The document provides instructions for an audio production unit. Students are asked to create a radio drama based on a short ghost story. They must research existing audio dramas and soundscapes. A proposal and pre-production planning is required before recording voices and adding sound effects to the production. Students will evaluate their work by comparing their original plans to the final product and reflecting on any issues encountered.

1. AUDIO
Unit 5
Harry Adkins-Pennington

2. Context:
Audio production still plays a vital role in the media and the skills and techniques used to create radio news, drama
and adverts are also useful in video production and journalism.
This unit will allow you to develop you writing, recording and editing skills.
Your station manager has asked you to create a radio drama based on a short ghoststory.
There are different ways to produce the piece;
•Audio drama style with actors
•Actors take the roll of characters from the story
•Factual production/documentary style retelling a story
•Narrator walking audience through information
•Soundscape style creating a reanaction through sound effects
•Similar to audio drama but without actors
•Most difficult option to convey what's happening but requires less people to make it.
All products should have soundscapes to set the scene- a compilationof sound effects to create an audio scene-
wind, steps,crickets, wind chimes,floor board creaks etc.
You can use some sourcedmusic and sound effects but the majority of the audio should be createdby you
using Foley methods.

3. Foley
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=6SgS5SeseS0
Research
•The Archers (audio drama)
•https://www.bbc.co.uk/p
rogrammes/b006qpgr/epis
odes/player
•Short Cuts
(documentary/factual)
•https://www.bbc.co.uk/p
rogrammes/b01mk3f8/epi
sodes/player
•Lore (documentary/factual)
•https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=Z3RGz7Q_qlI
•Doctor Who (audio drama)
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA50biqUB-8
•Soundscapes
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIUTO4gx5Eg
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JVm2IZ3ChU
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc5YHodcXpM

4. Unit 5 – Investigating audio production and technology:
Learning outcomes
1. Be able to analyse an audio-based problem in creative media production 1.1 Analyse the requirements and parameters of an audio-based problem in creative media production.
1.2 Apply research activities to support solutions to an audio-based problem in creative media production
2. Be able to use an integrated approach to audio-based creative media problem
solving and production.
2.1 Demonstrate the ability to plan, organise and present solutions to an audio-based problem in creative
media production.
2.2 Apply practical skills, understanding and methods to solve an audio-based problem in creative media
production
3. Be able to evaluate solutions to an audio-based problem in creative media
production.
3.1 Analyse the effectiveness of solutions to an audio based problem in creative media production.

5. DEADLINES:
Start: 06th November 2018
End: 23rd November 2018
Work to be submitted via your blog.
Label relevant posts with the word ‘Audio’.
Submission list:
Task 1 – Research in to existing products
Analysis of existing radio drama
Task 2 – Initial Plans
Initial reaction to brief
Task 3 – Proposal
Completed pro forma proposal
Task 4 – Pre-production
Appropriate planning for your production
Task 5 – Production
Completed audio drama based on short ghost
story.
Task 6 – Evaluation
Analysis of the effectiveness of solutions to an
audio based problem in creative media
production.

6. Breakdown:
Week 1:
Tuesday: Task 1 Research
Wednesday: Task 2 Initial Plans
Thursday: Task 3 Proposal
Friday: Task 4 Pre-production
Week 2:
Tuesday: Task 4 Pre-production
Wednesday: Task 5 Production
Thursday: Task 5 Production
Friday: Task 5 Production
Week 3:
Tuesday: Task 5 Production
Wednesday: Task 6 Evaluation
Thursday: Task 6 Evaluation
Friday: Task 6 Evaluation

7. Task 1: Research
Research existing radio drama. You should concentrate on areas such as acting, narration and sound
effects.
Mind's Eye
Written by: Gemma McMullen, Gerry Casey and John Murphy
Starring: Dermot Crowley, Cathy Belton and Mark Lambert
Directed by Owen O'Callahan
Mind's Eye is a series of BBC radio dramas set in Dublin, concerning the effect of
apparent paranormal phenomena on two psychotherapists, Lorcan Molloy and his daughter Aoife. Lorcan
is mourning the recent death of his wife Jennifer, and also wishing for grandchildren from Aoife, who
prefers her life as a single professional.
The series ran from 2008 to 2015 with 5 episodes at around 30 minutes each.
Mind's Eye Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind%27s_Eye_(radio_series)

8. Task 2: Initial reaction U5 1.1
Log your initial thoughts regarding the set brief- What could you make? What are
you good at? Your opinions on the project?
Create a mind map of all the things you need to think about for your project.
Pick a story to work on.

9. Task 3: Proposal U5 1.2
Complete a proposalwhere you will discuss your main idea for your
audio drama.
Consider the following:
• Working Title
• Audience
• Rationale
• Project Concept
• Evaluation
You should suggest how you will solve any problems creating your
work.

10. Proposal
Possible Titles: Electric Spirits, Voltage Consumption,
My project concept is that a group of spirits are taking over the bodies of different
animals, causing them to perform tasks that even humans couldn't perform. These
includes performing incredible feats of strength and skill beyond the limits of a
human. A team of Paranormal Investigators join together to try and figure out what
is going on. As the story goes on, more spirits slowly started to appear, taking over
more animals and starting to evolve and become more powerful, slowly staring to
take over humans as well as animals. However as the team try to figure out what is
happening, new evidence appears about what happens after the spirit leaves the
body, once the spirit leaves, the body's conducts dangerously high amounts of
electricity.
The story will be explained by a narrator with specific parts having actors tell some
of the story.
Audience: Teens and above due to description of violence and some possible bad
language.

11. Possible Problems Possible Solution
Creating the sound of a lightning storm Use the internet to create the sound
Creating the sound and finding a good
rain storm to record
Wait until a good rain storm appears or
use the internet to create the sound
Running out of ideas for the characters
and story
Talk to friends about possible ideas for
the story
Making any spelling or grammatic
mistakes
Read through to check before finishing
Unable to record voices for story Book out voice recorder and work
during breaks.
A lot of unnecessary background noise Find an area that would be required

12. Task 4: Pre-production U5 2.1
Undertake appropriate planning for your project. You will need a script and a sound effects list.
You will need a resources list as well.
Task 5: Production U5 2.2
Produce a production schedule.
Produce a short radio drama based on a ghost story. Follow your plans.
You should use your own sound effects where possible but can source some sounds if they are
too difficult to get.
Planning
Resources List
• Voice Recorder
• Computer-Microsoft Slides, Adobe Premier Pro
Sound Effects-No effects due to lack of time and resources

13. Task 6: Evaluation U5 3.1
Evaluation your work. Compare your original intentions and
plans to what was achieved in your final product. Reflect on the
production and postproduction process, any issues or problems
you encountered, the effectivenessof the product and possible
improvements.

14. Reflection/Evaluation
I listened to a audio story called Mind's Eye which gave me the inspiration for my
story. I took the idea of spirits taking over people, causing them to perform task
that they couldn't perform before. This gave me a similar original idea to have
spirits taking over the bodies of animals, slowly getting stronger and starting to
take over humanity. I had to edit this idea due to changes in deadline and lack of
time. The more simpler idea is that a spirit has taken over a dog and made it
commit suicide, then it takes over the narrator, causing them to vomit out black
sludge.
My final piece works well because it still tells the story I wanted to tell well as it
gets the idea across. However, it doesn't work well due to having to remove so
much of my original idea, if I had more time to prepare, more of my original idea
would be added to the story.