2. Story
A young teen is babysitting for a family that is very wealthy, in a large mansion in the middle of nowhere
and filled with a huge number of rooms and a large number of interesting antiques. Strangely, though, the
father mentions to the girl that once the children are put to sleep for the night, the girl should only go to
the basement and not spend her time in any other rooms of the house. She could watch television down
there and was free to do anything else in the basement, but the rest of the house was off limits. She goes
to the basement once the children are in bed, but quickly notices a large clown statue in the corner of the
room. It appears to be staring at her. She continues to watch her show, but can’t shake the feeling that the
statue is following her around the room with its eyes. She puts a blanket over the statue eventually in an
effort to make herself feel more comfortable, and then telephones the father of the children to ask if she
can go and move to another room of the house, because she’s so freaked out by the clown. “You need to
leave NOW. We don’t own a clown statue. The children have been telling us they’ve been seeing a clown
in their room in the night, and we thought they were having nightmares. Take the children and get out!”
The young girl hangs up the phone, terrified. She turns around, but the statue is gone, leaving behind only
the blanket on the floor. This story is called the Clown statue. And is typically aimed at kids.
3. Research- If you are unable to find your own examples, you can use the ones
below.
• The Archers (audio drama)
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpgr/episodes/player
• Short Cuts (documentary/factual)
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mk3f8/episodes/player
• Lore (documentary/factual)
• https://www.youtube.com/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
DELETE THIS SLIDE WHEN DONE
4. Existing Products Research
• Show Name Here Doctor Who Seventh Doctor
when looking at this existing scary story I instantly noticed the old fashioned tone of voice.
This tone of voice sounds just like a stereotypical old woman. From this you can establish
that this is from a while back. Also at the start you can hear a mysterious kind of piano noise
start to fade in. from this you can also judge that they have used this to try and create a
mysterious and scary setting for the audience to imagine. They have also inserted a retelling
metal sort of sound , again for this purpose. When the man starts talking you get a real sense
of what is actually happening , in this I think that he is talking to a ghost , this is due to the
tone of voice and the music behind. About halfway into the story there is a type of
showering sound when the evil people are being punished. This sound effect shows what the
doctor is actually capable of it creates and image of what is really happening. When this
sound effect is going on you hear who I assume is the doctor is scaring them , this is shown
by him raising his voice. As the story goes on the music seems to get deeper and more
intense this is because they wont the doctor to sound as scary and as powerful as he can.
The producers of this have been successful in trying to create an image of the setting within
the audiences head , this is due to the ultimately the doctors and other actors voices
however the music just emphasises the scariness. Finally from this the producers of this have
successfully tried to make the audience feel as if this is real and this also makes the audience
in my opinion feel entertained. After looking at this I want to include a similar kind of actors.
5. Existing Products Research
• Show Name Here: Lore
• When first starting to watch the audio programme you first hear an introduction to the
programme , this starts of the show. We the audio actually starts you hear a quite pacey.
This signifies the start of the programme. When the man starts talking you start to wonder
what the programme is about however you quickly understand that he is telling non fiction
creepy stories. The piano playing behind him really emphasises his stories and also his voice.
This also makes him sound more clear. Finally the piano makes some of the stories more
creepy , this is due to pianos being used in horror films and other scary products. The target
audience for this is clearly aimed at the older audience probably 30-50+ this is because it is
quite a long and slow type of podcast , the topics also probably don’t appeal to the younger
audience as they do to the older audience , this is because teenagers and young kinds would
rather watch TV , or a YouTube video. This programme is also aimed at the older audience
because of his voice and the way he is speaking is quite intelligent. Lastly the way the man
speaks makes the audience feel quite relaxed and engaged in what is happening , this is
because his voice is quite interesting. In my project I want to include possibly a similar piano
beat but maybe not as fast.
6. Existing Products Research
• Show Name Here
– Analysis
– When fist switching on this audio show you quickly hear there famous theme tune however
in the others they all include an opening where they pronounce the name of the show , this
theme is similar to soaps such as EastEnders , Emmerdale and coronation street. This
programme is also set on a farm which is also very different to the others I have looked at.
