Audio lecture

1. Audio
Abigail Long

2. Story
Hyperacusis (or hyperacousis) is a highly debilitating hearing
disorder characterized by an increased sensitivity to certain
frequencies and volume ranges of sound (a collapsed
tolerance to usual environmental sound). A person with
severe hyperacusis has difficulty tolerating everyday sounds,
which become painful or loud.
The O. J. Simpson murder case was a criminal trial held, in
which former NFL)player, broadcaster, and actor O.J
Simpson was tried on two counts of murder for the June 12,
1994, deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her
friend, Ron Goldman. On the morning of June 13, 1994, they
were found stabbed to death outside Brown's home in LA.

3. Existing Products Research
• Scp audio logs
– Short logs about SCP creatures. Can be from around 4 minutes
to 1 hour. Documentary style. Starts with an introduction and
ends with an outro. Has a stationary tone in the background.
The voice is male and speaks in a professional air when reading
the files, but for the introduction and outro, sounds more
friendly. The music in the background is a simple melody that
sets the mood and the audio is at a volume that sounds
professional and well recorded. Graphic, well told stories with
interesting descriptions. Has redacted sections to add an air of
mystery and is all around ominous in its calm descriptions of
abnormal things. The audio log is accompanied with text so you
can easily read it along. The person reading the audio is playing
a character named Dr. Miller.

4. Existing Products Research
• Welcome to Night Vale
– A series presented as a news radio station broadcasting to a town
named Night Vale. Normally between 20 and 30 minutes. They’re
enrapturing and mysterious, making you want to listen to more. As
more goes on, you only unveil more mysteries, and gain a sense of
familiarity as you learn about the townspeople and their daily goings.
Starts with a regular introduction and It always ends in a song, which is
present as the weather. There are recurring themes and jokes, such as
the dog park and the sheriff's secret police. The voice actor is
incredible, a deep and soothing tone that makes everything he talks
about seem completely natural, while also being slightly ominous.
Since the tone is so smooth and calm, you can easily tell what he’s
saying. There’s quiet music in the background at the start, but most of
the time there’s very little outgoing input. The intro music is always
the same. The news stories are all interesting to listen to. The audio
podcast is based around a set of books. The man voicing the audio is
playing a character named Cecil Baldwin.

5. Existing Products Research
– MrCreepyPasta
A YouTuber who reads over horror stories- some short,
but most an hour or two, along with sounds and other
things to make the experience more immersive.
Sometimes he uses other actors to read the voice lines,
but each of them are professionals and they have
soothing voices so the content is easy to listen to. Using
music in the background also helps to make the
experience less boring, as just listening to someone talk
for a few hours can get boring. The video moves slightly
but not too much, making it interesting to look at but
not distracting from the audio.

6. Bibliography
1. https://www.youtube.com/user/TheVolgun
2. https://www.youtube.com/user/Welcometo
NightVale
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFKxqIZ
CsVY

7. Planning

8. Idea Generation/Initial Reaction
• A ghost who doesn’t know she’s dead.
• A zombie that’s really smart and befriends its
victims before it tears them apart.
• A man hears whispers/ringing and goes crazy
• A vampire who goes on holiday to Sweden so
he can be outside all the time.
• A siren and the story of how she lured in a
sailor.

9. Proposal
Working Title:
Ringing
What is it called? This can change if you think of something better later
Audience:
Male because males generally like horror, 18-25 as younger generations tend to want
adrenaline, which can be found with horror, Needs driven as they’re the most likely to indulge in
purely selfish purposes. D, as they have money to buy the audio.
Who is your audience? Be very detailed; age, gender, social status, psychographic etc. Use the
Audience Classifications PowerPoint on Blackboard to help you develop this section.
Why would your project appeal to this person? Discuss each audience element in relation to
content (why would your product appeal to the age group? Why would your product appeal to
the gender? Etc.)
Project Concept (approx. 200 words)
A short horror audio story, featuring a young couple. The man starts off normal, however the
longer the audio goes on the stranger he acts. Until he kills his wife. It’s set out like a therapy
recording, with buzzing noises in the background as a mysterious catalyst that made him act that
way.
What is the concept for your project and what are you going to make?
What research did you need to conduct and how will it help you make your project

