British Comedy Guide

Remote Online Audio (Radio) Play & Podcast Production

Spotter

Your Work Turned Into A Professional Audio Production

Your script audio play will be organised and produced by Adrienne Aiken, a writer/producer with many years’ experience in broadcast audio and music production. She has worked in various film production roles on many shorts and a feature and has also been a Quarterfinalist herself as a screenwriter in the Screencraft 2020 Comedy Competition.

We will:

  • Find actors that we specifically cast for your script's characters. (up to 4) (Actors can cover more than one part in an audio-only production and voice it differently, and we always look for those who are dextrous enough to read with different voicings. But more can be arranged, see * below)
  • Sort out legal stuff: NDA and actor release forms
  • Organise/coordinate suitable days/times with actors
  • Communicate character traits and any script issues
  • Moderate/direct the online session
  • Record the online session (2 takes plus pick-ups)
  • Edit the audio recording
  • Add SFX, Foley and music
  • Mix and Master the recording providing upload-ready files
  • Email you a link to the result

You can ‘attend’ live or not – it’s your choice.

Cost £1000**

* For smaller plays, 4 actors should be enough. Actors will cover secondary minor parts – but if you need more, we can accommodate that too, but there will be an additional fee to source them. For podcast-style plays, a narrator will cover the reading - with the addition of 3 other actors if you require them.

**This is the fixed price package, which includes all of the above and scripts of up to 60 (approx) pages. For longer scripts, or extra services, click on Custom Package to get a quote.

RADIO PLAY? BUT MY SCRIPT IS A SCREENPLAY

Podcasts aren't only interviews and have helped pave the way for people to access more audio drama, turning them on to the idea!

Audio (Radio) plays in general, are making a huge comeback and the Coronavirus situation has actually helped that. (Good to see it help at least something!) Why? because audio is easier to produce in isolation, and so actors have been improving upon their own recording facilities such as good microphones and recording systems, plus there are now some amazing live recording means out there that all mean the recorded quality can sound pretty amazing!

The lockdown has increased awareness for audio and so NOW is the time to convert your screenplay into a radio play or podcast and get it produced - and distributed!

To hear examples, please go to: spotter.world/plays

One of the examples on the website was recorded via Zoom, but as mentioned above, we can now go for an even better high-quality result, recording as professional-standard files - and all still REMOTELY!

As an aside, why do we say 'Audio' and 'Radio' Play and if you can also podcast a play, what's the difference? It's a big debate - here's our view: PlanetAdie Blogs

Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Fixed Price Package

As per the listing on the main Services page.

We will do all as listed in the About this Service on the main Services page (and below) and you get 2 full read-throughs of your script read by actors, with pick-ups (re-takes). (We create an actor shortlist for you to choose from.)

Just book for the fixed price of £1,000! No hidden extras.

BOOK YOUR AUDIO PLAY PRODUCTION HERE, NOW and let's bring your script alive!

If you need anything not included on the list:

  • more actors
  • specific actors 
  • a V/O artist
  • specific music (that may require license fees)

or if your script is longer than 90 pages, just click on the Custom Package and let us know what you need and we'll get you a great quote.

£1,000 Buy Now

Custom Package

This is where you can add extras to the standard package

We will do all as listed in the About this Service on the main Services page (and below) plus what extras do you need?

  • More actors?
    • As mentioned, actors can cover more than one part in an audio-only production and voice it differently, but we will seek out and find however many you need and create an actor shortlist for you to choose from
  • Specific actors?
    • If you have your heart set on specific actors, these may come with a fee not included in our fixed package price, so will incur an extra cost
  • V/O artist?
    • If your play has a narrator/Voice Over, we can find you the right style voice for you
  • Specific music tracks?
    • We have access to a selection of music that we can use for your recording and a small pool of composers we have our own deals with. At the fixed package price, we source suitable tracks from these, but if you want to use tracks of your own choosing, these may come with licensing (publishing and label) fees. We're happy to try and get them for your play and negotiate deals, but it will come at an additional cost we may not know in the initial quote.
  • Additional services: proofreading etc.?
    • For more info, check out: https://spotter.world/proofread

Just let us know, or if you have any questions and we will email back a quote (or maybe also some questions for you if we need to know more, to ensure we get you the best price)

Price on application

Some other options to consider looking at before a script reading include:

  • Proofreading: Grammar, spelling, misused words - pointing out errors that you can then change (Bad grammar can make reading out loud difficult and sound stiff)
  • Proofreading Plus: As above, but going through and making the actual changes
  • Copy-Editing: Correcting the use of English language and expression – making suggestions for a better flow
  • Proof-Editing: A combination of the all above (most popular)
  • Basic Script Coverage: Addressing your concepts, strengths/weaknesses in script content (plot, structure, dialogue, form etc.) and more (basic level is not as in-depth as a full script consultancy and is therefore less expensive than a full service, but bolts onto any of these other options to give you feedback on the points mentioned above)
  • Script Doctoring: Making actual re-draft suggestions, above and beyond purely correcting procedures. (This is a far more creative input.)
  • Screenplay to Radio Play Adaptations: This will point out areas that will need to be changed from the original visual incarnation of the script that you can then amend, or we can do it for you.

Please click on the custom package and ask for a quote if you require any of these additional services to tighten up the script first.

FAQ

Why is it more expensive than a straight table-read? Aside from the time spent to organise with casting and setting up etc., editing is a lengthy but necessary process. It hones the timing right down, takes out any noises, coughs etc. Sourcing (and creating) SFX, Foley and music is another time-consuming process. It's then also mixed to even out the sound and mastered. This time spent per hour would normally cost a lot more!

For anyone who perhaps works in live theatre and is unsure of why editing is even necessary; Live is a one-off performance, and whilst it must be professional, unwanted noises and slight mishaps are forgiven. In a recording, however, it's forever. Recordings are also less natural and often timing can suffer, especially when it's all done remotely. Editing gets rid of any unwanted noises and hones the timing right down, making it tighter/better paced.

How good can the quality be with an online recording? I'm sure by now, you've heard how it sounds with all the lockdown specially adapted TV interviews and meetings taking place via Zoom, it's ok to hear the content, but if you want better quality, ie. for broadcast, you need a means for broadcast quality files. We record actors AT SOURCE onto high-resolution files to achieve this.

This service is provided by Spotter.

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