Soundtrack Pro

When we had finished our recording we were introduced to 'Soundtrack Pro', this is a piece of sophisticated software which can edit audio. There is also a free music and sound effects library within this program which was incredibly useful, with hundreds of suitable SFX available in the bottom right corner of Soundtrack Pro and with a helpful search button, the perfect SFX were easy to find and to get to grips with. There are various tools on Soundtrack Pro such as the blade tool, fade tool and echo tool. After a few lessons, I found Soundtrack Pro was much easier to navigate.

We split our recording into three sections so we could each do our own editing and I edited the first two scenes. In the first scene there were lots of fake radio broadcasts that had to be added into the recording. For this, I had to cut up the entire recording, and find the dialogue that was read by the radio broadcaster. When I did this, I then had to change the levels of the speech and use the distortion tool to create a 'radio' effect. I used bitcrusher for this. I then also added an SFX underneath the speech called 'WalkieTalkie', which made the whole radio broadcast seem much more realistic and effective.

In scene two, there is a key moment where a building collapses and Jen nearly gets killed. For this, I cut the speech up using the blade tool and used many different sound effects piled on top of each other to create a realistic sound. It took me well over two hours after extensive research into different SFX to decide which ones were suitable to use. I finally decided to use the sound of an earthquake, followed by very heavy breathing and then the sound of lots of people running. I also varied the volumes of each different sound effect by putting them in different tracks, and overall, I think that the sound of the building collapsing sounds realistic and proffessional.

After I had finished editing my section over three weeks, my group added all of our scenes together and had a final run through and edited final small things, such as individual fading, before it was put forward for the listening party.

Raw Recording

This is the raw recording of our drama, before we made any changes and started any editing.

Production Log - Details of Studio

We learnt how to begin recording our drama and we had an introduction to the radio room. This was extremely useful and helped massively when it came to actually recording our final script. I was taught how to set up the booth by using the following steps:

1) Ensure all plugs are on.
2) Move sliders 1, 2, 3 up, and turn on each section.
3) Log into Imedia.
4) Begin Soundtrack Pro software.
5) Change Location for saving audio files.
6) Always export audio tracks as MP3's at 192KBPS.

We recorded our entire script in one sitting after much practice in the radio booth previously, however as a group we had alot to edit due to small mistakes which would have been very unproffessional if were left in our final radio drama.

Script - Final Version

SCENE 1


RYAN: Have you got that radio working yet?


NICK: I’m trying! Bloody political war, breaking my equipment!


(RADIO TUNING IN, EMITTING STATIC)


NEWS BROADCASTER: (D) …The nuclear fallout has swept across the world leaving devastation in its wake. We have reports that America has been all but destroyed...


NICK: I’ve got it!


RYAN: Shh! There might be something important!


NEWS BROADCASTER: (D) …Listeners are reminded to stay in groups for safety reasons. Do not go anywhere near irradiated zones. These areas are usually highlighted with signs surrounding the area...


NICK: Ahh, it’s the same as all ways.


NEWS BROADCASTER: ...We are happy to report that several fallout shelters have opened up all around Britain. What follows is a complete list of all shelters that have opened: Norfolk, Torquay…


NICK: Ahh! They’re too far.


NEWS BROADCASTER: …Suffolk…


NICK: Come on! (STATE OF PANIC) Please, please, please!


NEWS BROADCASTER: …Brentwood: Essex…


NICK: YES! Ryan, did you hear that? We’re gonna’ be ok, we’re
gonna’ be ok...


RYAN: I heard it. Come on, leave it, we can’t afford to take it with us.
…Jen, Daniel! Where are you guys?


JEN: What’s all the commotion? …What are we doing?


NICK: I’ll tell you what it is, Ms Jennifer! Bloody Salvation! Hah!
We are leaving this hell is what we’re doing!


DANIEL: We’ll be safe?


JEN: You’re kidding?


NICK: I am most certainly not. Ask Ryan if you don’t believe me.


JEN: Is it true Ryan? Well, I mean, where are we going? What are
we going to do?


RYAN: Don’t worry I’ve got it all worked out.


JEN: But…it’s way too dangerous out there! There’s irradiated areas, and who knows what else!


RYAN: Just calm down, it’s going to be fine, like I said, I have a plan.



SCENE 2


JEN: Oh my god! I can’t believe it! Everything’s been destroyed!


DANIEL: I remember a park was once there.


RYAN: Come on, we need to keep moving.


JEN: How far do we have to go?


RYAN: We need to get out of the city, I’d say at least 2 hours of
walking. Come on, let’s get moving.


JEN: 2 hours?! Is there no transportation?


RYAN: No! Look around Jen, everything’s blown to hell


DANIEL: I’m not too keen on walking.


RYAN: Well we need to get out of here now!


NICK: Yeah so get bloody movin’!


Ambience


NICK: Watch that gap Jen.


JEN: How long are we gonna’ keep going like this?


RYAN: Stop. Did you hear that?


NICK: What is it Ryan?


Falling debris between them


RYAN: That building is going to collapse! We need to go, move!


Footsteps, running and heavy breathing


NICK: Where’s Jen?!


