Audio Stories
and how they're created
This post won't be as exciting as my last one( I know it was great) but I feel that it is important to many aspects of life and is close to my heart since I love to write and read. Ok, enough about me, on to the stuff you probably don't care about!
According to Ira Glass there are only two building blocks needed to create a story and they are 1) An Anecdote and 2) A Moment of Reflection. These seem pretty simple, right? Well they kinda are. An anecdote is a sequence of actions. Basic definition of any story(not really). An anecdote is a bit more complicated than that, yes I know I said simple but deal with it. Its not just actions that make a story, its also how the actions are done. A good anecdote will build suspense and anticipation for what comes next. It's similar to a train that continuously picks up speed while heading to a final destination. But before you can even get on the train you have to be interested enough to buy a ticket, this is where bait is used. By using the actions you should raise questions and doing so implies that they will be answered later on in the story.
The moment of reflection is similar to a summary, it sums up the whole point of the story efficiently and gives a quick overview of what transpired. The reflection needs to be strong and support the anecdote. Consistency is the key to this, don't ad in extra details that weren't in the story. The building blocks have to work together and should fit like a glove.
Radio Lab is a very popular podcast/radio show that many people listen to. It addresses controversial questions that many avoid because they're not clean cut black and white. The gray area is their specialty. At the start of the whole process the people at Radio Lab pick out a topic to use, most of the time its a complex one that they either know nothing about or don't understand. An example is "Is evil real?", they actually did and episode on this topic and on similar questions that seem philosophical. As they go along they might gain some knowledge on the subject but by the end they've lost it and are as confused as ever.
The podcasts created by these people have some similarities and differences(your probably saying "duh, of course they do, I know that, its common sense) but they each have a distinct "feel" to them. The intro music of Radio Lab is up beat and makes you feel awake and attentive, it causes you to feel like something exciting is coming. This American Life however goes straight into the topic which might catch some people off guard but it has a tone to it that says "hey, listen" (like Navi) that makes you sit up and pay attention. This American life occasionally uses background music but subtly which has a kind of vintage feel to it while Radio Lab has music playing in the background that sets the mood according to the topic of discussion. Radio lab utilizes sound effects really well and uses it to enhance the story while on the other hand This American Life sticks to the beaten road and tends to stay away from them.
Location sound is a neat thing if applied properly and both shows use it effectively. Radio Lab uses timing very well so that there are periods of silence where you have a moment to reflect on what you heard where as This American Life flows just like reading a book. While there are pauses they are slight and only last long enough to move to the next subject. Overall both shows are amazing and deserve as much attention as possible but are each unique in their own way.
Radio Lab is very modern and it wears that like a second skin but still has that appeal of times gone by where you could just sit and listen to the radio without a care in the world. They tell there stories almost like a debate/conference where everyone gets to talk and contribute but at the same time it seems like they're a family discussing their day over dinner. This American Life is vintage, as stated before and they use that to make you feel like your at home listening to what happened recently and it makes you think about run of the mill topics in a different light. In a way it reminds me of a newspaper as funny as that may seem. These two shows are extremely different but makes you feel like your part of the discussion even when your sitting at home in your favorite chair.