Fine Line is part of Westlake Films - a group of production companys producing fan made video and audio, including many based on Doctor Who. Fine Line have (according to the website) been producing Doctor Who audios since 1991, and have nine stories on the website. It's unclear whether these are still being made, but I hope so!
The thing which really appeals to me about these dramas is the writing - the plots are well thought out and original, and the 1-2 hour format allows time for some character development and plot twists. The writers don't try to place the series in a particular place in the 'Doctor Who time line', or try to write for a specific Doctor (which in my mind is pretty sensible), though there is continuity through the stories and a story arc over episodes 3-7. The acting is decent, though some actors are better than others. The one big problem with the earlier stories is that the sound quality is rather bad making them difficult to listen to, and there is some bad editing (missing or repeated bits). This does improve substantially through the series though, with the most recent episode (Madhouse) having very good sound quality and spooky sound effects to add to the haunted house atmosphere.
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Monday, November 19, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Review: Firefly, Old Wounds
Aah, Firefly. Amazing show, tragic cancellation, grrr Fox!
Ok, now that's out of the way, let's discuss the audio drama Firefly: Old Wounds. This drama takes place between the TV series and the film Serenity, and involves all the main characters from the TV series plus two new main characters. It was produced by sonic cinema and has six episodes, each of which also has interviews with the actors and writers.
I've been intending to review this show for ages but wanted to re-listen to it first so have only now got around to it. Now I should admit that I'm a HUGE Firefly fan, but putting that aside I still think this is an amazing production. Having 11 main characters could be very difficult for the listener, but the writers and actors do a great job in capturing the different characters voices, idioms and speech patterns which helps a lot. (If you haven't seen the TV show though it might be difficult to follow the different characters - in which case you should go and watch it!) The sound production is also good (though some of Jayne's lines are rather muffled) and there's some interesting plot lines. Firefly is a show which should adapt well to audio since it is very character and dialogue driven, and the writers do a great job at capturing the atmosphere and dialogue of the original. My one quibble is that I'd have preferred one less additional character in order to have more time for the original characters. Oh, and I nearly forgot the wonderful original theme song! Definitely check this out if you haven't already done so.
And maybe one day there'll be another audio drama, or even TV series! I'm always hopeful...
Ok, now that's out of the way, let's discuss the audio drama Firefly: Old Wounds. This drama takes place between the TV series and the film Serenity, and involves all the main characters from the TV series plus two new main characters. It was produced by sonic cinema and has six episodes, each of which also has interviews with the actors and writers.
I've been intending to review this show for ages but wanted to re-listen to it first so have only now got around to it. Now I should admit that I'm a HUGE Firefly fan, but putting that aside I still think this is an amazing production. Having 11 main characters could be very difficult for the listener, but the writers and actors do a great job in capturing the different characters voices, idioms and speech patterns which helps a lot. (If you haven't seen the TV show though it might be difficult to follow the different characters - in which case you should go and watch it!) The sound production is also good (though some of Jayne's lines are rather muffled) and there's some interesting plot lines. Firefly is a show which should adapt well to audio since it is very character and dialogue driven, and the writers do a great job at capturing the atmosphere and dialogue of the original. My one quibble is that I'd have preferred one less additional character in order to have more time for the original characters. Oh, and I nearly forgot the wonderful original theme song! Definitely check this out if you haven't already done so.
And maybe one day there'll be another audio drama, or even TV series! I'm always hopeful...
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Review: Wormwood
Wormwood is a mystery/horror/supernatural serial (in the line of Twin Peaks) set in the small town of Wormwood. The premise is best summed up by their description:
I've had this series on my ipod for a while now but hadn't started listening until recently - partly because I was listening to other things, and partly because I prefer to listen to multiple episodes at once (otherwise I can lose the thread!) Anyway I listened to the first 9 episodes in under 24 hours - it really sucks you in.