The sounds used indicate that this is set on a farm due to the typical farm noises such as
sheep and various other animals . You also get the image of farm due to them speaking
about things such as pigs and other farm related issues. The tone of voice also creates s
very strong image of a farm of them speaking in a very typical Yorkshire voice , this creates
an image as Yorkshire has connotations such as farming and countryside. Time period
suggested is in the present time so now , this is suggested as it is similar to a soap therefore
it is most likely set now. The sound effects and the tone of voice are very different to the
other audio shows which I have watched this is because they are both trying to appeal to
different audiences. They are also set in either different times or different places. The
target audience they are trying to is people who are interested in never ending stories and
people I would say who are 50+ , this is because they may possibly have more time by being
possibly part time or retired. This audio show makes you feel relaxed and interested within
what is happening this is because the stories are quite interesting and are very realistic.
7. Existing Products Research
• Show Name Here
– Analysis
– When first listening to this audio you hear a short piece of introduction music as well as the name of the
show. Further down the introduction you hear a little sneak peak of what is coming up next. This is handy
for the audience as it gives them an idea of what is coming up next , this could make the audience feel
that these topics are not for them. As you get further on into this programme you hear other peoples
perspective , this is vey different to other programmes such as lore and doctor who audio due to them
having real life people being interviewed on the programme , basically this one as well as lore is non
fiction. From the scary point of view you do not really hear any of the usual conventions of which you
would hear in a scary audio programme , these are things such as the low pitched music to emphasise the
scary elements or to set the scene , you also don’t hear any shouting , screaming or high pitch noises. The
style of this programme is very similar to a documentary. The location and the time period are easily
noticed by the audience due to this talking about the berlin wall therefore the audience should know that
this was in the past. The sound effects used within the story about berlin varies between slower type of
music to a fast pace guitar. These types of music have been used to set the scene and create an image in
the audiences head , this has been done due to the guitar sound feeling to me as if you are moving round
swiftly , this indicated the end if this story. The next story in this show is a bit more depressing and deep.
The topic being life after death sets the tone as quite demoralizing. This can be quite a sensitive issue for
the audience possibly if they have lost someone recently. This story is more touching than scary however ,
the deeper you think about it you then begin to feel the scary reality of dying. The crying and the one of
voice really set the scene and gives you quite a graphic image of her farther dying. They have suggested
this being in the past due to she is speaking of a memory. In my audio show I want to use a similar tone of
voice this is because I feel that this really engages the audience and also sets the scene. Finally I want to
include the similar slow music which has been used this is because the audio sounding more professional
and also applying to the scary connotations.
10. Idea Generation/Initial Reaction
My first idea is to have someone speaking my story which is about a clown statue. This is
because I feel that they will do a better job than me due to them speaking more clearly
which is vital in an audio piece. I the want to include some sound effects to make my audio
sound more professional. The sounds I want to include are a clown voice , heartbeat and
some sort of soundtrack which will add suspense. I then want to create some of my own
sounds , this will be done by an audio recorder. For my audio project I also want to try
appeal to the 9-13 target audience this is because I feel that teenagers do not really
interact with scary audio due to them interacting more with social media and videos. I
want to appeal to this audience as I feel that people of that age group want to be scared
and surprised. I also feel that this age will be most engaged in this due to them being too
young for social media . To apply to this audience I will have to make it scary but not too
scary as I am not aiming to give the audience nightmares. I will also have to include an
interesting story line so that the listener does not fall asleep. The last thing I will have to
think about for my project is where I am going to get all these sound effects from but
more importantly what music I am going to include in the background.
