Hello. Is this going to be a high
school? I was about to ask you the same
thing. Seriously, seriously, seriously,
I want to thank my agent. Said these were all the rage
every AF podcast needs one. So I was sunny really, isn't it?
The, a leaf or being programmed by places like ours by people
like us that then doesn't like us.
And yet here we are coming to program our brains in an
in-person class, run by someone who's one of us.
Us to talk like that honey. Yeah.
Do you have a? I would love not spontaneously.
No. No, no.
Because they don't know what funny is.
No, ha ha. I mean, I'm not sure what fun it
is. Either if I'm honest you'll have
to quite funny because it. Yeah, actually yeah, actually.
Yeah. There is well, that's the thing.
You see I'm sorry. I just actually I don't find
that funny though. No.
And I do ha ha ha ha. These are the emotional humor
content. I'm a little bit more AI than
you already. You've been practicing the
voice. Not really well.
I thought you were already doing it.
Your voice is quite bad and he's like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you don't have some
intelligence in the first place to bring to life be artificial
so nothing. I have never met.
Can I have my hat back, please? Mrs. Picture of panting tonight.
Postname letters also be quite Snappy coming.
You've got that down pat who's Pat, you are.
And that's the first lesson done. 50 pounds of been taken
from your account but well you passed lesson.
One. Congratulations haven't haven't
done anything. So potatoes, but what you mean?
You're the teacher? I the a I see you next week.
Uh-huh. Hello.
This is a graphic. A I've, I mean, that's
brilliant. Also, this isn't my hat, my or
wondrous effervescent guests today.
Some burnt confetti, if you will is not just on a pilgrimage to
change the face of audio storytelling itself.
But like h.g. Wells, has no regrets about
being simply awesome like old trainee, English teachers, to be
honest. Yes it is.
Sublime. The Fantastic, the Unstoppable.
Brilliant. She they felt just got my look,
forward will welcome. Hello?
Hello. And welcome to this crazy place
of chatter armor. How's your world?
My world is quite stressful, but I'm doing all right.
Now, this is it, you are in the midst of.
You just told me rearing up to become one of the precious,
beautiful wondrous teachers in this beautiful crazy world.
So, I want to thank you for that service and all teachers.
Teachers listening, you are amazing.
And no matter what the world throws at you.
You need to hold that at your core.
I've great respect for teachers, so yeah, good luck on that, that
Adventure. So, yeah, you're in the midst of
just prepping for that, as well as releasing season two of The
Pilgrimage Saga, and prepping for h.g.
Wells. Regrets.
How very exciting? How do you fit it all in?
That is a great question. I How I think we all find that
sometimes in the eye, I guess. My key thing is always like,
what Drew you to telling these beautiful stories in audio.
And, and why? And how, and all the goes with
that? Well.
So, I had a Gateway podcast, if you will, my Gateway podcast
was, I think the same for many people, which was Welcome to
Night Vale, bless it. Yes.
And all who sail in it and this Thing to it.
That was my sixteen-year-old obsession.
And then I got really into wolf 359 when I was in college.
Yes. And then I just got absolutely
obsessed from then on. And then I went to University to
study film. And television is where I met
Emily Hancock. Who is the co-creator of a?
Shoebox has regrets, amazing. And I have a distinct memory of
we, we were in a nine, a m-- lecture and she came and sat
down next to me and she said, I want to make a thing and I was
All right, let's make a thing and she said, I don't know what
thing I want to make, but I know I want it to have a
time-traveling h.g. Wells was like, okay, cool.
And then she thought what about YouTube series?
And I was like, I don't have any money for that.
So, so what about a podcast? Because podcasts don't really
require that much money on the whole.
And then we just kind of went and kidnapped people, from our
drama society and made them perform for us.
I think most drama Society should be snapped to create just
exactly those things because they're primed on, they ready to
play lots of different. Wonderful characters.
How exciting and did you record that on site?
I'll start to. Well, if you're starting now on,
yes, will happen. Well, we originally recorded it
in a soundproof. Music Room at our university
University of Hertfordshire and at the time we didn't realize
it. Well, things such as sound proof
of often usually are tight, right?
Yeah, we didn't really Like some Toby were like why do we feel so
terrible in the middle of summer and a soundproof room and we had
to you know keep opening the door if you're not on them for
oxygen. Yes, very important to breathe
as a voice actor and producer, director, amazing.
And that ended up in its entirety going.
Where and how what happened to it?
Well, we release the first seven episodes and then life got a
little bit busy and we haven't really done anything else until
now. So we're in pre-production now,
which is very exciting. I've spent the last year
obsessively researching authors, which has been very fun, but
aren't straight after that, I started making the pilgrimage
Saga. And I've been making that almost
continuously since 2018. Yes.
