Click on any of the entry titles to get more information about all the awesome things written about!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

They are teenagers! From outer space!

Schlock Audio (who is now partnered with Texas Radio Theatre) is back and in full cheese-mode with all new B-movie goodness! Teenagers from Outer Space-ace-ce-e....

"Earth has been invaded by diving helmet wearing, gorilla-suited aliens hell bent on universal domination! Humanity is but one family away from extinction! This is an exciting episode that CANT BE MISSED! HURRY! Put your audio goggles on and tune in as an epic battle rages, bubbles are blown, and the fate of our world is decided, ALL IN ASTOUNDING TECHNICOLOR 3-D STEREO!!!!"

As with every Schlock audio, I must have popcorn while listening. You can also hear a very funny blooper reel which is up on the podcast feed. The feed sports both Texas Radio and Schlock productions- and I'm sure Teenagers from Outer Space will be in the feed soon!

Podcast: http://texasradio.libsyn.com/

After month hiatus, Robotz return! And get naked!

Take one beautiful, romantic evening, add a romantic dream and a desire for Kika to be a little um, closer to her sweet sweet Brisco, and you have Robotz turned human for 12 hours!

Exactly how did they become all fleshy and hormone-crazed? What does our crazy crew sound like in human-form? Listen to the lastest episode of Dream Realm's smash hit Robotz of the Company and find out! Definitely one of the raciest episodes of 'Botz to date- and hilarious!

Click the subject line to link to the podcast, or get the podcast feed HERE.

Praise the Company, hubba-hubba!

State of the Podiobook

The latest episode of fellow-addict Chris Moody's PodioMedia Chat features Tee Morris- who is also the first to have a second appearance on the show!

Now, they could have chatted about Morevi: Remastered. They could have chatted about the Podcasting for Dummies Podcast and book. They even could have chatted about the Survival Guide To Writing Fantasy.
So many things to cover, and what do they talk about?

Scott Sigler.


(All right, they talk about the other things too!)

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Lazy Sunday Fun!

It's a rare, rainy day here in the desert, so I'm killing some time and plugging different terms into this slogan generator.

How Many Licks Does it Take to Get to the Center of an Audio Drama?

Enter a word for your own slogan:

Generated by the Advertising Slogan Generator, for all your slogan needs. Get more Audio Drama slogans.



I've plugged in "podiobooks" and a few others. Have fun! :-D

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Podiobook Double-Hitter

Two Podiobooks you should definitely add to your playlist! One all ready 13 chapters in (my favorite/lucky number!) and the other has just begun (Although Metamor has several fabulous short stories in its feed).

Murder At Avedon Hill by P.G Holyfield:

Lord Avedon has a problem. Generations of Avedons have watched over Avedon Hill and controlled the only pass through the Lantis Mountains. Traditions are important to the Avedon family, but one tradition has tragically come to an end. Gretta Platt, Housemistress of Avedon Manor, has been murdered. A member of the Platt family has always served the Avedons as Housemistress… until now.Only a handful of people live at Avedon Hill, and most are suspects. Arames Kragen, retired Aarronic Advisor and scholar of prophecy, arrives at the gates of Avedon Hill, hoping to gain access to the mountain pass. Lord Avedon is not in a giving mood, however…This is the story of Arames Kragen and his attempt not only to discover who killed Gretta Platt, but also to uncover the truth about a town that apparently has more secrets than inhabitants.


Metamor City: Making the Cut by Christopher Lester

The Metamor City Podcast features short stories and novels set in an
urban fantasy world where spells and cyberpunk collide. 1300 years have
passed since the Dark Wizard Nasoj placed a curse on the people of
Metamor Valley, twisting their bodies and minds in the hope of making them his servants. They didn't bow so easily. Now, Metamor governs a benevolent empire that spans half a continent. What was once a rural valley with one large castle has become a towering metropolis of fifteen million people, with four layers of magically-suspended roads and
buildings that rise hundreds of meters into the sky. The Curse is under control -- mostly -- but the people of Metamor are far from safe. In the shadows of Metamor's glittering spires, beneath the glamour and glory of the Jewel of the North, dark things are stirring. The battle for the future is beginning, and more and more people are learning the one eternal truth about Metamor City: No one who comes here ever leaves unchanged.
There are very detailed accounts of this amazing fantasy world right HERE.