10. Script• Can’t You Hear It Too
•
• Written by
• Abigail Long
•
• Audio Production.
•
• EXT. DESK – NIGHT.
• No visuals present.
•
• Narrator
• The following you’re about to hear is a recorded session between patient Jason Killren and Doctor Bernsear. Both patient and
doctor’s names and anyone else’s related to the case have been changed to protect their identity.
•
Tape starting noise
• Ringing noise begins - Stays throughout entire audio clip.
• EXT. THERAPY OFFICE – DAY.
•
Jason
• I can’t… I won’t remember. Don’t want to.
• Doctor
• Jason, please we need to know.
• Jason
• I can still hear it ringing. It’s too much, too much.
• Doctor
• Jason, if you ever want to get better, you have to tell us.
• Jason
• It’s still ringing.
• Doctor
• Why did you kill your wife?
• Transition
• EXT. JASON’S HOUSE – DAY.

11. • Jason
• Honey, I’m home!
• Emma
• Welcome back darling, how was your day at work?
• Jason
• Oh, it was alright. There was a slight incident though.
• Emma
• Incident?
• Jason
• I was helping to move a wardrobe across the warehouse when the other guy’s drop slipped, and the wardrobe
came crashing down on me.
• Emma
• Are you ok? Do you need to go to the hospital?
• Jason
• No, I’m ok. Surprisingly, I didn’t have any major injuries. I do have a headache though. My ears are still ringing
*chuckles*
• Emma
• I made your favourite for dinner!
• Jason
• I knew I married a saint.
• Transition
• Dinner sounds
• Text message sound
• Emma laughing sound
• Jason
• What are you laughing at?
•
• Texting sound
• Emma
• It’s just Dave, he locked himself out of his apartment again
•
• Beginning of whispers
• Jason

12. • How did he manage to do that?
• Emma
• Well, he said that he left his keys at the office, and when he tried to back the place is locked. I swear he can
be so unorganised sometimes. Good thing I have a spare key! Is it alright if I quickly stop over at his?
• Voice fades out while she’s speaking.
• Whispers grow louder and start talking over Emma.
• Emma
• Jason? JASON?
• Whispers stop
• Jason
• Huh?
• Emma
• Are you sure you’re ok? You kind of spaced out for a moment.
• Jason
• Sorry, I guess I’m still a little out of it. I’m ok now. What were you saying?
• Emma
• I’m going to drop the keys off at Dave’s. I just wanted to let you know.
• Whispers start.
• Whispers stop.
• Jason
• What if… What if I came with you?
• Emma laughs.
• Emma
• It’s only a ten-minute drive, you don’t need to do that.
• Jason
• I know but, I just realised I’ve never actually met Dave, and after all the work stories, I’m kind of eager to
meet the man behind the legend!
• Emma
• Really? Well, ok! I’d love you to meet him, he’s basically my best friend.

13. • Transition.
• EXT. DAVE’S HOUSE - DAY.
• Car driving.
• Car stops.
• Emma
• Wait here a second, I’m just going to go take him the keys and then tell him you’re here.
• Car door opens.
• Car door closes.
• Whispers start.
• Whispers stop.
• Footstep noises.
• Emma
• Honestly, you’re so disorganised, one day you’re going to lose your head.
• Throat clearing.
• Emma
• Hey honey! I was about to come get you.
• Dave
• Hey! You must be Jason; Emma has told me so much about you! I’m Dave, nice to meet you.
• Jason
• It’s nice to meet you too.
• Dave
• Why don’t you both come in, I’ll make you a cup of tea, on the house.
• Door opens.
• Emma
• Dave, you’re an angel in disguise!
• Dave
• Shh, don’t let out my secret!
• Footsteps.
• Door closes.
• Dave

14. • you guys make yourselves at home, I’ll put the kettle on.
• Jason
• I can help make the tea.
• Emma laughs.
• Emma
• Look at my boys, already getting along!
• Transition.
• Kettle boiling.
• Dave
• So, how did you meet Emma?
• Drawer opens.
• Whispers start.
• Repeating dialogue.
• Emma
• One day you’ll lose your head!
• Jason
• Maybe he should.
• Ringing noise gets louder.
• Muffled and faint dialogue.
• Dave
• What are you doing?
• Slice noise.
• Falling noise.
• Rolling noise.
• Ringing quietens.
• Whispers stop.
• Repeating dialogue.
• Jason
• Oh god!
• Emma
• What’s taking so-
• Cuts off.