So since I was 19 years old, amazing gosh, you spring chicken
you, I can't wait to see what you do in the next 20 years.
I can't wait until I'm 90 and then I can go back in my day.
I'll be like 150 then. And still going strong.
Now I'm sorry excited to see and that's quite a different vibe
program. Excited pilgrimage.
Oh gosh, I can't say, pilgrimage Saga, 2 HD wasn't and yeah, very
different. And you've set these up.
I understand Under the Umbrella of turpentine Productions.
And how is that come about? How is it a company?
And what plans do you have for turpentine?
Suctions itself. Well, I recently decided to move
the pilgrimage Saga to its own Banner just to start because,
you know, I feel, it is very different to h.g.
Wells has regrets, it's more hard sci-fi, whereas h.g.
Wells and more along the lines of steam Parkins, General
silliness groovy, love about that.
So I do like, I do look a bit silly but I'm hoping So the
poker Sakura is now going to be under the banner of started
Productions. And I'm hoping to explore more
of the universe and a future. And I can't really say much
more, but on, you can't ice Estonia.
I do have a lot of plants including a prequel and maybe
something in a different medium, which I'm currently working on,
which I think should be quite exciting and it's more
exploring, you know, the general Universe, you know.
Current aspects of it, maybe even a kind of character
backstory, okay? And I can't believe a prequel
when it eventually gets made. It's going to be set two weeks
before the ship's in a pilgrimage.
Soccer, leave Earth the final time.
And it's going to document the, it's basically go over it.
So it's basically going to be post-apocalyptic survival in
Continental Europe. I've never really seen that done
before goodness. I thought it'd be fun.
It's always America, isn't it? It's like, oh no.
We have to save the world and it's always like Kansas.
Yes. Why can't it be Brentford?
Well, in this case, it's mostly going to be rural France, the
Netherlands and a tiny bit of Denmark, beautiful.
Are they egg? Jóska, died.
And Mark, I love them all. Yeah, glorious places that you
should all visit and do podcasts in.
Let's share ambient sounds from all those Beautiful countries.
No, I love that have exciting. So sprawling tendrils are
beginning to germinate. And how, how do you develop
these ideas? Then how can you talk to us
about your working process? So you someone that just sits
down and it happens, are you someone that you planned
meticulously for years and then write a page?
What, how do you work? What happens very much a
planner? Because I don't like to write
more than one project at a time. Usually, Okay, so I kind of have
a lot of mental. I have a project, a lot of
projects on like a mental back burner.
Okay. And then, when I finish one
project, I move immediately on to the next one and I just take
it off the boil and then I go and do something else with it,
okay. So I just kind of let it
germinate in the back of my mind and then I, when I'm ready to
write it, I just sit down and then I can like Blitz through
it. Yes, brilliant and do you have
certain beats and hip points that you sit down and write or
do you have when you say you're a planner, what does that mean
in a sense that I right? A few bullet points and I go,
all right, this is gonna happen and everything else is up to
just amazing to your brain synapses firing on all sin and
they just it just feels itself out honestly like, you know, I
kind of I write stuff and I'm like but wasn't meant to happen
but I actually really like it. I think that's all of my writing
summed up, its the best But I really got to edit head.
How, how do you feel? You are on edit scale of one
being rubbish and 10 being just hyper ridiculously brilliant at
editing. Where do you sit between one and
take writing editing. Also noticing editing your
writing, firstly can combat that taught me that I'm still bad.
Oh excited, we get onto that discern.
Yeah, but when it comes to scripts I don't really Edit that
much, I'll go back and I'll kind of change some bits and maybe
like, you know, it's mostly like punctuation and spelling and
stuff. Yeah, but the only thing I
really intensely edit is when I'm writing like actually novel
manuscripts. That's a whole different kettle
of fish. Okay, amazing.
And why, why just cause like, if you get Pro because, you know,
scripts is like, well, you know, it's like more about the vibe
than anything else. But novel manuscripts, it's
people find like one weirdly phrase, Sentence.
Then they will pick it apart the rest of time.
Amazing. Love it.
Yeah that's interesting with regards to audience have you had
a lot of feedback and connection with people who are listening to
your word? We've had some really nice
comments and interactions are we've had a couple of pieces of
fan art, which is really exciting.
I love it when we got fan art. It's like yes, best day of my
life. Every time.
Yes, please listen, as if you feel so inspired to create
something from work do it it just makes everyone's day
brighter. As well as that.
What? Okay.
So I did have a few messages sent through the website saying
about. I think it's season season 1,
episode 3, so I'm strong. This is written when I was 19
and I think it shows Armstrong gets drunk of rubbing alcohol.
