Audio Scene-Making: A Two-Day Bootcamp

It’s been said that audio is the most visual medium, because the words and sounds we use, done well, conjure the listener to enter your world through their own imagination. It’s through scenes — typically, characters taking some sort of action in a place brought alive through sound and narration – that we make stories feel cinematic.  But how can you pull off what can feel like a magic trick? In this two-day, hands-on intensive, we’ll break down scenes from award-winning audio storytellers such as Jonathan Goldstein (Heavyweight), Sam Mullins (Wild Boys), Stephanie Wittels Wahs (Last Day) and Pulitzer finalist Lauren Chooljian (The 13th Step). Then, using prompts and creative constraints, we’ll gather interviews and sound in Durham or on campus. We’ll learn basic ways to use audio editing software (Adobe Audition) and produce first drafts of our  own 2-3-minute stories from scratch. We’ll end with a group listening session. You may come with a story idea or use provided story prompts.

This class is open to beginners and to those who have made other forms of audio, such as interview podcasts or news stories, but who are new to narrative audio storytelling. Recording equipment is available to borrow if needed. We’ll use Adobe Audition on classroom computers to edit our stories.

Materials:

All materials and equipment will be provided.

By the end of this workshop you will be able to:

• Analyze how great storytellers use scenes, context and narration to build compelling audio stories
• Outline, write and produce your own 2-3 minute reported or personal story
• Conduct and capture brief audio interviews on a mic
• Capture scene tape that brings a story to life
• Understand how to apply narrative techniques to your own short audio stories
• Voice your narration
• Use basic audio editing techniques to build your own piece. No prior experience required.