Both podiobooks are available through iTunes as well!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Colonial Radio getting some podcast play!

The insanely popular Sonic Society has declared 2008 "The Year of Audio Drama" (what- not "pulp radio"? ;-) ) and they have found the best way to celebrate- with Colonial Radio Theatre! From the SS blog:

"Colonial Radio Theatre, who's amazing productions have included Captain Blood, the Father Brown Mysteries, Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine and Something Wicked This Way Comes as well as The Dibble Show, Powder River and more than 200 other titles has agreed to allow the Sonic Society an exclusive peek inside their vault.
This year Society Members will be taking a V.I.P. tour through the worlds of Colonial Radio thanks to creative force, producer, writer, and actor Jerry Robbins.
Every month in 2008- The Year of Audio Drama, Jack and Shannon will be adding an extra show to the Society feed to provide these bonus features."


Exciting stuff- and a great idea! What a fabulous way to tell others about your work- and a good place to do it, too. Click the title link for more information about what productions you will be hearing this year!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Why Radio Sucks

From Wired Magazine:

Unless you enjoy hearing the same insipid Fergie song a dozen times a day, chances are you loathe mainstream radio. And for good reason: The FM band between 92.1 and 107.9, where commercial stations reign, is mostly a desert of robo-DJs and pop pabulum.

The sad decline of conventional radio is an Econ 101 lesson in the consequences of artificial scarcity — and a B-school case study on the limits of scientific management. The scarcity is the fault of the Federal Communications Commission, which decided in the mid-1940s to confine FM broadcasting to its current frequency range, roughly between 88 and 108 MHz. The FCC's spectrum-allocation rules, designed to prevent station signals from interfering with one another, further limited the number of broadcasting licenses it granted in any one market.

By the '70s, thanks to a fecund period in popular music, a generation of audacious DJs, and cheap radios, FM had become wildly popular. That made stations valuable properties — so valuable, in fact, that only large companies could afford to buy and manage them. "The legal cost alone of getting on the air is enormous," says Jesse Walker, author of the radio history Rebels on the Air. The government could have eased this situation by allocating more spectrum for radio use and increasing the number of licenses, Walker argues. Instead, Congress chose to relax the rules regarding the number of stations any one entity could own.

That's where the scientific management comes in. The biggest barriers to building a radio audience are the polarizing power of music and the plethora of choices on the dial. So, when corporations like Clear Channel started buying up stations in the late '90s, they set about building a lowest-common-denominator product that would be attractive to the most listeners. "There's this idea of the perfect playlist," Walker says. "Find it with research and attract the perfect audience." But it turns out that the most lucrative audience is really just "people who will not change the channel during the ads." The result: watered-down programming designed primarily not to offend.

So bored consumers are just tuning out. Listenership among 18- to 24-year-olds is down 20 percent over the past decade. Stations have responded not with bold programming but by cutting costs. They've also expended considerable resources to squelch competition from low-powered FM stations and Internet radio. Not that it has helped — 85 percent of teenagers now discover new music through sources beyond the FM dial. Even the biggest radio fans envision a grim future for the medium. One bright spot: The inevitable shift to digital radio could create more room for more types of content.

--

Definitely makes sense, although there are a few independent stations here and there who keep kicking, and aren't half bad. Getting the range and the listeners are a lot of work, though. Especially listeners, when radio is now also battling the ever-growing podcast.

Check out the link to the article, there are many other things that suck- a list of 33!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

RPG Audio -- Unscripted Audio Drama?

