirty!)

I tell people if there’s one thing they should know about what fashioned my love of radio it always was the CBC.
The CBC kept this farmboy busy in the trips into town, playing constantly in the house.
I was amazed at the radio dramas.
Astounded at Lister Sinclair’s “Ideas”
and cracked up constantly by “The Frantics” and “The Vestibules” and even “The Royal Canadian Air Farce” (who were always better on radio)
So many personalities were family for me growing up, and my Uncle used to say where ever he traveled all across Canada he still was “home” when he turned on the CBC and heard Peter Gzowski’s “Morningside” played all across the Country.

Happy Birthday CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/shows/2011/10/30/our-celebration-of-cbcs-75th-anniversary/#igImgId_21328

CBC and Audio Drama Under Siege

I grew up with the CBC. I can honestly say that much of my love of Audio Drama was ignited by this network. CBC Radio was on first thing in the morning, and I remember listening to shows on weekends, and in the evening. CBC kept me informed and grew my understanding of Canada, the United States, and the World. CBC is family to me. Nothing more and nothing less.

And because it is family, CBC has kept me comforted during long lonely drives, rides across the country where everything was unfamiliar- CBC was home.

So I’m asking, from me, Jack Ward, that you support this initiative. CBC STILL keeps me, many Canadians here and abroad, and citizens from all around the world informed, entertained, and connected- ESPECIALLY now through their podcasts. As a public broadcaster its been able through the generations to create some of the best new audio drama in the world, train some of the most exciting new talent, and annoy politicians and private businesses because their business has been reporting the truth.

Help protect one of these last bastions of the public, please?

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