15. • Screams.
• Jason
• I couldn’t… I didn’t…
• Emma in distress
• Why did you kill him? WHY?
• Hyperventilating.
• Repeated dialogue.
• Jason
• I don’t know
• Emma
• It’s ok, j-just put down the knife, alright? Hand it to me, slowly… we’ll tell the police, and they can help you.
• Jason
• I-
• Cuts off.
• Whispers start.
• Repeated dialogue.
• Stammering.
• Jason
• No please, she’s my wife. I love her!
• Ringing gets louder.
• Stab sound.
• Gasp.
• Falling sound.
• Clatter.
• Falling sound.
• Jason
• Emma? EMMA!
•
• Ringing gets louder.
• Transition.
• Silence.
• EXT. THERAPIST OFFICE – DAY.

16. • Crying.
• Jason
• I still remember the feeling of her blood on my hands, and the look in her eyes.
• Doctor
• Jason, I’d like you to close your eyes.
• Voice becomes quieter.
• Doctor
• Can you hear the ringing now?
• Ringing noise gets louder.
• Jason
• Yes.
• Doctor
• Is it saying anything to you?
• Whispers start.
• Jason
• Yes.
• Doctor
• Tell me, Jason. What is it saying?
• Jason
• Can’t you hear it too?
• Ringing gets louder.
• Tape ends.
• Ringing gets quieter.
• Narrator
• This is where the session ends. A week after, the patient was found hanging in his room, with a note scratched on
the walls which read “Soon you will hear it too.” The note has since been removed. 4 days afterwards, we explored
the house of Doctor Bernsear, as he hadn’t shown up to work for 6 days. He was found in the living room, clutching
a bloody knife, surrounded by the bodies of his dead family, which he admitted to killing. He is now under
quarantine. Under no circumstances should you try to engage him in conversation. Further studies will be
conducted at a later date.
• Loud ringing.
• End.

17. Sound Effects
Sound Effect Needed How I Will Create the Sound
Tape starting Start the audio and creak a door open
Ringing Record a phone
Transition A swishing noise
Dinner Move a fork around a plate
Texting Record a texting noise on phone
Whispers Multiple overlapping voices whispering
Car Various bangs and scrapes
Footsteps Walk on gravel/Carpet
Door Close door
Drawer Open and close drawer
Kettle Shake water around and make bubbles
Slice Slice a lettuce
Falling Drop lettuce
Rolling Roll lettuce
Hyperventilating Bike pump

18. Sound Effects
• Stab- Stab Lettuce
• Clatter- Drop spoon
• Loud Falling- Drop planks of wood

19. Resource List
Resource Owned/Cost What sound effect will it be
used for?
Knife Owned at
home
Knife sounds
Lettuce £1.00 from
shops
Stabbing sounds
Cutlery Owned at
home
Clutter sounds
Wood Available via
work
Fall sounds

20. Music
Band Name Track Name Link
Kevin Mccloud Welcome to Horrorland https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/ge
nres/genre/horror/
Kevin Mccloud Hush https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/ge
nres/genre/horror/
Kevin Mccloud Come play with me https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/ge
nres/genre/horror/

21. Production

22. Daily Reflection Day 1
• Today I re-wrote the script and asked around
for voices I could use in my project. I mainly
stuck to word, but I did use google to show me
how to set out the script.

23. Daily Reflection Day 2
• Today I recorded the audio, using different
takes. I gave the actors a script each and we
went over it multiple times with different
afflictions so I later had multiple options to
choose from.

24. Daily Reflection Day 3
• Today I gathered all of my audio that I needed.
I recorded the sound effects I needed either
by finding sounds online or making them
myself, and the majority of the music was
found online too, mostly on YouTube.

25. Daily Reflection Day 4
• Today I edited the audio together on
premiere. Cutting it all to perfection was
difficult but I managed to get everything into a
proper order, including sound effects and
music.

