Richard Shannon – An Introduction to Audio Drama

Richard Shannon leads this session on audio drama, exploring both basic and advanced story telling techniques and conventions. He will play a range of examples from his own work and BBC productions. The examples will include work by Martin McDonagh, Simon Beaufoy and Beckett.

The session explores how the narrative voice can work in audio, the use of music and sound effects, location and ambisonic recording and the idea of montage scenes (double acoustic space). Richard will also discuss the production process in detail and audio adaptation.

2 hours including Q&A.

Richard Shannon is Head of Audio, Radio & Podcasting at Goldsmiths, University of London and Creative Director of Wilkinson Audio Productions. wilkinsonproductionsaudio.com

He was a founding director of Independent Radio Drama Productions and has produced major series for LBC radio in London and National Public Radio in the USA. His production of Vissi D’arte by Paul Sirett was commended at the Prix Italia and he has won a Silver Sony and several Gold and Silver awards for drama at the International Radio Festival of New York. He has directed the radio work of Martin McDonagh and Simon Beaufoy.

He is the producer of the award-winning podcast, Rainbow Dads and is a judge for the British Podcasting Awards, the Audible Audio Production Awards and the Writers’ Guild of GB Audio drama awards.

Richard is a published playwright and theatre director. His play The Lady of Burma premiered at the Old Vic theatre in London in 2006. In 2012, the Dukes theatre, Lancaster produced his play, Sabbat – the story of the Pendle witches.

His theatre work includes productions at the Young Vic Studio, the Bristol Old Vic studio and the Redgrave theatre. Richard has also worked as a producer on major public events, including the Royal Opening of St. Pancras International.
richardshannon.co.uk