11. Proposal
Working Title:
The scary clown statue
What is it called? This can change if you think of something better later
Audience:
My target audience is around 7-13 males this is due to story's being a bit out-dated and not really associated
with todays teenagers. I have also chosen this age due to this story not being too scary. I have also chosen
male due to scary story's normally are targeted at the male demographic , this could be because of the
connotations of the word such as strong and brave. The social status for this is middle class , this is because
higher class people may look at scary stories as being to inferior and also scary things are just associated are
enjoyed by most average people. The physiographic for my story is balanced this is because the audience are
not really trying to achieve anything except from maybe getting scared. I have chose balanced also due to the
audience just being standard people , not specifically sporty or have any other competitive interests. My
project will appeal to my audience by including an interesting story which is also quite scary. This will appeal
to my audience due to them may want to get scared or want to be entertained. By adding a clown into my
audio project this should apply to the audience due to clowns being quite present this has been shown by
killer clowns and it which are both popular with kids. From this I would like the audience to come away and
feel entertain and also slightly scare them just like horror movies. This project would appeal to this age group
due to stereotypically horror movies have a bigger male audience than women and I would assume the same
for this audio product. This could be because men have connotations of being strong and brave however this
may not be true this could mean that they may be less easily scared.
12. Script
• Speaker:
Somewhere in the universe lies a wealthy family who live in a large mansion in the middle of
nowhere.
(Sound effect) Leaves , possibly entrance music and spooky noises for example wind.
A young teenager is baby sitting in this house which has a large amount of rooms , objects and
several staircases. Their was a baby sitter. The instructions given to the young babysitter was to ,
when she puts the kids to bed she could only go into the loft and not the other rooms. Why could
this be?
(sound effect) mystery/piano tune. The babysitter could do what ever she wanted down in the basement but the rest of the house was off limits.
(sound effect) banging/rummaging around.
The babysitter then notices a large clown statue in the corner of the basement. The babysitter
despite feeling that the clown was staring at her she decided to watch TV.
(Sound effect) TV turning on. Several moments later she is feeling uneasy and worried about the clown being real.
She then put a blanket over the clown to make her self feel better. The babysitter then hears the
blanket gently slide of the clown statue and then decides to call the parents of the kid she is
babysitting.
(sound effect) blanket drop
. The parents of the kid said “they have never owned a clown , you have to leave the room”. She
panics
(Sound effect) Dramatic piano
“The children have been telling us they’ve been seeing a clown in their room in the night, and we
thought they were having nightmares. Take the children and get out!” The young girl hangs up the
phone, terrified. She turns around, but the statue is gone, leaving behind only the blanket on the
floor. Where has the clown gone.
13. Sound Effects
Sound Effect Needed How I Will Create the Sound
Heavy breathing I will create this sound effect by using a
voice recorder and record my self
breathing heavily.
Clown laugh If I decide to use this sound effect I will
defiantly import this via YouTube. This is
because I personally think that I can not
do a good clown laugh. Also If I chose to
include this I will have access to a varity of
clown laughs therefore I can chose which
one will sound best on my audio.
Backing track For this sound effect I could possibly get
someone to play a scary melody or could
just import some royalty free music from
YouTube. This would allow me more
choice and this option will also be more
professional.
14. Resource List
Resource Owned/Cost What sound effect will it be
used for?
Voice recoreder free This will be used to record all the
sounds needed. This is the most
important recourse.
Computer/Internet free This is so that I can import sounds
from YouTube and also more
importantly edit my audio. To do
this I will use adobe premier.
Earphones/Headphones Owned This is so that I can hear my audio
without distracting others. This will
also allow me to hear sound
effects and music which I may
want to use through YouTube.
15. Music
Band Name Track Name Link
Derek Fiechter Skeleton Graveyard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6Z2hkd4uhQ
Muratgul MASTER VIRUS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBIZCkjt1Og
Brandon Fiechter Hall of Mirrors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4McemjDmWU
Haunted Ross Budgen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOrxwqvfD2E
17. Daily Reflection stage 1
At the start I did some planning and research , this consisted of looking at existing
products as well as planning what I was going to include and what I would use. For the
research I looked at some similar products and took some strengths and weaknesses
from them. This helped me decide what to include in my final piece. From the research I
could figure out what would also be acceptable to include and what wouldn't’t , finally I
also new how I would appeal to my audience. The planning also was a significant part of
my final piece , this is because I feel that this helped me due to I could see what I was
going to include these were things such as a script , recourses and sounds. The script
helped me massively when coming to record my audio this was as I could see what I had
to say and it made sure we kept on track. The proposal was also very handy as this
eventually showed my who my target audience was and how I was going to target them.
