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2021 | Buch

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Storytelling in Radio and Podcasts

A Practical Guide

verfasst von: Sven Preger

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

This textbook offers a practical guide to creating narratives in audio media. It is one of the most beautiful and complex tasks in radio and podcasting: how do you tell a compelling story and keep your listeners tuned in? In Storytelling in Radio and Podcasts, Preger offers practical answers to crucial questions: What material is suitable for long stories? How can I bind listeners to a real story for 15, 30 or 60 minutes? Or even get them excited about a whole series? How do I maintain suspense from beginning to end? How do I find my narrative voice? And, how do I develop a sound design for complex narratives? Richly illustrated using practical examples, the book guides the reader through various stages of developing a non-fiction narrative and examines structure, character development, suspense, narration, sound-design and ethics.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Acoustic Narration: A New Beginning

Abstract

Stories have a constant place in our lives. They give us guidance, expand our perspective on the world and sometimes even make us happy. At the same time, current developments in the audio market offer the opportunity to make even complex phenomena and problems tangible. The American podcast Serial was an initial spark and has changed the international market permanently. Innumerable podcasts have come onto the market since autumn 2014, produced by public broadcasters, production companies, freelancers or other providers. Especially, narrative podcasts are a home for complex stories. From a storytelling perspective, there is therefore one crucial question: How can a complex story be told in an exciting way, from beginning to end? This chapter describes why stories are important to us humans, why audio stories in particular can unfold special power and what is the state of current developments in the storytelling market, what the difference is between radio and podcast and what are the most common story problems. The chapter forms the basis for all further sections of the book. It defines what is meant by narrative audio and storytelling. And what is not.

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Chapter 2. A Good Story: Delivering an Experience

Abstract

Many reporters and producers do not take enough time to review their material at the beginning of their research or project. Later on, this repeatedly leads to major problems. The good news is that these problems can be avoided. To do so, you need to ask the right questions: Does my material match the central story principles? Do I have a real narrative sentence? Does the story work as an audio story? This chapter examines criteria for story checking and development. And given that a good story well told is an important storytelling concept, in this chapter I focus on the first half of this phrase. What’s a good story anyway?

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Chapter 3. No Story Without Structure: Plot Development

Abstract

Many audio reporters still simply start writing at some point, probably without thinking much about the course of the story. They know (from experience) that it will work out one way or the other anyway. And that’s exactly how many stories sound. No structure, no exciting story. Structure and plot not only carry the story but also help producers and reporters get a grip on their material. Structure and plot serve the story, not vice versa. Manifold plot possibilities, such as different kinds of act structure, plot points, hero’s journey and many other structural features contribute, to finding the right structure for every story. This chapter demonstrates the options that are out there and how they help. Remember: Structure does not restrict creativity, it encourages it. Without principles and rules, a story is often not particularly creative, but tends to be arbitrary. So, this chapter is designed to unleash your creativity!

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Chapter 4. Character Development: The Actor Drives the Story

Abstract

People lead the way through stories. Especially if these stories are complex and of a certain length. The protagonist serves as an identification figure. The relationship between listener and protagonist and other characters is crucial. The more characters appear, the more important it is to make them recognisable, to let them feature in different scenes. In order to achieve this goal and to obtain the necessary original sound tape, cooperation between reporter and characters must be different from that in classic reports. In practice, the central element for this is the story interview. If the reporter themselves appears as the protagonist, the same rules apply to them as to other protagonists. This chapter shows how real protagonists sound and how working with actual people can lead to good original sound tape and thus to recognisable characters in narratives.

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Chapter 5. Dynamic Storytelling: How to Build Suspense

Abstract

The narrative sentence is up, the protagonist found. Now the fieldwork begins: recording, writing the script and not getting lost in the material. The plot is designed and gradually filled. The story develops in detail. But how do I manage to maintain tension in a narrative from beginning to end? What makes it into the story, what doesn’t? And how do I design all the different elements? This chapter answers these questions and provides the appropriate tools.

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Chapter 6. Scenic Narratives

Abstract

Scenes are the backbone of every story. They shape the plot and ensure that listeners follow the story. Scenes captivate, drive the story forward and provide an acoustic experience. Each scene is a mini-story. Ideally, it reveals something new about the characters. Audio scenes thrive mainly on action, conflict, dialogue and subtext. For reporters and producers, this means the way of thinking, working and telling a story differs significantly from other journalistic products. One of the biggest challenges is to get the right sound bites. This chapter shows how this can be done, what exactly makes good scenes and what different types of scenes there are.

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Chapter 7. Who Speaks: Developing and Implementing a Narrative Attitude

Abstract

No other element shapes the sonic narrative like the narrator. They are the anchor, leading the way through the story, giving guidance and building a relationship with the listeners. The narrator has their own personality which needs to be shaped. Paramount to this personality is the narrative attitude because listeners immediately sense the narrator’s personality. Developing and implementing it is therefore one of the greatest challenges for acoustic narratives. This chapter shows what the narrative attitude is all about and how to develop and form it. It answers one of the most important questions for audio narratives: How can a narrator not only present the story, but really tell it?

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Chapter 8. Staging: From Script to Sound

Abstract

A good production is a consistent production. It turns paper into a sonic experience. Staging and sound design serve the story, they are not an end in themselves. But how do you develop staging and sound ideas? Which are the best means to use? And do I need a director and sound engineer, or do I do it all myself? The latter is a reality for podcasters anyway. If you’re an author who is directing, you should be able to take a fresh look at your story and be familiar with the acoustic design tools and opportunities as well as how to use them. This includes supervising voice tracking, music and effects. This chapter shows how to develop a staging concept in order to implement your own story acoustically. And how to make the story sound the way you want it to. The following applies: The staging begins with the sound recordings in the field and continues during the writing process. If you don’t have your story in your own ears, you won’t be able to make others hear it.

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Chapter 9. Ethics and the Limits of Narrations: Is This Still Journalism?

Abstract

Narrations are repeatedly exposed to the same criticism: too little or no journalistic distance, too subjective, too much dramatisation, too few facts, in short: no (real) journalism. Many of these arguments are important and worthy of debate. After all, dealing with such criticism and the arguments behind it may not only lead to greater understanding, but also help authors to find, comprehend and explain their position. This chapter debates the core criticisms directed against narrations and narratives. It uncovers where the differences between acoustic narrations and other forms of journalistic presentation lie and what consequences this entails. The chapter shows what contribution narrations can make to social debates and what form a responsible approach to this can take.

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Chapter 10. Work Routine for the Narrative Reporter

Abstract

Acoustic narration is a form of representation or genre in its own right. Therefore, it needs a different work process from other forms like news or reports. Mostly, this process takes place over a longer period of time, from weeks or months to sometimes years. In order for reporters to remain in control of the process, a structured approach helps—from the pitch to the final documentation, which also includes how to avoid the most important story mistakes. This chapter therefore concludes with examples of what a narration workflow can look like and how to fix the ten most frequent story problems we identified at the beginning of this book.

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Backmatter

Titel: Storytelling in Radio and Podcasts
verfasst von: Sven Preger
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-73130-4
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-69631-3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73130-4