On the day we did the recording, I stayed back with Zac afterwards as he "bounced out" the audio. I didn't actually ask what that means, but I'm guessing it's a basic, rough edit that basically gives you the basic feel for the timing and pacing of the scenes. Even without all the Ambience, Foley and Music, it still sounds pretty sweet. Again, I really made the right choice in selecting Marcus and Tammy. We all really worked well together and the dialogue meshes together nicely.
Unfortunately, this is where we ran into a few hitches.
Zac, the engineer, was only able to fully complete the first episode (pilot?) before work and moving and slaying Nihilghasts took up so much of is time, he couldn't do the remaining three episodes.
After having little luck contacting Ashley and Nick, I was FINALLY able to go in today, sit down with another young engineer by the name of Jack and plough through the editing of the those other episodes. I say we, but Jack did most of the button pressing while I played foreman and told him what I wanted things to sound. We weren't able to find the same music and sound beds Zac used, so we had to make do with what was at hand, but overall I'm quite pleased with the results. The music is suitably heroic, the dialogue flows naturally, the ambience is suitably understated and the sound effects are...er...effective.
Going back to the BBC Article, the author (authors?) suggests the following for the use of Foley:
"These should be used sparingly and effectively. They can be used functionally, e.g. door opening, or to create a mood, e.g. dogs barking in the distance on waste-land. If used to excess they become tedious and pointless."
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/features/howtowrite/radio_think.shtml)
Basically, what they're saying is that while the use of music and sound effects enhance the production, they shouldn't take the place of good dialogue and story telling. They're the frosting but not the cake, the auditory equivalent of CGI.
It was for this reason I wanted to keep the music to the intro and outro themes, rather than cluttering the episodes with incidental stings or interludes. The important climaxes are indicated by the end themes, kinda like that sting on Doctor Who.
We included a some ambience for the outside scenes and the scene down in the computer lab, though neither are so loud as to draw attention to themselves, and just add to the atmosphere of the world we've created. Sound effects are few and functional. A splash when a character falls into the pool, the cocking of a gun when Drake is threatened and electronic sounds for when the Computer processes information. (The Computer, is a character exclusive to the audio adventures, another role for Tammy, since I dragged her all the way out to Springfield. Plus, she does a really good computer voice.)
Nick will be posting the episodes on the Official Phoenix Radio Facebook page and will likely air them on the station at some point too! That's TREMENDOUSLY exciting, as it means that people will be listening to my work, whether they want to or not. (muahhahaha) I'll probably consider setting up a PodBean account and posting those episodes there too for the general public.
Depending on how the existing episodes are received and availability of myself, the actors and the Springfield Studios, there's a good possibility that more episodes can be made in the future. I know I'm keen and it's certainly something to add to the ol' Resume.
Stay Tuned, Ladies and Gents ;)
Nate.
P.S. I was joking about the Nihilghasts. There's no actual way to kill those things. If you see one, avert your eyes right away and just LEG IT!
Friday, February 28, 2014
And ACTION
Finally, the moment this incarnation of my BCA project has been building up to.
On the 13th of February, I finally recorded the first four episodes of Drake Mandible out at the Springfield Uni Campus.
EXCITE!
I was SUPER fortunate enough to be able to get Marcus Oborn and Tammy Linde to lend their voices for the Adventures of Drake Mandible and my GOODNESS were they the right choices.
All during the recording, they were attentive, professional, fun (without going overboard) and were quick to grasp my vision for the series and perform accordingly. (Would Recommend!) Even Zac, the sound engineering student Nick and Ashley assigned to us was agreeable, helpful and -above all- actually knew what he was doing. Even with me still recovering from the dreaded lurgy, we were still able to pull of a top-notch performance, if I do say so myself.
Recording went pretty smoothly, knocked over in a few hours. Now while we didn't have time for a "live recording" in front of an audience, having all three actors in the booth at the same time really helped everything flow and feel more natural. The ability to bounce off each other really adds to the dynamic between each of the characters, and it's something that I'm excited to explore further.
***
Adapting my stories into script format was an interesting exercise for me. I ramble on a lot when I write and use a lot of what Dr Rebecca Scollen would refer to as "purple language", unnecessarily flowery words. But I think it works in the context of this series, it adds to the over the top flavour giving it a comedic twist. But since I'm limited to two to three pages per script, I learned how to keep each chapter concise, and therefore the attention of the audience. I'm also learning how to compress several chapters of the written story into a single audio episode. Short and snappy, keeps them happy. (Totes just made that up)
Structurally, I try to adhere to the same basic formula: Recap of the climactic event from the previous episode, resolving the situation then setting up the new situation, ending on a new climax then teasing the next episode. It seems to be working so far, so I don't see any reason to change it for now.