This made me thing about what sound effects I would include and also the language I
would use. At this point I felt that I was sticking to the deadlines and was on track.
18. Daily Reflection Stage 2
• On my first stage of production I had a clear plan of what I wanted to achieve. This was to
have a clear script set out and find an actor to read the script. I then also needed to find an
audio recorder. To do the recording we went to the studio and recorded the scary story by
using an audio recording. After hearing the audio back I initially thought that it sounded
quite good and also sounded like a scary piece of audio. After recording the audio I started to
think about gathering some other audio from other sources or doing it myself. For example a
primary source would be me recording my footsteps by using a voice recorder and importing
it onto my audio. This will give me the option to do what I want with it. The aim of this was
to make my audio similar to the ones which I researched. This was because I wanted mine to
apply to all the conventions of a scary audio clip. To apply to them I would include similar
sound effects and a similar backing track , this is because they make the audio sound more
scary. After the research I was feeling quite confident that I could apply to these
conventions. The sound effects were more difficult to find then I initially thought , this was
because for example I wanted a clown laugh but I did not realise that there would be so
many , this meant that I would have to listen to a variety of laughs and choose the one which
would go best and also appeal to my younger target audience. By this I mean I didn’t want to
make the clown laugh to scary as some are more scary than others. I also had to do the same
process for the other sound effects.
19. Daily Reflection stage 3
• On stage two I wanted to chose my sound effects and also cut and start to edit my audio. To do this I used
adobe premier. The fist thing I did before edit my audio was to collect sound effects based on the story ,
for example If it said ‘she opened the door’ I could include a creepy door opening sound. I then wanted to
import a royalty free backing track. This is because this will make my audio apply to the conventions of
scary audio stories. I also thought this would save me loads of time rather than trying to make one myself.
After choosing my sound effects I recorded them into a document with their specific links and names this
was so that I would know later what I wanted to included. The next thing I did was cut and start to edit
my audio. To start with I started to listen to it and cut the insignificant bits , to do this I used the razor tool
on adobe premier. The next thing I did was start to start adding the appropriate sound effects and did the
same process. Once I clipped the sound effects I then changed the volume of these sound effects so that
they were not overpowering the main story to do this I double pressed on the selected sound effect and
then changed the amount of decimals to a minus number , I did this till I thought the sound effects were
not too loud. I then went out to record some sound effects so that I had a primary source. The sound
effect which I wanted to include was a heart beat , this was because I have heard this being used in scary
movies so I thought it add a bit more suspense to my short piece of scary audio. To do this I would have
to record myself doing a hear beat noise with a voice recorder.
