Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sci-Fi Season
Just to let anyone who's interested know that there's a Science Fiction season on BBC radio (3,4 and 7) for the next couple of weeks. The schedule is here and includes everything from comedy series like Oneira, to classics from HG Wells and Arthur C Clarke and popular series like Blakes 7.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Launch of Sonic Gold
The Sonic Society have decided to launch their brand new audio drama service called Sonic Gold in April 2009. Many of you will (I hope!) already be familiar with Jack and Shannon's Sonic Society podcast which showcases free audio dramas. It is one of the best places to discover new podcast audio dramas as well as keeping listeners entertained with their banter!
The new Sonic Gold service is a subscription podcast which will provide a higher quality of programs and include those which cannot be obtained for free. There will be three shows a month and for only $25 dollars for the year! The first 100 founder members will not only get a discounted price ($20) but also will be able to help pick the first season shows!
To find out more (and to sign up) go to Sonic Gold. Hurry and sign up before the first 100 go!
The new Sonic Gold service is a subscription podcast which will provide a higher quality of programs and include those which cannot be obtained for free. There will be three shows a month and for only $25 dollars for the year! The first 100 founder members will not only get a discounted price ($20) but also will be able to help pick the first season shows!
To find out more (and to sign up) go to Sonic Gold. Hurry and sign up before the first 100 go!
Update
Yes, I know I've gone quiet again - moving house and having no internet connection does that to you. I'm struggling to get a phone line arranged, then hopefully I'll be able to update this more often. In the mean time I was inspired by everyone else to have a go at NaNoWriMo, and actually completed it! Thank you to everyone who inspired and encouraged me - I now have even more respect for everyone who turns out such great stories!
Also thanks to everyone who's been sending me links to their work. It all looks really exciting, though I'm not sure that I'll have time to listen and blog about all of it! If I don't, remember that it doesn't mean I don't like it. Keep up the good work!
Also thanks to everyone who's been sending me links to their work. It all looks really exciting, though I'm not sure that I'll have time to listen and blog about all of it! If I don't, remember that it doesn't mean I don't like it. Keep up the good work!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
More Dirk Gently!
Following on from the dramatisation of Douglas Adams's first Dirk Gently book last year, the second book - The Long, Dark Tea-time of the Soul - is now being dramatised on BBC Radio 4. Harry Enfield (British comedian), Billy Boyd (Pippin from LotR) and Peter Davison (the 5th Doctor) are back as Dirk Gently, Richard McDuff and Simon Draycott who become involved with some Norse gods. I enjoyed the first episode (though I'm afraid it's not online anymore) and am expecting the rest of it to be as good as the first series (which is also available to buy now in shops).
Friday, September 26, 2008
The Library has opened...
Not content with releasing a weekly podcast and producing wonderful audio dramas, Jack and Shannon from the Sonic Society have now started to podcast their writing at The Library of Jack and Shannon. They're starting by reading two novels (one written by each, and narrated by the other), releasing a chapter from both books every week.
Shannon Hilchie's book is Hugo and Alice and is about a man whose normal life is interrupted by some fantastical events - who is Alice and why is the government interested in her? Jack Ward's book is The Signet: Book 1 of the Age of Adventure and is a story about a boy's adventures, including being kidnapped by pirates (three times!) and finding himself in another world.
I can't tell you much more than that since they've only released a few chapters, but I'm really enjoying them both! I'm glad that they decided to go for straight readings without background music or other actors - the style works for some podcast novels, but since these are quite descriptive I think it would have been a distraction. I've listened to a number of podcast novels and these are certainly amongst the best written I've heard, as well as being exciting stories - just the thing to curl up in front of a fire with now the nights are getting shorter. So head over to The Library and check out some episodes!
Shannon Hilchie's book is Hugo and Alice and is about a man whose normal life is interrupted by some fantastical events - who is Alice and why is the government interested in her? Jack Ward's book is The Signet: Book 1 of the Age of Adventure and is a story about a boy's adventures, including being kidnapped by pirates (three times!) and finding himself in another world.
