Screenwriting : Scripted audio by Brian Fitzgerald

No. But I’ll be interested in the thread. I was thinking of doing a narrative Podcast

I've thought about doing this myself but no idea how to start and I'd need better equipment anyway

Evan Shapiro from National Lampoon is who suggested it as a way to get work noticed. He said scripted audio is exploding. He also mentioned live staging. Both have little barrier to entry. Just trying to find some case studies to see how it is done best.

Not sure, just asked him what advice he had for new screenwriters. He said: 1) Write. Then he said look at things like scripted audio to showcase work. Considering I have no experience selling a script, or producing scripted audio, I am putting it to the winds. I appreciate your feedback and advice.

Funny this came up just today. I got an email from a producer at an animation house. She requested an animated screenplay I wrote (suggested to them by another studio interested in doing pre-prod. work on it), and I sent it to her. Later, I got an email from her asking if I had a recorded version. I asked "like a table read?" They responded yes, and that way, more of their creative-people could listen to it while driving, etc. They were not interested in characterizations - just a read. The odd thing is, I had done a full cast audio drama of the story, but based on the stage version of the screenplay - it's different in many ways. So, I told them no, I didn't have one, and "no worries" was the reply

This was the first time I was ever asked if I had a recorded version of a script. I guess in the case of animation it's easier for them to get faster input from all their creative types before deciding if they want to take it on - it's easier to listen. Anyway, I don't plan on recording it - I just don't think the average producer/director/ acquisitions person is going to want it. Hope this helps. My two cents.

This is new.

Check out "We're Alive" by Wayland Productions. That series, as well as the sequels they've done have generated (by some sources) over 6 million downloads. But it's a full cast audio drama, not a recorded pitch for a script. Audio drama podcasts ARE blowing up! But this is not a way of getting a screenplay noticed. It's a different media for storytelling, not a different way to pitch scripts. You have to go into it with that in mind. It can become a money-maker, but it takes work, just like any production. The production costs are much lower (even full cast with SFX) than shooting a film, and self-distribution is a viable path. Check out Kc Wayland's book "Bombs Always Beep." It's an in-depth, how-to guide for producing audio dramas. I'm working on adapting one of my short stories into an audio drama because it looks like a cost-effective, DYI way to tell a story.

John Ellis I think this is what he was talking about. Maybe not promoting a specific screenplay, but a medium to get noticed as a writer. This is great information, thank you. Do you know how they recoup production costs?

They're on iTunes and Nerdist - I don't know how that works, but there's monetization. You can also buy a digital download or a CD directly from their website. All those ways would seem to be pretty good revenue streams if the audio drama was popular.