20. Daily Reflection stage 4
The final stage was basically proof hearing my audio and making sure all the sound effects were in line. The
first thing I did was I started to listen to this numerous times this was so that there was not any odd bits to
my production. I also listened to this several times to make sure the sound effects were all in line , by this I
mean for example I included a creepy door sound and I just wanted to make sure it did not carry on longer
than it should have. I also got some constructive criticism from the tutor. This was to have an actual
ending instead of a sort of cliff hanger. After hearing that me and my speaker went to the studio and
recorded the ending. This also took some time as I had to edit my audio again. To edit that I used the
same programme and the same tools as the others. I then decided I wanted to include some of my own
sounds , this was because I only had ones imported from YouTube. To record my own sound effects I got
someone to do a heart beat noise and record it with the audio recorder. When the sound effect was all
recorded I then imported into my final audio and placed it in the correct place. I wanted a heart beat
sound effect due to it being very common within the scary genre. I also wanted to apply to the
conventions of this genre. After finishing my final audio I then exported as an mp3 , to do this I selected
file and selected export you then have to make sure it is in the correct file as otherwise you might not be
able to hear the audio or it may be cut short
21. Sound Effects
Sound Effect Needed Link
Clown laugh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpF
6RvVHk80
Backing music
Door https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W2jJpBouh9U
Heart beat No link
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WwlMnX_u6kE
23. Research
The research powerpoints have really influenced me into making my final
peice of audio. This has been because I have learnt what should and what
shouldn't go in a scary peice of audio , for example the Archer audio I
looked at was very different to the doctor who one this was because they
were both different genres. I think that looking at to opposite products
allows you to learn the different conventions of these peices of audio , for
example again in the archer audio they include farm like sound effects and
that specific audio has no scary element to it however in the doctor who
one they include the conventions of a scary peice of audio , these being
loud voices , screaming and any other sounds that add suspense and
mystery. The research powerpoints also allowed me to decide what i
wanted to achieve , this was a peice of scary audio which applied to the
target audience and was entertaining. From these powerpoints I got to
think about possible ideas of which i may include. Finally I thought that in
hindsight I should have looked at 3 instead of 4 , i feel this because this
took more time and the deadlines were rapidly approaching.
24. Planning
The planning was very useful for me as I feel that this helped me decide what I wanted to include very
conveniently. This was mainly due to the proposal and the script. The proposal helped me decide what
target audience I was going to apply to and how I was going to do it. The proposal also got me thinking
about the language , sound effects and the music I was going to include. This was helpful as if there was
not a proposal my work most likely have been more messy and probably wouldn't it apply to the target
audience or the genre. The script was also very convenient , this was because I allowed me to plan out
what to say and what sound effects I would include at which bit. The strengths of the planning in my
opinion were the the recourse list , the script and the proposal. The recourse list was a big help this was
because when it came to production day I knew exactly what I needed. Without the resource list I ma
have took more time trying to figure out what resources I was going to use this is the same for the sounds
and effects. This may have delayed my production stage. The weakness of the planning was the idea
generation this was because In my opinion I thought this was very insignificant. I thought this because
when you have chosen your story you already know what your product is going to be based on. You
already figure out what sound effects and music you are going to include within the proposal as you know
what target audience you are going to apply to and how you are going to do it. The sound effects you are
going to include also could fall into the proposal. If I was to do the planning again I would probably spend
less time doing the initial ideas and spend more time on the proposal , this is because I feel that you get to
think about your project wider than you would normally.
25. Time Management
I personally think that I have manage my time quite poorly. I think this because I
possibly spent too much time on the research. Although I did i think that this
gave me more of a background of how to create a scary piece of audio. I then
think throughout the project i may have thought we had more time to complete
this , from this I have learnt that I should focus and stay on track. When we got to
planning I easily got through that as i possibly think that I am good at looking at
what possible sound effects will be used , locations needed and the resources.
As I quickly went through that I could swiftly move on to production , on the day
of production I feel that it went fairly decent , this was because the speaker
spoke clearly throughout the recording of my project and we recorded a few
sound effects. When it came to the editing I was quite confident I could do this
within an hour or so seen as tho it was roughly a 1 minute piece of audio. Once
completed the audio I then asked for some feedback via the tutor. The feedback
given was to include more of an ending so me and my speaker went to record
this. In hindsight we should have recorded the whole story when we recorded
the first part. I then after recording had to edit it again , this set me back again.