For those of you who just can't get enough audio goodness, one of the more interesting options may lie in recorded role-playing game sessions, often called simply "game audio." These are exactly what the name suggests: a group of gamers sit down to play D&D, Call of Cthulhu, or any number of other game systems that exist out there, with a microphone in the middle of the table to record the results. The audio quality of these was a bit more iffy in the past, but the more dedicated game audio podcasters have been working to improve this, experimenting with systems including binaural surround sound.

The results can be a great deal of fun, even if you are not familiar with the system being played -- or, I suspect, even if you're not a gamer at all. Indeed, listening to a recorded RPG session is a good way for those not familiar with the concept to really understand what it's all about!

It can also be highly entertaining. Some game audio podcasters will edit the session, some don't -- so things have the potential to get off-topic, silly, or occasionally downright crude!

Here are four different groups doing game audio. There are more out there, but these are ones I've listened to at least once.


RPGMP3.com is one of the longest running game audio sites out there. The centerpiece of their output is a full audio transcript of a group playing The World's Largest Dungeon, that totals several days' worth of audio. Their game of choice is Dungeons & Dragons.

Role-Playing Public Radio (RPPR) started off doing audio comedy sketches centered on gaming. More recently they have begun producing a regular podcast discussing gaming topics, as well as game audio.

The Rolemonkeys are a group which plays and records sessions in a number of game systems. I first heard them as they tried out a new game, The Esoterrorists, an action/horror game in a contemporary setting. (Think X-Files or Torchwood.)


The fine folks at Yog-Sothoth.com gave me my introduction to game audio, with their "Masks of Nyarlathotep" game, which ran to around 20 episodes and over two solid days worth of audio. Joe and I were so impressed with both the Masks game and YSDC's regular cephalo-podcast, Yog Radio, that Ollin Productions is sponsoring the current audio game being podcast, "Horror on the Orient Express". As might be guessed, the folks at YSDC mainly play Call of Cthulhu.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Podcasting for Dummies 2.0: Expert Podcasting Practices

Months ago you say, Mr. Terra?

Sheesh. This is way more exciting than Macworld... to this PC girl at least!

Unfortunately, the photo on Amazon (which I shamelessly swiped) doesn't include third author Ryan Williams. But you see it on the cover in Evo's cute pic!

I'd say this is a must have for any podcaster, or wanna-be podcaster. Unlike the MacBook Air, which I bet you have to pump like a Nike. ;-)

Monday, January 14, 2008

So.. You Want to Podcast your Book...

So.. You Want to Podcast your Book...

I've been a fan of Audio Books for years, and the introduction of podcasting books has ushered in a new wave of No cost, freely down-loadable audio books. This is a good thing. Mostly. Varying quality in readings and production value, amongst other factors, make for many well written books, not having a chance in audio format.

To help aspiring authors in avoiding this problem I've decided to make a list of do's and don'ts for amateur perspective Audio/Podio book authors, to give their work the best chance of doing what their audio production should: Entertain the listener, and attract a publisher. (Disclaimer: I'm not an expert, but I have been in podcasting since 2005, and understand the work that goes into producing a quality audio production and listening to audio books longer than that.)

1. Should you read your book yourself?
This is a serious question you need to ask yourself. You have heard the phrase "a face for radio"? well the same applies for audio as well. Some people just don't have the voice for audio. So be objective, and make the right choice. This is more important for fiction, but in some cases a trained voice is the best choice.

2. Speaking of which, In a work of fiction, the reader of book should be the same sex as the Main Character.
Yes, there are some readers that can pull off the opposite sex vocally, but if the main voice of the narrative is read by the opposite sex of the character, it pulls the listener out of the story. Secondary characters are fielders choice, whether you want to have different people read the different parts, or have the one reader do voices, is a judgement call you'll have to make. Many authors straddle the line between straight reading and full out audio theater production Which brings us to...

