How to Make an Oldies Style Radio Program
Come up with a premise/setting and main character., Come up with some good supporting characters., Write a first episode., Go ask your friends/classmates/neighbors/etc if they want to audition., Hold an audition at your house, have everyone take...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Come up with a premise/setting and main character.
Is this a western? A spy story? What is the name of the main character? Where did he/she come from? Back stories are useful in TV, comics, radio- anything that is serialized, because they make a good first episode, and can be referenced later on to fill out a short-ish episode. -
Step 2: Come up with some good supporting characters.
Does your lead have a romantic interest? How about a sidekick? Is there a main antagonist? You should probably come up with back stories for these too; even if you never reference them, they'll help with your characterization. , Based on the premise and the characters, what do you imagine them doing? You could briefly tell the backstory of you main character, or write about how they met the main antagonist, etc.
Remember that you are introducing the characters for the first time; a listener can't read your mind.
This should be done before you choose any actors for two reasons:
You can get people interested in acting for you by showing them the script.
You may lose the interest of your actors while they wait for something to act in. , Tell them a little about the premise and all of the available characters. , Have people read from the script.
Think about who the characters are, and which of your friends sound most like them.
Remember:
This is audio only.
You are not casting based on looks. ,, Actors who aren't in the scene should provide sound effects, like slamming doors, applause, crowd noises, gunshots, etc.
The only exception is footsteps; actors should do this for their own characters. (Dropping a heavy book on a tabletop makes a good gunshot.) , An example of this would be bird sounds or crowd chatter. , Actual radio is a little un-realistic, although you can always send a tape to a station if you want.
You could also set up an internet radio station- I think there's an LifeGuide Hub article on how to do that. , -
Step 3: Write a first episode.
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Step 4: Go ask your friends/classmates/neighbors/etc if they want to audition.
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Step 5: Hold an audition at your house
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Step 6: have everyone take turns being the characters they want to be.
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Step 7: Tell people what parts they're assigned to.
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Step 8: Have your cast practice a few times
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Step 9: and then record their lines.
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Step 10: Overdub additional background noise sound effects that don't affect the actual plot.
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Step 11: Find a place to play it.
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Step 12: Keep writing episodes.
Detailed Guide
Is this a western? A spy story? What is the name of the main character? Where did he/she come from? Back stories are useful in TV, comics, radio- anything that is serialized, because they make a good first episode, and can be referenced later on to fill out a short-ish episode.
Does your lead have a romantic interest? How about a sidekick? Is there a main antagonist? You should probably come up with back stories for these too; even if you never reference them, they'll help with your characterization. , Based on the premise and the characters, what do you imagine them doing? You could briefly tell the backstory of you main character, or write about how they met the main antagonist, etc.
Remember that you are introducing the characters for the first time; a listener can't read your mind.
This should be done before you choose any actors for two reasons:
You can get people interested in acting for you by showing them the script.
You may lose the interest of your actors while they wait for something to act in. , Tell them a little about the premise and all of the available characters. , Have people read from the script.
Think about who the characters are, and which of your friends sound most like them.
Remember:
This is audio only.
You are not casting based on looks. ,, Actors who aren't in the scene should provide sound effects, like slamming doors, applause, crowd noises, gunshots, etc.
The only exception is footsteps; actors should do this for their own characters. (Dropping a heavy book on a tabletop makes a good gunshot.) , An example of this would be bird sounds or crowd chatter. , Actual radio is a little un-realistic, although you can always send a tape to a station if you want.
You could also set up an internet radio station- I think there's an LifeGuide Hub article on how to do that. ,
About the Author
Brandon Scott
Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.
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