RYAN: She’s fallen! She’s over there!


NICK: C’mon let’s get her.


Footsteps, running, sound of dragging body.
Building collapses.


NICK: (Heavy Breathing) Why didn’t you help us Daniel?!


DANIEL: Oh, I, um…


RYAN: We’re supposed to be a team!




SCENE 3


RYAN: (D) JEN! CAN YOU HEAR US? JEN! JEN!


NICK: You coward Daniel!


DANIEL: I already said I’m sorry, I didn’t know the building was
gonna’ collapse…


NICK: She could have died!


DANIEL: But she didn’t, did she?


NICK: You’re towing a fine line. I’d be careful what you do.


JEN: Euurgh, what’s going on? Why are you shouting?


NICK: This coward just left you underneath the building as it was
collapsing.


DANIEL: ...It’s…It’s not like that…


NICK: Oh! So how is it Daniel? Because to me, you just left her to
die!


DANIEL: I’m sorry…


JEN: Where are we anyway?


RYAN: It’s an old library; we thought we could rest here for a while.


NICK: That’ll be a challenge. This is falling apart.
JEN: Have we got any water?


RYAN: Yeah sure. (RUSTLING OF BACKPACK)


JEN: Thanks (GULPING OF WATER)


NICK: Let’s just try and get some rest.


DANIEL: Err, sure.


SCENE 4


NICK: Jen, are you sure you’re ok to carry on? We’re nearly in
Brentwood.


JEN: (BREATHLESS) …Just a few more steps.


RYAN: I see it!


(SOUND OF RUNNING)


NICK: C’mon let’s get inside. Quick Jen, Hurry up Ryan.


(DOOR SLAMS BEHIND THEM, ONCE ALL INSIDE)


RYAN: So this is our salvation eh? No food, no water, nothing!


DANIEL: No, the shelter’s underground! See that hatch there? We need
to go down there… But I’m not so good with heights, you
guys go first. I’ll be right behind you.


RYAN: C’mon then, we need to go down here. Watch out, it’s pretty
dark…




(SOUNDS OF CHARACTERS DESCENDING LADDER)
(DANIEL REMAINS)


…You coming Daniel?


DANIEL: Not today, Ryan!


RYAN: What?!


JEN: (SHOUTING) Ryan! We’re at the bottom, but theres nothing
here! It’s a trap!


RYAN: NO! DANIEL, WAIT!


(SOUND OF HATCH BEING LOCKED FROM OUTSIDE, TRAPPING THEM IN THE SHELTER)


SCENE 5


Sound of mobile phone beginning to record and Daniel Filming himself.


DANIEL: They don’t understand, this is hell. No, this is worse than hell.
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide when things get rough. We’re
all just better off dead. I just don’t know who I am anymore.
They were naïve. They thought everything would be fine, yet
most of the world is DEAD! This isn’t a movie, it’s real life!
We may as well just give-in now. After all, it’s only a matter of
time before we get poisoned by radiation anyway... Do you like
my gun? Found it in that drawer over there. Hah, shall we listen
to the news? I think we should...


(DANIEL TUNES A TRANSISTOR RADIO IN)


NEWS BROADCASTER: (D) ‘…With the face of the earth in ruins, only wastelands
remain. Be vigilant, be alert, and most importantly, be safe…’


(SFX OF RADIO DYING)


DANIEL: (*SIGH*) …Goodbye.


(SFX OF GUN BEING COCKED, WITH A SINGLE GUNSHOT, FOLLOWED BY SILENCE)

Script - 1st Draft

This is the first draft of our script 'Under the Mushroom Cloud'. We had a script read-through with our class and got some constructive criticism. We decided to completely change the ending to add a massive twist and create strong emotions. We also decided to add more detail into our location and change some character's motives.

Location Details

Our radio drama 'Under the Mushroom Cloud' in the United Kingdom. This would be relatable to our target audience, rather than doing an 'American' drama which could potentially outcast and alienate the whole of our main audience. We did some research into actual fallout shelters and where they were located in the UK, which meant we could focus our narrative on one very specific location. We chose on the fallout shelter in Brentwood, Essex. We chose this because it could be a focal point in our story, the aim of the plot was for the survivors to get to this shelter. We decided the the whole story could emitate from London. Not only is this the capital but this is also an iconic location for an audience to recognise. Brentwood is 53 miles from London, which meant the dialogue could take place as the journey along the deserted and destroyed roads commenced.

Story Development

We decided to create a six-part drama and write and record the ending and conclusion. We created four characters that can interact and have an emotional and physical journey throughout the six episodes. Our group decided to have a twist in our narrative which could make our drama not only dramatic, but also memorable. In the early stages of development in our story, we also thought of many conventions we could use. We came up with using radio broadcasts in our radio drama. We thought about doing this because it meant the narrative could be clearly explained and the story would flow much better but in an interesting way. I also thought that using radio broadcasts made the drama feel much more realistic and easier to imagine and connect to it. We also decided of a target audience aged 18-30, mainly male and also the majority of them being middle class.

We also decided on a name for our drama - 'Under the Mushroom Cloud', we felt this reflected the drama perfectly and it was a unanimous decision across our group.