3. Sound effects.
Again, mostly for works of fiction, a few well places sound effect and mood/background music can be used to draw the reader/listener in to your world. On the flip side of that coin, badly placed, inappropriate sounds and music can ruin an otherwise good audio book.
Being a good foley artist isn't easy, and unless you have some experience with sound effects, you may want to just leave the sounds out. As for mood/background music the same rules apply. They say in movies a well produced soundtrack isn't even noticed. I've listened to more than one book where, as soon as some action is hinted at, loud "action" music swells from nowhere and totally ruins any tension that was building in my imagination, again ripping me from the story.
So, if you are going to put in a few sounds or background ambiance or mood music, make sure they are mixed in correctly, and if you have to make a mistake in volume, err on the side of too soft, the words are the important part of the production after all.

4. Recording/sound Quality.
Good quality Audio counts.
You need to start simple, If you are doing it yourself, and don't have a lot of money to spend on production (like most of us) at the minimum, pick up a good USB headset mic, and find a quiet place to record. If you have a few more dollars to spend, a decent mixer and mic set up can be had in the 150 dollar range.
The Quality of the audio you record sets the stage for how good the end product will be. Start Simple and when you have got the basics down, then, and only then, think about adding production value, while keeping the quality at a level you would be happy to listen to yourself.

5. Edit content for audio?
Again, this is for mainly Fiction. Reading a conversation is different from hearing a conversation. The "He said"s and "She said"" needed for the written word really detract from the story, especially if you are using separate voice actors or specific voices for each character. You may want to edit your work to reflect the style of production.

6. Multiple RSS feeds
There are two main ways to make your Book available for download, By this I mean Straight Podiobook, where the audio file is just the book, with a short "You can find more information at www... " at the end of each chapter. and the other is Full on Podcast Release, where you intro each episode with a summery of What happened last time, and end each episode with listener feed back and announcements of contests and other blog type information.
I recommend... both. Yes both.
Releasing the book in weekly installments in full podcast mode, is a great way to build an audience and get the buzz going for your work. Scott Sigler, Mur lafferty, JC Hutchins, Tee Morris and Christiana Ellis have used this model with great results. The problem with using only this method, is these files will be on line, well forever, and having 1/3 of your audio book news and information that is 2-3 years old just gets annoying, and will just pull those future listeners from the story.
The solution is to have 2 RSS feeds. One for the podcast, and the other a pure Audiobook reading. Mur Lafferty did (is doing) this with 'Playing for Keeps" with the Podcast feed full of Listener and fan produced content as well as the book itself.


The Point of this list is to help you to create a viable promotional tool for your work. Your Listeners/readers are not going stick around, no matter how great your story is, if it's painful to listen to your audio. Poor sound quality, bad/inconsistent volume levels, an irritating voice, and bad use of music and sound effects will have readers hitting delete after the first chapter.

If you don't think you can handle the recording and production of the final products, There are other options. Perhaps you know someone who wants to help, and if not there are always professional services and Podiobooks.com also offers these services for a reasonable fee.

I hope this helps, It's not a complete list, but it's a good start to a successful Podiobook.

JT Shea

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Fan Communities Part 3: Podiobooks!

It's like an invasion! Seems Podiobooks.com has a new fan site as well. (Ok, well it isn't BRAND new, but I finally have been catching up on all my audio feeds, and I found a post from Evo about it.)

This is a great place for authors, podcasters, and listeners to all gather and talk about everything from who's writing what, to how to begin your own podiobook. Also an interested discussion about where the limit is in social media networking.

Another good place!

So many fan communities, so little time

Was twittering away, and noticed JC Hutchins (author of the 7th Son Podcast Novel) getting all nutty. And, when JC gets nutty, it usually means that he's scheming.

Well, what do you know? He was scheming. Go and check out his new fan site! This Ning thing (hehe) is pretty cool. It was used for NaPodPoMo. Easy and very interactive.