A few posts back, I mentioned Steve's observation of me starting to find my own voice and style of writing, and this became more apparent when upon reading my scripts aloud, Marcus and Tammy declared that they were "Nate on a Page." I guess the off-kilter, faux-cheesy the writing reflects my personality well.
I think the humour of the series comes from the mock-serious tone, trying but not quite succeeding in being witty, but still somehow charmingly unusual. Sort of like a man trying to hobnob with the top-nobs at a garden party, but his dinner jacket is three sizes too big and one of his trouser legs is missing. And the man acknowledges his curious appearance with sly winks to the onlookers, even as he carries on behaving as straight-laced as everyone else. And in any case, he enjoys the breeze around his left knee.
Then, of course the tone shifts in "The Interlude" and it's like the skewiff gentlemen flips out and stabs the nearest waiter to death with a toothpick, then sits in the punchbowl and sobs...
Er...yes...I believe this simile has run amok on me.
Stay Tuned, Ladies and Gents ;)
On the 13th of February, I finally recorded the first four episodes of Drake Mandible out at the Springfield Uni Campus.
EXCITE!
I was SUPER fortunate enough to be able to get Marcus Oborn and Tammy Linde to lend their voices for the Adventures of Drake Mandible and my GOODNESS were they the right choices.
All during the recording, they were attentive, professional, fun (without going overboard) and were quick to grasp my vision for the series and perform accordingly. (Would Recommend!) Even Zac, the sound engineering student Nick and Ashley assigned to us was agreeable, helpful and -above all- actually knew what he was doing. Even with me still recovering from the dreaded lurgy, we were still able to pull of a top-notch performance, if I do say so myself.
Recording went pretty smoothly, knocked over in a few hours. Now while we didn't have time for a "live recording" in front of an audience, having all three actors in the booth at the same time really helped everything flow and feel more natural. The ability to bounce off each other really adds to the dynamic between each of the characters, and it's something that I'm excited to explore further.
***
Adapting my stories into script format was an interesting exercise for me. I ramble on a lot when I write and use a lot of what Dr Rebecca Scollen would refer to as "purple language", unnecessarily flowery words. But I think it works in the context of this series, it adds to the over the top flavour giving it a comedic twist. But since I'm limited to two to three pages per script, I learned how to keep each chapter concise, and therefore the attention of the audience. I'm also learning how to compress several chapters of the written story into a single audio episode. Short and snappy, keeps them happy. (Totes just made that up)
Structurally, I try to adhere to the same basic formula: Recap of the climactic event from the previous episode, resolving the situation then setting up the new situation, ending on a new climax then teasing the next episode. It seems to be working so far, so I don't see any reason to change it for now.
A few posts back, I mentioned Steve's observation of me starting to find my own voice and style of writing, and this became more apparent when upon reading my scripts aloud, Marcus and Tammy declared that they were "Nate on a Page." I guess the off-kilter, faux-cheesy the writing reflects my personality well.
I think the humour of the series comes from the mock-serious tone, trying but not quite succeeding in being witty, but still somehow charmingly unusual. Sort of like a man trying to hobnob with the top-nobs at a garden party, but his dinner jacket is three sizes too big and one of his trouser legs is missing. And the man acknowledges his curious appearance with sly winks to the onlookers, even as he carries on behaving as straight-laced as everyone else. And in any case, he enjoys the breeze around his left knee.
Then, of course the tone shifts in "The Interlude" and it's like the skewiff gentlemen flips out and stabs the nearest waiter to death with a toothpick, then sits in the punchbowl and sobs...
Er...yes...I believe this simile has run amok on me.
Stay Tuned, Ladies and Gents ;)
"When we last left our hero..."
...he was a very different character than when we first met him two years ago.
When I created the Character of Drake Mandible, there wasn't a whole lot to him in terms of depth. I adopted a very "what you see is what you get" mentality while writing. Drake is a living embodiment of the action hero archetype: Capable of extraordinary physical feats, gifted with improbable aiming skills and protected with layer upon layer of plot-amour.
Like I said, the purpose behind DM is to put a character in a series of predicaments that they can they easily resolve (or convenient providence) and ALWAYS save the day.
The only character flaws, to speak of are slightly crooked teeth and a slightly worse cook than his younger brother. He only fails when it's comedically appropriate, but never enough to have any serious impact on his life, merely an inconvenience to be sidestepped.
The "Interlude Saga" changes all that. For the first time, we see Drake Mandible in a situation where he is in over his head.
