FREE Online Audio Fiction Course April-May 2020
Join Dagaz Media co-founder Fred Greenhalgh for a FREE five week online workshop with a crash-course on radio history, the modern audio fiction scene, and a survey of the entire process of making online audio fiction.
Due to overwhelming response, we’ve closed submissions for this course (we want to keep the quality of the experience high for all involved).
We are SO thrilled about the level of interest and hope to offer this program again, and again, and again…
Below is a syllabus outlining material covered in the course… I would love to offer it again, so if you are interested in taking it, or hiring me to offer it for your students. Drop me a line! fred [at] finalrune.com
Thanks again for your interest!
WHY AUDIO FICTION?
With live theater, film, and other performance arts suddenly hitting PAUSE in the wake of Covid-19, audio fiction — already a thriving online scene of vast creativity — presents a great opportunity for creators to get their stories out, achieve voice acting credits, and learn the principles of editing, sound design, and scoring.
Fred Greenhalgh, founder of Radio Drama Revival and seasoned audio fiction creator (credits include LOCKE & KEY, THE X-FILES, and EXPEDITIONARY FORCE: HOMEFRONT) will teach this online crash course to empower all participants to create their own online audio fiction, connect with the online community, and pursue further opportunities (writing, acting, post-production) if they are so inclined.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO COVER IN THIS COURSE?!
Exact curriculum to vary based on experience level and interest of the participants. ALSO the exact time of day (but not dates) subject to change based on popular request.
Here’s what we’re thinking:
WEEK ONE: SO YOU WANNA MAKE A RADIO DRAMA?
- Fri, April 17 – 10am-12pm EST – General overview, radio history, course goals
General lecture/intro on radio history / lay of the land with audio fiction.
Participants will receive their group assignments and be presented with 4 writing prompts.
ASSIGNMENTS: Each participant will be assigned to their team and challenged to develop an idea for a 5-10 minute radio script with your group. (Celtx software — free — preferred, we’ll show how to use it).
Each team will have to figure out group dynamic, whether to have a single writer, team of writer, group writing team, etc. This is an active workshop be prepared to have a solid concept (and hey a draft script if you can pull it off!) by Week Two.
WEEK TWO: PRE-PRODUCTION AND RECORDING
- Fri, April 24 – 10am-12pm EST – Scriptwriting, casting, recording
Discussion of script concepts, feedback, tips on writing and what to look for in casting. what works well, and not as well, in audio and suggest tweaks). Discuss how to cast a show and get into voice acting, both the hard practical of how to record technically as well as the creative process. Will show basic recording in Non Linear Editing (NLE) systems this week.
ASSIGNMENTS: Teams will complete their script this week and cast for it, either amongst their group or by conducting an audition. Teams should be thinking about who they want to have spearhead the editing process and getting that person(s) kitted up to do so. Any teams who are ready to have actors record should do that!
WEEK THREE: YOU HAVE SOUND! NOW WHAT?!
- Fri, May 1 – 10am-12pm EST – Editing recap, sound design and music
We’ll listen to some of the recorded parts from last week from any brave production teams, and then do a deep dive of the editing process. Will probably show off Adobe Audition and maybe Reaper too, depending on the most common programs used by the class.
ASSIGNMENTS: Get all parts recorded and start editing. Bonus points for any team that gets something with a beginning, middle, and end by the start of Week Four!!!
WEEK FOUR: LIVEN IT UP! SOUND DESIGN AND MUSIC
- Fri, May 8 – 10am-12pm EST – Recording re-cap and Editing 101
We’ll assess where we’re at, hopefully a team or two has a fully edited product by this point. We can go over the finer points of dialogue editing and then do a crash course in sound design and music editing/composition.
ASSIGNMENTS: Keep working on your show, with the goal of getting a final draft with sound design and music.
WEEK FIVE: SEND YOUR BABY OUT TO THE WORLD!
- Fri, May 15 – 10am-12pm EST – Getting finished product out there
We’ll listen to work samples of any teams with final drafts of their shows. Then we’ll get into the nuts and bolts of how to publish a show and distribute it to the world.
ASSIGNMENTS: Publish your show somewhere! Make some new friends with online audio fiction community members!
Added: Due to overwhelming response, we’ve closed submissions for this course (we want to keep the quality of the experience high for all involved).
We might do a recap webinar or virtual pub ~2 weeks after this final session to see how we’re all doing! Added: We are SO thrilled about the level of interest and hope to offer this program again, and again, and again…
Future Sessions
Students who self-select with specialty in VO, sound design, music, etc. may be on invite list for future more advanced workshops on those specialties.