Friday, January 11, 2008

Crazy Dog Revived

Hullo-hullo! No, I have not forgotten about you all! Actually I've been agonizing way too much over how to keep this precious place alive the past couple of months. However, with the addition of some great contributors, I think I'm getting a handle on things. :-) Welcome and thank you to my new peeps! Remember, if you'd like to contribute to the blog, click the email on the side bar- the more the merrier!

One big reason I haven't been contributing as much is simply a lack of time to sit and listen to things! However, today I am sitting waiting for repair people to show and fix my fridge, so I scanned my iTunes list. One of the best audio cinema shows out there, Radio Drama Revival- just aired brand-spanking-new Crazy Dog Audio on their show yesterday, so I decided to treat my ears and listened in.

"The Salmon of Blackpool" is definitely intriguing. An audio drama about the making of a movie (with a mysterious twist, of course). You feel like you are sitting in listening to an actual scene being filmed- it's really quite impressive. But what would you expect from Crazy Dog, other than impressive? It's part one- and definitely makes you want to know more about this movie, and the odd happenings surrounding it.

One of the reasons Fred's show appeals to me so much is that is cuts right to the good stuff. Shows are 30 minutes, and he gets right to talking about the show you are about to hear, and is very insightful in his descriptions. He knows what we want and gives it straight up- awesome audio cinema! If you haven't taken a listen yet, then it's about time you did!

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Grey, A Podiobook worth a Listen.

Hi, fellow Audio Addicts, JT from The Gigcast here. I'm new to this here AA blog, so I thought I'd throw Caush into the wind (he likes that sort of thing) and jump right in with a recommendation/review.


Recently I was talking with Christiana Ellis of “Nina Kimberly” and “Space Casey” fame. (name drop #1) And mentioned to her I was looking for a new Podiobook to read. She recommended Grey, by Jon Armstrong. Not for a minute doubting Ms. Ellis’ judgment, I took a look.


From Podiobooks.com


“High fashion, corporate malfeasance, celebrity culture, and an obsessed media collide with exuberant violence and volatile intensity in Grey, the explosive debut novel by Jon Armstrong.”

The book takes place in a future where “Ultra” is king, and everything is on the net. Ratings are king and ratings drive business. The gulf between the haves and have-nots is huge, with the corporations being run by Pure blood ‘Families”. Yeah I know, sounds weird, but the future portrayed in the book works in a very Idiocratic way. The story resolves around the heir to a mega company and his arranged marriage/merger to and subsequent break up with the daughter of a competing company.


The reading is well done, and each character has his or her own voice (one reader, but nicely done). Apart from a few minutes of dead air at the end of the first few episodes, there are no major technical problems with the recordings.


This is not a book to listen to with the kids around. Adult language and situations abound, but fit well into the world built by Mr. Armstrong.


This book is recommended by me.


JT

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Looking to chat with fellow fans?

Interested in chatting with fellow fans of your favorite audio drama? It seems that Marrcus Beattie has started an audio drama message board site.

You can find it at: Audio Drama Talk


Currently they have sections for some of the best known production companies:
Sonic Society, Decoder Ring Theatre, Crazy Dog Studio.

If you want to have a new way to chat with fellow fans, and the creators themselves come check out Audio Drama Talk.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Dangerously Funny!

Those of us in the former Colonies sometimes get the idea that British humor (or humour) is all dry, refined, highbrow, and just generally inaccessible. Then we remember Monty Python's Flying Circus, or its spiritual audio forefather, The Goon Show.

It is in this tradition where you will find the fine minds at Isotope Audio. Their material available through podcast ranges from two minute sketches to nearly half-hour stories, all of which are rude, crude, and radioactively funny. The production values are good, the stories delightfully absurd, and the comic timing absolutely flawless.

This stuff is not in the least bit safe for work, so Joe and I listened through the available material while on an extended car trip. It was so funny that we had to turn it off from time to time so that I could continue to drive, something that has happened with only one other audio work before: "Rant In E Minor," Bill Hicks' final album.

Fine company to be in, to be sure.