I think an interesting audio story needs to paint a picture of sorts. Since there is obviously no video to accompany audio story, I feel like the audio landscape of the audio stories need to help create one in the listeners mind. In the podcasts we listened to in class, I found the most interesting to be those that created an atmosphere. For example, those that had sound effects, such as cars honking for a cityscape or a slight breeze for nature. I also found that the best podcasts had a very human element to them. For me, I needed to hear interviews from people, real people, not some kind of staged, pre-written narration. This helped me connect much better with the audio stories. For me, stories that were strictly narration or ones that used music as a crutch seemed a bit tacky to me.
http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blog/2011/nov/28/death-mask/
I really liked this podcast. First of all, it was a very interesting story. Like, who knew that this death mask became the mold for CPR dummies?! It's just fascinating. Not only that, the podcast was very well made. I loved the playful banter between the DJs, because it gave the "human" aspect to the podcasts I mentioned. It was also very interesting to hear the interview of the grandson of the man who had the death mask. There were plenty of interviews and background sound effects that definitely immersed me in the podcast. It definitely painted the visual landscape for me, as I mentioned. I also think the creators' use of music in the film was very well implemented. It didn't seem too over-the-top, it actually added to the experience. It was also interesting to hear the DJs finish each others' sentences. This podcast certainly kept my attention, and that is what I'd expect in a podcast.
I feel the same way about the podcasts. I had a hard time taking seriously the ones that were purely narration. I liked the ones with interviews and real sound effects much better. It's like you said, it paints a better picture in the mind of the listener, which I think is necessary in a good audio story.
ReplyDeleteI also really like the music, the sound effects and the interviews. They are also so beautiful mixed together. Also, it helps that they story is so interesting. It makes sense that they would need someone’s face and it makes sense that they would use a death mask, but I admit I needed to listen to the radio presentation before it made sense. I love it and good observations.
ReplyDeleteI love what you said about creating atmosphere. I think that's really true and a good way to make an audio story more interesting. It's amazing how much you can do with sound alone. You can make people envision the setting and the surroundings without ever having to show them anything. It reminds me of old radio shows where people would listen and envision the story going on in their head. That's a really interesting way to tell a story that is kind of getting lost in modern culture.
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