August:
- – time for wrapping up the short summer and bringing projects to completion.
- -time for family and making memories with visits and activities.
- -time to panic about not being ready for the new adventures of fall
- -AHHHH!!! So much going on and all fun and important!
As family is arriving for visits – I had some time to fill while waiting for next events. The summer #ds106 holiday groups are winding down but #prisioner106 combined with #burgeron106 members are working on a radio show. Several have stepped up to take on some heavy lifting who will all be recognized in the final product posting and credits. My time now doesn’t allow me to commit too deeply at this time, but the energy is high and draws you in to wanting not to miss any part of the action.
While a partner activity would be ideal – I can only add content to the overall product from an personal standpoint because of other life happenings right now. However – community is available for feedback that is helpful and connects!!
While others work on the script and main part of the radio story, I have done some smaller activities in creating a bumper and a commercial. Hindsight tells me this should be about half as long! Still trying to figure out what could be cut out…..
Tune in on September 6th to http://ds106rad.io/listen the 106 Goodspell Show with Mariana Funes and John Johnston, produced by RockyLou Productions, for the premiere of Labryinth Tales!
The bumper:
I also created a commercial for Minotaur Tea. You will need to listen to the show to find out why it is the product. 🙂
The commercial ended up being 3 versions. My first version was the basis.
Process:
- Review commercials on YouTube to remember most are phrases, not narratives.
- Outline and write a basic short script for the product
- Since I didn’t have access or time for collecting people to read lines – I used text to speech to record the script
- I used different speeds and chose the UK voices – it is Tea, you know! The UK voices are more easily manipulated so they don’t sound so computer like as well
- Next was finding some background music. I searched Jamendo.com for Swing and found a repetitive piece that would work well if chopped up – plus it was kind of catchy. It is by Henry Rubin – Music of the World
- I could have left it at this – but that would not be complete so I searched freesound.org for Tea kettle sounds and tea cups, an evil laugh and a sip and ahh. Adding these added dimension to the composition.
- I used Audacity and set the clips in layers.
- I chose to use both male and female voices and mix them up rather than one voice. I thought this would add more interest in the overall product.
- My first version was 1:35 – some repetitions. I seemed to be trying to direct the listeners and not have them create the vision in their own way in their minds.
- Because of transitions in a radio show and the connecting of different clips I added a buffer of the steam kettle at the beginning so that content was not abrupt.
- I normalized the vocal tracks to soften any sound bursts
- Checked how the tracks sounded together to make sure one wasn’t overpowering another
- I posted. Received some immediate feedback from some that confirmed – too long for a commercial.
- I went back and cut 30 seconds out – it was better and my favorite version
- Went back again and cut back to a total of 45 seconds – this is probably the best for the purpose and needs.
- Because I kept voice submissions to each phrase and had music that was rather repetitive and didn’t have specific parts of melody or stanzas the cutting was clean and smooth.
- Faded out at the end to ease out the music so it sounds like it is the end
Sometime I will learn not to post every iteration – but in doing so I hope others realize they are not alone and that even when you think something is done or you can’t see what can yet be changed – you will as soon as you have posted!
Shortest Version – Best fit for inclusion in Radio lineup
A slightly longer version – my personal favorite
and – the long version DRAFT that needed some feedback to get where it needed
Got your interest?
Tune in on September 6th to http://ds106rad.io/listen the 106 Goodspell Show with Mariana Funes and John Johnston, produced by RockyLou Productions, for the premiere of Labryinth Tales!
As the summer holiday groups end – the fall groups are starting up! Next is #ds106tales!!
See you on the dark side.