When doing another project in the future I will stick to the time limits and try to
focus , to do this I will possibly work with earphones in so that I do not get easily
26. Technical Qualities
My work compared to lure have some similarities and differences. One similarity being that they both include sound
effects and music. This is clearly because this is typical in all story based audio products. Another similarity is that they
both include a story however a difference is that in lure they include more stories. The stories in lure are also abou
the creepy thing about his life. A similarity again is also that they both have male speaking voices, this could be
because stereo typically men are brave and strong. Also in horror movies the main character usually is male. A
difference between these two products is that they both have different target audiences this has been shown by the
formal language included within the audio. The tone of voice also is alot different this is again based on the different
target audiences. I think that my audio is derailed enough for my target audience, this is because I tried to appeal to
8-13 year olds and by that I included an informal script which included basic words. The audio was also read in a
standard manner. One way I created my effects was by recording someone doing a heart beat sound. This is also a
similarity as in the lure audio they will also have included some of their own sounds. I also imported some of my
effects from YouTube, this was basically to save time and to also make it easier. The heart beat effect is an example
of foley sound effect. One effect and technique I have used is by including a clown resting story , this is because they
are current and present. Another technique and effect I have included is through the ending of the sorry, this causes
and effect as the listener will be waiting for this to occur , therefore they will be either shocked or relieved.
Compare your work to similar existing products and discuss the similarities and differences
• Is your work technically detailed/complicated enough? What effects and techniques have you used? How did you create
your effects? How did you record your audio? Did you use any foley methods?
27. Aural Qualities
Personally I do not think my audio is the most creative , this is because I did not make up this story. To
make it more creative I could have made my own story up however this would have taken a lot longer.
There was a creative element within my story due to myself picking out the most important aspects and
using them. The editing from my point of view was quite creative however stuck to the conventions of this
type of audio. The creative elements of my audio were mainly the sound effects and music. The most
creative sound effect in my opinion was the heart beat , this was because it was homemade and took
some thinking about how to do this. Another creative element would have to be the other sound effects
being the clown , door and music. This being because them all being used for a specific effect , for
example th music has been used to add suspense and mystery to the audio. Overall I feel quite pleased
with my audio as a whole however the most like aspect of this would be the backing music , this would be
because I feel that I got the sound right so you can hear it but it is not overpowering the main audio , i also
think that it makes the story scary , this is because it is used commonly within scary audio. Another
aspect i like is the story as well as the voice of the person speaking. I like the voice due to it being clear to
hear and understand. The voice is also quite deep and manly which makes it seems scary this is because
it blends into the mystery and the depressed mood. If doing this project again I would probably improve
my audio by making my story longer, this is because then I would be more like an actual audio story.i
would also improve my audio by also possibly by having more speakers I would include this because then
the audience will feel more intrested in what is happening , this would also make the story sound more
professional and possibly believable. The strengths of this have to be that my audio sound fairly good and
sounds fairly professional. I would also say a strength is that I think that I have applied to the conventions
of scary audio. The weaknesses of this is that the audio is not the longest , this is a weakness because
the audience may want it to go on longer. Another weakness is that I should have probably used all
homemade sound effects , this is because then I feel my audio would have been more professional , this
is because typical radio shows will include their own sounds.
28. Audience Appeal
I think I have appealed to my target audience. I think this because I have used quite informal language
which is easy to understand. This applies to my target audience as they are quite young therefore they
probably don’t know more complicated words. I also feel that I have appealed to my target audience by
include quite a few sound effects. This has appealed to my target audience due to other audio products
including several sound effects for that age group. The sound effects will also make the audience enjoy
it more this is because they will find it more realistic. To do this is had to look at other existing products
, this is what I did in the research slide. When looking at these slides I learnt how to appeal to my target
audience. This was by including simple language , sound effects and even an entertaining story line.
The story line had to be simple but entertaining so that the audience could get their heads around it. The
research i conducted was based on audio products which probably included a higher age group so from
this I had to adapt my product. The sound effects I included appealed to the audience , more specifically
the clown laugh appealed to the target audience by them being very present. This is shown by killer
clown videos which are very popular with this age group and also clown related movies. To get these
sound effects I had to import them from YouTube , this was as the sounds of a clown are fairly hard to
do. If I was going to redo this I would probably include a longer story. I would have done this because I
feel that this would make it more professional due to typical story's being longer than 1 minute.
• How have you appealed to your target audience? What specific bits of content would appeal to your target audience.
• Refer to your findings from your questionnaire.
• Put your final piece(s) in the centre of a page and analyse them
• Use text boxes and arrows