26. Sound Effects
Sound Effect Needed Link
Knife sounds
Chopping
Screaming
Buzzing
Ticking
Footsteps
Banging
Falling

27. Evaluation

28. Research
• Strengths: I learned how most audio dramas are written, directed and spoken, and
what kinds of sounds they use to make the audio product more realistic.
• How it helped: I learned what sounds are most used and how to properly get across
the tone of the audio drama.
• Weaknesses: Listening to some audio dramas was more of a chore than others in
them, and I wasn’t completely interested, thus didn’t pay as much attention as I
should have.
• How I would’ve improved: I would’ve listened to more audio dramas and paid more
attention, as well as having more variety.
• Effects on my product: A more expansive list of sound effects and types of music.
• Things I researched: Audio Dramas, Foley, Hyperacusis (More explanation below)
Hyperacusis (or hyperacousis) is a highly debilitating hearing disorder characterized by
an increased sensitivity to certain frequencies and volume ranges of sound (a
collapsed tolerance to usual environmental sound). A person with severe hyperacusis
has difficulty tolerating everyday sounds, which become painful or loud.

29. Planning
• Strengths: I wrote my script, thought up of all the voices needed and any
sound effects I would use.
• How it helped: Planning helps me feel more organised and gives me a set
schedule for every part of my project.
• Weaknesses: I’m not very good at coming up with plans, and less good at
sticking to them. And if anything happens to go awry I’ll find myself
trapped on that section instead of moving on to another section and
coming back later.
• Improvements: Follow my plan more efficiently and give myself more
space to breathe so there’s less chance of getting stuck on a certain part.
• Effect on product: My product would have flowed more openly and I
would’ve worked faster, and got my project done earlier.

30. Time Management
• I didn’t manage my time too well for this project. I kept falling behind and
only barely got the project finished in time.
• Although my project got completed in time, it definitely wasn’t to a high
standard of work.
• If I had more time I would’ve made the editing smoother and used
different voice actors, as it didn’t sound as professional as I’d like it. I’d add
more sounds too, as it felt a little empty other than the occasional noise.

31. Technical Qualities
GHOST STORY
Welcome to Nightvale is
longer than my audio-
most episodes being at
least 20 minutes, whereas
mine is just 3 minutes.
The voice of Nightvale
(Cecil Baldwin) is
perfect. He sounds like a
real radio host. His voice
is deep and pleasant to
listen to, whereas the
voices I used weren’t as
professional and weren’t
as soothing to listen to.
While welcome to
Night Vale isn’t exactly
horror, the
strangeness and
absurdity of
everything makes it
interesting to listen to.
The way the
information is passed
along so casually is
even stranger, making
it unsettling in a way
that’s difficult to
explain.

32. Aural Qualities
I personally don’t like the sound of my audio. It may not to be of my specific tastes,
but I think a less biased audience could appreciate the project more than I can.
I think the concept of my audio was a good one- if poorly executed. The idea had a
unique spin and I enjoyed writing the script.
There weren’t really any strong highlights for me, but the voice acting would probably
be the main thing, as we put as much effort into making the script sound interesting
as we could.
There’s a lot I could change, mainly the delivery of the script and the sounds I ended
up using.
I’d perhaps ask people that are more experienced when it comes to voice acting.
Strengths:
The audio itself is a good length. It’s not too long and it doesn’t stretch out
unnecessarily.
Weaknesses:
The voice acting could’ve been better done or said with more conviction to get people
more immersed in the story.
The sound effects could’ve been better, or I could’ve collected a wider range.
The pace was too slow, I could’ve edited it to move more seamlessly between
dialogue.

33. Audience Appeal
The content will appeal to Males, as it’s the horror genre and males are more
susceptible and willing to enjoy things with darker and more gritty tones.
The audience will be in their 20’s-30’s, as younger audiences enjoy darker things
more than older audiences, but if the audience is too young it’s likely they’ll
avoid that kind of content.
The psychographic of the audience is mostly needs driven, as they are the ones
most likely to spend money on something purely for enjoyments sake, that and
my audio doesn’t really appeal to any of the other audience types available.
Their social class id D (aka working class) as they can then afford to buy my
product.