The writing is good, with some great characters (especially Xander Crowe), and a good amount of comedy to lighten the rather dark sections (and some parts are very creepy!) I did have a little trouble following some sections, partly because there are a lot of characters (I recommend having a look at Wormwood characters), but also because there are many plot lines. The sound is also a little variable, but hopefully this will be sorted out in future. Anyway I'd definitely recommend this - they're putting out an episode each week and are planning on a 24 episode series, with three series planned. Very ambitious, but hopefully they can pull it off!
"When a strange vision of murder sends him to a small town to investigate, Dr. Xander Crowe discovers that Wormwood is no ordinary town. Secrets lurk within every resident, from the innkeeper to the town librarian to the waitress at the diner. The seemingly idyllic surface of the town hides a mystery unlike anything he’s ever experienced. Navigating through this tiny, isolated town in the foothills of Northern California, Crowe finds himself drawn into a web of dark conspiracy, strange romance, and arcane mysticism. And now, as Crowe begins to unravel the mystery at the heart of Wormwood, he finds that his very presence there may not be a coincidence at all…"
I've had this series on my ipod for a while now but hadn't started listening until recently - partly because I was listening to other things, and partly because I prefer to listen to multiple episodes at once (otherwise I can lose the thread!) Anyway I listened to the first 9 episodes in under 24 hours - it really sucks you in.
The writing is good, with some great characters (especially Xander Crowe), and a good amount of comedy to lighten the rather dark sections (and some parts are very creepy!) I did have a little trouble following some sections, partly because there are a lot of characters (I recommend having a look at Wormwood characters), but also because there are many plot lines. The sound is also a little variable, but hopefully this will be sorted out in future. Anyway I'd definitely recommend this - they're putting out an episode each week and are planning on a 24 episode series, with three series planned. Very ambitious, but hopefully they can pull it off!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Review: Indiana Jones and the Well of Life
Indiana Jones and the Well of Life is a production of Pendant Audio and (surprisingly!) involves Indiana Jones' search for the well of life. The drama follows a similar structure to the films and lasts about 2 hours in total, which is a nice length for listening to the whole thing.
The production quality is excellent, with great acting and sound effects (and even a Sean Connery impersonator!). The writing is also very good - I have to say that I thought it was impossible to write good action sequences for audio before this, however, although there are some bits where I wasn't sure what was happening or who was involved, mostly it all worked well. The writer certainly knows how to write for audio! Good fun and definitely recommended!
The production quality is excellent, with great acting and sound effects (and even a Sean Connery impersonator!). The writing is also very good - I have to say that I thought it was impossible to write good action sequences for audio before this, however, although there are some bits where I wasn't sure what was happening or who was involved, mostly it all worked well. The writer certainly knows how to write for audio! Good fun and definitely recommended!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Review: Arbiter Chronicles
The Arbiter Chronicles is the main output of Prometheus Radio Theatre. It's a sci-fi series similar to Star Trek: a navy spaceship patrols the galaxy encountering aliens and having adventures. The crew are a group of misfits from various planets and some are descendents of genetically altered humans (which adds some colour). There are currently 14 stories over approx. 50 podcasts, however they are not podcast in order (series 2 is before series 1 - the first episode starts on 11/24/06). The stories are pretty much self contained so this doesn't matter too much, though starting with the first story helps with working out who's who. This website gives more information on the story, episodes and characters.
The stories are generally interesting and well written with some good comic moments and plotting. The characters are a bit familiar from other sci-fi series, however this doesn't stop it from being enjoyable. I did have problems sometimes following who was who - this is partly due to cast members with similar voices, though more pointers from the writer would be useful and would help in identifying with individual characters. The acting is variable (some actors are better than others), as is the sound. Some of the stories were recorded in front of an audience and in some cases certain characters are difficult to hear. Overall I've enjoyed what I've heard, and will be listening to other stories in this series - check it out if you like sci-fi.
