Ear / Play: An Introduction to Creative Storytelling and Audio Fiction
A 2-day workshop revealing the practical steps to producing audio fiction, led by the award-winning team at Reduced Listening.
You could be a podcaster looking for new inspiration. You may be a documentary maker keen to work with fiction, or a theatre practitioner wanting to work in sound. Your background could be in teaching, writing, journalism, DJing or the visual arts. Or you might want to take your first steps into creative storytelling through sound.
All are welcome.
Our expert tutors will take you through the glorious rattlebag of components that make a story in sound: script, field recordings, music, actors, dialogue, sound effects, cliff-hangers, narrative, character, and silence. You will learn how to say what needs to be said, even when it is unspoken. You will be inspired to unleash your imagination in sound, opening windows to new worlds for you and your audience.
What you will get from this course:
The essential tools of producing audio drama
Make a collaborative 3 minute audio fiction piece that you can add to your showreel
Mentoring from industry experts
Networking with other aspiring storytellers
Dates and times: Friday 23 June 2023 (09:45 - 17:00) and Saturday 24 June 2023 (09.45 - 17.00)
Location: Reduced Listening, Studio 53B, Hackney Downs Studios, Amhurst Terrace, London, E8 2BT.
Cost: £450 including VAT (including lunch + refreshments throughout both days)
Register here: bookwhen.com/reducedlistening
Enquiries: jilliene@reducedlistening.co.uk
Registration deadline: Friday 2 June 2023
Please note: there are limited tickets so please book early to avoid disappointment.
We are excited to partner with A New Direction, who are providing bursaries for 4 people from their community of young East Londoners to join the course for free. If you have worked with A New Direction before and are interested in this opportunity please contact fran.plowright@anewdirection.org.uk
Course summary:
Over the two days, through a combination of presentations from experts in the field on best practices in development, technical and production and practical activities, you will be introduced to basic concepts and technical considerations of storytelling through sound. Each participant will be invited to bring an object of personal significance. Using the objects for inspiration and working in groups you will be mentored to create a short piece of audio fiction based on prompts provided during the course.
Day 1 (09.45 – 17.00)
Approaches to storytelling in sound and an introduction to audio fiction
Practical Activity: Writing and researching ideas
Creative sound design
Field recording and creating sound effects
Practical Activity: Structuring the story
Editing audio
Working with actors
17.15 - Social Drinks (optional)
Day 2 (09.45 – 17.00)
Practical Activity: - making a piece of audio fiction (recording and editing)
Working with writers + scripts
Audio Drama Production for broadcast and podcast: a brief guide (script development/ studio/ location/ recording/ rights)
How to write a pitch
Audio fiction beyond radio and podcasts
Accessibility:
We are committed to providing reasonable teaching adjustments for students with disabilities that may impact on their learning experience. You will be asked about any required adjustments at time of registering. Please note that on this occasion there is no wheelchair access to the studio.
About Reduced Listening:
Reduced Listening make podcasts, vodcasts and radio about culture and ideas.
You may have heard our work on the BBC or Spotify. We also partner with leading cultural organisations, such as The Serpentine Gallery, Somerset House, Frieze, The Wellcome Trust, and CER to develop distinctive audio and video content.
Our recent awards include:
Production Company of the Year at the 2022 Audio Production Awards 🥇
Decode - Smartest & Best Entertainment Show, British Podcast Awards 2022 🥇🥇
Fully Amplified, Futures Theatre, Best Fiction Silver, British Podcast Awards 2022 🥈
Exemplar - Best Series, BBC Audio Drama Awards 2023 🥇
About A New Direction:
A New Direction is an award-winning non-profit organisation working to enhance the capacity and agency of children and young people in London to own their creativity, shape culture, and achieve their creative potential. A New Direction operates the Good Growth Hub, a new space bringing together people and businesses in east London to offer career opportunities, training and skills to 18- to 30-year-olds and fresh new talent to local businesses.