I can't tell you much more than that since they've only released a few chapters, but I'm really enjoying them both! I'm glad that they decided to go for straight readings without background music or other actors - the style works for some podcast novels, but since these are quite descriptive I think it would have been a distraction. I've listened to a number of podcast novels and these are certainly amongst the best written I've heard, as well as being exciting stories - just the thing to curl up in front of a fire with now the nights are getting shorter. So head over to The Library and check out some episodes!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Launch of Echo Fiction
The 'year of audio drama' continued with the launch of Echo Fiction on the first of September. Echo Fiction is a new online store for audio drama created by Xander Davies of Dreamseed productions and their mission is
There are many titles here from amateur and professionals alike, some to buy and download and some for free streaming. Most, if not all, of these titles can be found elsewhere (either from existing podcasts or to buy through other stores), but it's a well designed website which can only raise the profile of audio drama. I particularly like the fact that it includes audio dramas from such a diverse set of production companies ranging from the amateur to the very successful Big Finish (I was very excited at first until I realised that there are only brief audio clips, but I suppose it may bring some of their large audience to the lesser know productions).
The web site also has other features - a forum, blog, casting calls and articles.
"to create a powerful platform for audio drama production companies worldwide to come together, pool their creative talent and their audio entertainment productions for a definitive audio drama online store and creators' resource."
There are many titles here from amateur and professionals alike, some to buy and download and some for free streaming. Most, if not all, of these titles can be found elsewhere (either from existing podcasts or to buy through other stores), but it's a well designed website which can only raise the profile of audio drama. I particularly like the fact that it includes audio dramas from such a diverse set of production companies ranging from the amateur to the very successful Big Finish (I was very excited at first until I realised that there are only brief audio clips, but I suppose it may bring some of their large audience to the lesser know productions).
The web site also has other features - a forum, blog, casting calls and articles.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Award News
While I've been away there's been a lot of activity in the awards sphere. The 2007 Mark Time/Ogle awards for Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Audio Productions were announced in July. The winners are:
Full results can be seen on the site - there's a few here I haven't heard yet and am very much looking forward to hearing. Congrats to all the winners, particularly Christianna Ellis for being up there with more experienced professionals.
The Sonic Society held their first 'Uni Awards' this summer for listeners to vote on their favourite shows of the season. Wormwood won all categories across the board, apart from best stand alone show which was won by Sonic Cinema's Firefly: Wedding Day. Although Wormwood is an amazing show, it is a shame that other productions didn't get a look in.
The winners of the Parsec Awards for Speculative Fiction Podcasting have also just been announced. The audio drama categories were won by Space Casey and Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword for short and long form respectively. I have to say that I thought Billibub Baddings was a full cast audio book rather than a drama, though the lines seem to be becoming increasingly blurred. The best short story went to Scott Sigler's Red Man and Mur Lafferty won best story in both novella and long form for Heaven - Season 4: Wasteland and Playing for Keeps.
Well done to all the winners and participants - it looks like I've got lots of great listening ahead of me!
MARK TIME (Science Fiction) - Space Casey Written and Produced by Christiana Ellis
OGLE AWARDS (Fantasy/Horror) - The Stuff of Myth Produced and Written by Roger Gregg of Crazy Dog Audio Theatre
Full results can be seen on the site - there's a few here I haven't heard yet and am very much looking forward to hearing. Congrats to all the winners, particularly Christianna Ellis for being up there with more experienced professionals.
The Sonic Society held their first 'Uni Awards' this summer for listeners to vote on their favourite shows of the season. Wormwood won all categories across the board, apart from best stand alone show which was won by Sonic Cinema's Firefly: Wedding Day. Although Wormwood is an amazing show, it is a shame that other productions didn't get a look in.
The winners of the Parsec Awards for Speculative Fiction Podcasting have also just been announced. The audio drama categories were won by Space Casey and Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword for short and long form respectively. I have to say that I thought Billibub Baddings was a full cast audio book rather than a drama, though the lines seem to be becoming increasingly blurred. The best short story went to Scott Sigler's Red Man and Mur Lafferty won best story in both novella and long form for Heaven - Season 4: Wasteland and Playing for Keeps.
Well done to all the winners and participants - it looks like I've got lots of great listening ahead of me!
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