The stories are generally interesting and well written with some good comic moments and plotting. The characters are a bit familiar from other sci-fi series, however this doesn't stop it from being enjoyable. I did have problems sometimes following who was who - this is partly due to cast members with similar voices, though more pointers from the writer would be useful and would help in identifying with individual characters. The acting is variable (some actors are better than others), as is the sound. Some of the stories were recorded in front of an audience and in some cases certain characters are difficult to hear. Overall I've enjoyed what I've heard, and will be listening to other stories in this series - check it out if you like sci-fi.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Review: The Failed Cities Monologues
Well, I'm very glad I decided to review the Parsec Awards finalists, since I probably wouldn't have listened to this podcast otherwise. This isn't the sort of story I'd normally go for, and I generally prefer drama to fiction readings, because they're more immediate and the story goes quicker! (yeh, I know - my attention span seems to be getting shorter as I get older!) Having said that, I have to say that I really enjoyed this production and will definitely be checking out other writing by this author.
The Failed Cities Monologues are "set in the dystopian future of an American metropolis divided, and told through the shifting perspectives of the characters who reside there. Eight lives. Two cities. One story." Each episode is told from the perspective of one of the characters and narrated by a different actor, with the parts fitting together to form a thriller about conspiracies and gang violence set in the future.
It is very well written with some interesting characters, although the format means that it takes a while to introduce all the characters and get into the story. The actors reading the parts are all very good (apart from Sally's appalling 'Cockney' accent) - the actors who play Sterne, Fera and Klimenko are particularly good. The use of music is good - each character has different background music which adds atmosphere, but isn't too intrusive (a pet hate of mine in audio dramas!) - as is the general sound quality.
The fomat is an ideal one for audio fiction - different characters acted by different people, but without the technical and practical difficulties of working with large crew. My one issue with this as a Parsec Award finalist is that I'm not sure it shouldn't be in the fiction story section rather than the audio drama section: my main argument is that it could easily be distributed as a book without any changes (although the actors and sound effects definitely add a lot). I do think it's a great production though and I highly recommend it!
The Failed Cities Monologues are "set in the dystopian future of an American metropolis divided, and told through the shifting perspectives of the characters who reside there. Eight lives. Two cities. One story." Each episode is told from the perspective of one of the characters and narrated by a different actor, with the parts fitting together to form a thriller about conspiracies and gang violence set in the future.
It is very well written with some interesting characters, although the format means that it takes a while to introduce all the characters and get into the story. The actors reading the parts are all very good (apart from Sally's appalling 'Cockney' accent) - the actors who play Sterne, Fera and Klimenko are particularly good. The use of music is good - each character has different background music which adds atmosphere, but isn't too intrusive (a pet hate of mine in audio dramas!) - as is the general sound quality.
The fomat is an ideal one for audio fiction - different characters acted by different people, but without the technical and practical difficulties of working with large crew. My one issue with this as a Parsec Award finalist is that I'm not sure it shouldn't be in the fiction story section rather than the audio drama section: my main argument is that it could easily be distributed as a book without any changes (although the actors and sound effects definitely add a lot). I do think it's a great production though and I highly recommend it!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Review: Second Shift
In the podcast audio drama Second Shift, three college students from Boston find themselves magically transported to another world. Season 1 deals with them learning about this new world, and the friends they meet while searching for a way home. The story is now onto season 2 (which is currently being podcast) but I won't tell you anything about it so as not to spoil season 1!
Although the premise of an alternate world with magic is certainly not original, the writers try to avoid cliches and concentrate on characterisation and realism. There are no 'dark lords' to defeat or dragons to slay, instead this is more about a group of young people trying to find their places in the world(s).
The acting is generally pretty good and the accents work well (it's impressive they manage to keep them consistent!). The sound quality is also decent, though there are a few rough edges in the first few episodes.
I've been listening to this show for a while and it's definitely one of my favourites - highly recommended!
Although the premise of an alternate world with magic is certainly not original, the writers try to avoid cliches and concentrate on characterisation and realism. There are no 'dark lords' to defeat or dragons to slay, instead this is more about a group of young people trying to find their places in the world(s).
The acting is generally pretty good and the accents work well (it's impressive they manage to keep them consistent!). The sound quality is also decent, though there are a few rough edges in the first few episodes.
I've been listening to this show for a while and it's definitely one of my favourites - highly recommended!
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