Rich and the Rural Podcast

RICH AND THE RURAL:

A PODPLAY

SHOWNOTES

THE PLAYERS;

VOICE-OVER: TAMA
SINDI: GWYNETH
CARLOS: LEWIS
BRAD: MICHAEL
JACKSON: GWYNETH AGAIN
STEFAN: MARK
SINDI'S MOTHER: GLENDA
BETHANY: ALLISON
GIRL IN THE
HOSPITAL: EMMA
RESCUE DOG: HERSELF*
GAGGLE OF DUCKS: THEMSELVES*

* Please note: No animals were harmed during the production of this material... seriously.

Many thanks to
THE ORCHESTRA;

Rich and the Rural Theme; 'Passion fruit (Go Bananas!)' by Brain Buckit
Brad's Bad Boy theme; 'Rumble Groove' by George Fletcher – Bourbon Renewal
Sindi's Love theme; 'Around the Bend' by Adrina Thorpe
Behind the Times TV theme; 'Keep the Home Fires Burning' by Madly Jadly
Bad Driving theme; 'Mannequin' by Cats and Jammers
Intermission theme; 'Tedeebedibbedib' by Fluox Speelt Fluox

All of whom reside at http://music.podshow.com/index.php

ALSO, thanks to
the SOUND EFFECTS crew;
http://www.freeaudioclips.com/
http://www.soundamerica.com/

RICH AND THE RURAL
time line:

00:00:37 - Rich and the Rural Theme; Passion fruit (Go Bananas!) by Brain Bucket
00:01:45 - Episode One: The Phantom Hair
00:02:35 – Bad Boy Brad Returns: Rumble Groove by George Fletcher – Bourbon Renewal
00:04:00 – In which Carlos is interrupted in the spa
00:05:33 - In which Sindi Stalks about in her backless gown
00:06:50 - Sindi's Love theme; Around the Bend by Adrina Thorpe
00:09:00 - Behind the Times TV theme; Keep the Home Fires Burning by Madly Jadly
00:10:43 - Bad Driving theme; Mannequin by Cats and Jammers
00:12:20 – Intermission Theme; Tedeebedibbedib by Floux Speelt Floux
00:12:36 – In which the creator (of the podcast, not the world) gives a short, but impassioned intermission speech encouraging a radio play comeback
00:14:14 – Intermission end
00:15:40 – In which the rescue dog makes a tragic sacrifice
00:17:34 – In which a gaggle of ducks come to an untimely end
00:18:00 – In which the final non-fatal road accident of the episode takes place
00:18:17 - Rich and the Rural Theme; Passion fruit (Go Bananas!) by Brain Bucket

Exegesis:

PODPLAY: MAKING THE OLD
NEW AGAIN

"When we discover in this world no earth or rock to stand or walk upon but only
shifting sea and sky and wind, the mature response is not to lament the loss of fixity
but to learn to sail."

James Boyd White(7)

The development of new technologies offers individuals an unparalleled opportunity to take creative production into their own hands. The internet enables writers and musicians to achieve public exposure independent of whether their work is deemed acceptable by mainstream mediating forces, such as publishers or record label executives (6). That these materials now flow more freely about the globe via websites and peer-to-peer networks raises new challenges for individual artists, and creates perhaps an even more complex environment in which to locate and foster relationships with like minded creators (2). That being said, it also creates opportunities for cooperation between individuals who may never otherwise have had access to each other.

A radio play comeback which utilizes podcast technology could provide the mechanism to bring both creators and fans together in new ways. Musicians, writers, actors and technophiles would have the opportunity to participate in something which combines their talents, rather than each occupying a separate sphere in cyberspace. There are already music podcasts and writers forums, encouraging creative people to bring their talents together could diversify existing online networks and also pool their audiences, thus increasing public exposure for all. Sometimes, in order to find something new and unique you need to glance back at what was once lost, find it again, and look at it with new eyes.

Early radio drama began with the dramatization of classic novels and plays, pioneered by the BBC in 1923 (3), before expanding into scripts written specifically for the medium (4). The start was slow, as audiences had to come to appreciate the radio play as a unique genre, rather than a poor copy of the stage play or film serial (Giddings, p.9). The process for the radio play podcast, or podplay, would probably be similar, except this time it would have to prove itself against television and commercial radio, the very technologies which flagged its demise in the first place.

The competition between visual and the strictly auditory media has previously gone in television's favour, however the success of podcasting signals a new era in which a desire for mobility and flexibility of experience gives the radio play a new lease on life (1). There is already a flourishing new audience for the intimacy of the voice (5), the amateurish rustling of paper, the occasional glitches or mistakes, this is what podcasting audiences have already learned to love (6).

The serialized nature of podcasting mirrors the radio play narrative, the episodic "come back next week" which keeps the audience returning for more. Rich and the Rural is one form, and admittedly something of a parody of itself, but sometimes broaching something new is best done through humour. My hope is that this podplay will get someone's attention, who will then sit down and make their own, which is listened to by someone else who does the same, and so on. It is material which is free to produce, it's fun, and it will expand interpersonal networks across the internet. Best of all, if someone does not like it, they cannot pull you off the air. Now that is participatory culture.

SOURCES*:

1. Beck, A. Point-of-Listening in Radio Plays. Sound Journal, 1998.
   <http://www.kent.ac.uk/sdfva/sound-journal/beck981.html>
   (Accessed 24/10/05)
2. Bugeja, M. Inter-Personal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age.
   Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
3. Giddings, R. and Keith Selby. The Classic Serial on Television and Radio.
   New York: Palgrave, 2001.
4. Hagedorn, R. "Doubtless to be Continued: A Brief History of Serial Narrative" in To Be Continued: Soap Operas Around the World. [ed.] Robert C. Allen. London: Routledge, 1995.
5. Larriaga, J. A Listening Audience for Radio Theatre? Entr'Actes, 2005.
   <http://entractes.sacd.fr/en/listening_audience.php>
   (Accessed 24/10/2005)
6. Newitz, A. Adam Curry Wants to Make You an iPod Radio Star. Wired Magazine, 2005.
   <http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.03/
   curry.html?pg=2&topic=curry&topic_set=>
   (Accessed 24/10/05)
7. Reinhardt, M. The Art of Being Free: Taking Liberties with Tocqueville, Marx, and Arendt. London: Cornell University Press, 1997.

* Appologies for slightly clunky footnotes, my computer refuses to play nicely with others...

THE END...
for now

[iLecture/Lectopia Download - Mp3 - 13.2Mb]

[Tags: podcast | radioplay | podplay | humour | comedy | richandtherural | westernaustralia | uwa]