Zagori was Drake's personal trial by fire. Before, he had been fairly easy going and assured of his own competence. The younger Drake was also not above killing, though only anyone he considered a big enough threat to those around them.
This particular scenario pushes all his skills to the limits as he not only fights for his life, but for the life of another man.
And fails.
For the first time, we see that even Drake Mandible doesn't in fact win every time. But while this was the darkest moment in his life, it also heralds a change. A shift of values and beliefs that have shaped him into the man we know today.
Zagori taught Drake both to value human life and to embrace his own.
With the man's considerable, talent, determination and wealth, he could turn his hand to anything and excel at it.
However, the events in his past have influenced him more than he realises, to the point where violence has become second nature to Drake. Unlike Aryal, he is unable to find the peace that allows him to lead a normal life. Instead, he harnesses his knowledge, riches and fighting prowess to use for good, to protect others and punish wrongdoers. He pushes his mind and body to further extremes than ever before until he can exert total control over both. He learns restraint, how to incapacitate without killing. He completely overhauls his armoury so every weapon is non-lethal. He will still fight, but now he has something to fight for.
In previous instalments, Jake has demonstrated similar abilities to his brother, alluding to a violent past, but Jake has been able to achieve a sense of normalcy, opening his own restaurant and preparing to settle down and start a family. Perhaps the reason for Drake's irritation at his brother is due to the fact that he can simply turn off his violent nature and ignore the craving for excitement inherent in all Mandibles, whereas Drake cannot. Or perhaps Jake simply did not go down the same path as his younger brother.
Blake Mandible, the middle sibling, also leads a life of action and adventure, carrying out unsavoury tasks for various governmental bodies. Perhaps she cannot find peace either, and empathizes with her brother, but doesn't want him to stray back down that particular path.
This sibling dynamic is worth exploring in future episodes. I'm also curious as to how it might play out in an audio medium.
Stay Tuned, Ladies and Gents ;)
Nate.
When I created the Character of Drake Mandible, there wasn't a whole lot to him in terms of depth. I adopted a very "what you see is what you get" mentality while writing. Drake is a living embodiment of the action hero archetype: Capable of extraordinary physical feats, gifted with improbable aiming skills and protected with layer upon layer of plot-amour.
Like I said, the purpose behind DM is to put a character in a series of predicaments that they can they easily resolve (or convenient providence) and ALWAYS save the day.
The only character flaws, to speak of are slightly crooked teeth and a slightly worse cook than his younger brother. He only fails when it's comedically appropriate, but never enough to have any serious impact on his life, merely an inconvenience to be sidestepped.
The "Interlude Saga" changes all that. For the first time, we see Drake Mandible in a situation where he is in over his head.
Zagori was Drake's personal trial by fire. Before, he had been fairly easy going and assured of his own competence. The younger Drake was also not above killing, though only anyone he considered a big enough threat to those around them.
This particular scenario pushes all his skills to the limits as he not only fights for his life, but for the life of another man.
And fails.
For the first time, we see that even Drake Mandible doesn't in fact win every time. But while this was the darkest moment in his life, it also heralds a change. A shift of values and beliefs that have shaped him into the man we know today.
Zagori taught Drake both to value human life and to embrace his own.
With the man's considerable, talent, determination and wealth, he could turn his hand to anything and excel at it.
However, the events in his past have influenced him more than he realises, to the point where violence has become second nature to Drake. Unlike Aryal, he is unable to find the peace that allows him to lead a normal life. Instead, he harnesses his knowledge, riches and fighting prowess to use for good, to protect others and punish wrongdoers. He pushes his mind and body to further extremes than ever before until he can exert total control over both. He learns restraint, how to incapacitate without killing. He completely overhauls his armoury so every weapon is non-lethal. He will still fight, but now he has something to fight for.
In previous instalments, Jake has demonstrated similar abilities to his brother, alluding to a violent past, but Jake has been able to achieve a sense of normalcy, opening his own restaurant and preparing to settle down and start a family. Perhaps the reason for Drake's irritation at his brother is due to the fact that he can simply turn off his violent nature and ignore the craving for excitement inherent in all Mandibles, whereas Drake cannot. Or perhaps Jake simply did not go down the same path as his younger brother.
Blake Mandible, the middle sibling, also leads a life of action and adventure, carrying out unsavoury tasks for various governmental bodies. Perhaps she cannot find peace either, and empathizes with her brother, but doesn't want him to stray back down that particular path.
This sibling dynamic is worth exploring in future episodes. I'm also curious as to how it might play out in an audio medium.
Stay Tuned, Ladies and Gents ;)
Nate.
Steve...Steve...Steve
One of the struggles I've had with this project is actually being able to get feedback from my readers (apart from "really good" and "I love it")
A while back, I was lucky enough to get some really good advice from Steve Pirie. Got so much good stuff, I had to split it all into two blog posts. Anyway, more recently, I was able to get some more feedback, having implemented some of his suggestions into my writing. This is his response to the "Interlude Saga."
Sweet, nice one dude.
Definitely feels like a shift in tone compared to the last time I read through. I like this new one, it seems to stand a little closer to what you mentioned your inspiration was before.
Yay me! Of course, I don't want this to be permanent. I may bring it back, but it's not the direction I want to stick with.
Blimey, I can't even remember what that inspiration was, though I'm assuming it's Matthew Reilly. Actually, now I think about it, I seem to have unconsciously mirrored Scarecrow, one of his most popular books. In Reilly's novel, the main character Schofield (much like Drake in Part Five) goes into what they call a Heroic Blue Screen of Death. (7.)
Schofield has managed to defy the odds and come out ahead of the pack in every previous occasion, yet this time he does not and the effect on him is unlike anything seen before in the series. For once, he is powerless and we see his human side, his despair and his vulnerability, we see it with Drake too.
A while back, I was lucky enough to get some really good advice from Steve Pirie. Got so much good stuff, I had to split it all into two blog posts. Anyway, more recently, I was able to get some more feedback, having implemented some of his suggestions into my writing. This is his response to the "Interlude Saga."
Sweet, nice one dude.
Definitely feels like a shift in tone compared to the last time I read through. I like this new one, it seems to stand a little closer to what you mentioned your inspiration was before.
Yay me! Of course, I don't want this to be permanent. I may bring it back, but it's not the direction I want to stick with.
Blimey, I can't even remember what that inspiration was, though I'm assuming it's Matthew Reilly. Actually, now I think about it, I seem to have unconsciously mirrored Scarecrow, one of his most popular books. In Reilly's novel, the main character Schofield (much like Drake in Part Five) goes into what they call a Heroic Blue Screen of Death. (7.)
Schofield has managed to defy the odds and come out ahead of the pack in every previous occasion, yet this time he does not and the effect on him is unlike anything seen before in the series. For once, he is powerless and we see his human side, his despair and his vulnerability, we see it with Drake too.
Drake's scenario is not quite the same, his despair is never so great he tries to take his own life, but he is noticeably affected, and acts completely out of character as a result, even going so far as to attack his faithful butler. Both heroes are plunged into their darkest moment, but with time and the aid of their most trusted allies, manage to recover.
Yes, they things will never be quite the same, but they persevere and survive.
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but you had plans to turn this into something more illustrative, didn't you? Like a graphic novel or radio play? I feel like with the story you are trying to tell, one of these mediums would serve the Drake series better than perhaps a straight novel.
Haha, funny you should mention that. Yep, my intention was never to throw an entire story at everyone in one great bit whack, rather incrementally, to keep them more invested. And while it wasn't my idea (thanks again Maddie) to do so, I am indeed adapting the series into a radio play (well a podcast series to be more accurate) I love podcasts, because they give my brain something to do while my hands are busy with some menial task. That's why it's good for the series to become something that people can listen to whenever, take with them on their iDevice as they run or do the dishes or whatever.
Other than that, I think you've become more comfortable with working toward your own voice, I can tell the story is yours and while that might seem simple, it can take a while to get that together. Nice one!
Again, I'm glad that I'm developing my own style (more on that later) and the DM series is probably the best way to do it. Never have I been this invested in the one creative project.
Until next time
Stay Tuned, Ladies and Gents ;)
Nate.
Yes, they things will never be quite the same, but they persevere and survive.
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but you had plans to turn this into something more illustrative, didn't you? Like a graphic novel or radio play? I feel like with the story you are trying to tell, one of these mediums would serve the Drake series better than perhaps a straight novel.
Haha, funny you should mention that. Yep, my intention was never to throw an entire story at everyone in one great bit whack, rather incrementally, to keep them more invested. And while it wasn't my idea (thanks again Maddie) to do so, I am indeed adapting the series into a radio play (well a podcast series to be more accurate) I love podcasts, because they give my brain something to do while my hands are busy with some menial task. That's why it's good for the series to become something that people can listen to whenever, take with them on their iDevice as they run or do the dishes or whatever.
Other than that, I think you've become more comfortable with working toward your own voice, I can tell the story is yours and while that might seem simple, it can take a while to get that together. Nice one!
Again, I'm glad that I'm developing my own style (more on that later) and the DM series is probably the best way to do it. Never have I been this invested in the one creative project.
Until next time
Stay Tuned, Ladies and Gents ;)
Nate.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)