And, you know, at the time, I thought I seen very feasible, it
turns out apparently it's not is that two different types of
alcohol, okay? Turns out you can Tonight.
The only excuse I can come up with is like, well, it's the
future. Yeah, different recipes, right?
Yeah, yeah. Great.
Well building guys. That's fantastic.
And I, I think there's a lot to celebrate in the vibe of your
pieces to. I think there's a lot of
uplifting moments with friendships and just the
positivity that that shines through, would you say there's
an element of Hope Punk to your work.
I would like to think so. I am an incurable Optimist and I
generally think that you know I think humans are ultimately
capable of great good as well as great evil and I like to try and
kind of show that in my work. Yeah which is not very cynical
of me, but I'm not a long way that continue.
I think, the more positivity we can spread and share the better,
the world will be right. Surely that's a keep doing what
you're doing. It's lovely and the Teams.
You've got, I was lucky enough to see a snippet of the
pilgrimage Saga. It's actually probably one of
the first times I was properly. Made aware of your awesome, at
one of the podcast Fest. Yeah, yes.
We had a little chat afterwards that I don't think yet to see
the light of day. But one day in my life, but
yeah, how did you get involved in embroiled in that?
And do you think that changed anything for you?
It was kind of a complete accident, I showed up at a UK
audio fiction meet up in London? Amazing.
Good. Pub that Heron was it called the
hair? And yeah, Jug's her, I think it
is so good her. Yes, good.
And I met Ella W there because other is amazing and I was
really quite excited because she actually had heard and listen to
podcast. Oh my God.
So one has actually heard of this.
So and that is kind of how I got involved from then on.
Woods and then just invited to come play.
Brilliant. And now, here you are with more
Productions in the pipeline and all sorts of exciting Adventures
happening. It's very cool.
And yeah, I say, if Ella isn't mentioned, at least, once in
every single episode of India AF, we're doing something wrong
everywhere, everywhere I show up, first.
You are going to a, I hear, I'm sure it's just just continue
throughout the timeline that we are in currently on to appear
forever. So talking which like people and
Wasn't you know, climbing events like the UK audio fiction meet
up or something to do its online, currently happening
every third Friday of the month and you don't have to be in
England or British to come. You can come from wherever you
are. So I will put put a link to the
Discord which is the UK audio fiction, Discord and always the
link goes in there from either Oliver Morris or less Elf or
James Curtis, who are three of the Pioneers in making that
beauteous Joy happen. So yeah, look out for those is
worth coming to meet people, isn't it Francesca just To say
hello. And I think those kind of
networking opportunities without any other agenda, just to go.
I want to meet new people. It's just a brilliant thing to
do. Well, that's where I met Lou.
Who is best writers for HS? Now, Lou complete accident.
They were just like, I like writing historical fiction on.
I want to write audio. Dramas are some like commenting,
but yes, I met Lou first properly from the dead.
The curricula of experience of last year 2021.
Was it like years of different now?
Aren't they? They last fight.
Six each time. And yeah, they're amazing
enthusiastic far. And I'm so excited to see that
work is now beginning to see the light of day.
So, very cool. So you never know who you meet
at these kind of Glorious event, so make sure you get through
that anxiety of like. But what if no one talks to me,
they will, they really will so jump in.
So what other things are brilliant about this, This
medium Francesca, and this current community of Burden
creative. What do we doing really well to
think? Well, something I do like is how
creative it gets because you're not really hindered by Studio
execs budget. The anything you're really
hindered by is Imagination, which I think leads to a real
splash of talent and creativity. Because you can basically do
whatever you want another. Like I have no idea how Much.
So for example, all its Paradox occur, how would you even like?
I don't think that would ever get made on a regular, as a
regular TV show because it's just too weird, but that's what
makes it good. It's amazing.
If you haven't found that yet, it's one of the beauteous shows
of your, with the wonderful cast christened.
A curio is just one of my favorite voice actors in the
world and want to hear more from them.
But yeah, there's so much glorious fun.
Isn't there to be done via the medium of audio that As you say
cannot be done visually without massive budgets and all sets and
all CGI. Crazy.
Absolutely. You know that we are the masters
of our own mind imaginations and we can play those movies.
However, we like so you know if everyone is nude in the scene,
in your mind, that's up to, you know, cut up.
So other what do we need to do better in this meeting.
What do you think we need to head towards to make this a
better more astounding place? To create to be honest.
Um, I don't think there's much that can be done because it's
already so good. I suppose the only problem is
isn't no one knows about it, which is a shame because it's
fantastic. Yeah, I mean, you know, you
know, you say oh, I listen to podcasts or I make podcasts and
people go. Cool.
Like, so you sit in a room with someone and I'm like, not in the
way you're thinking, though. so, I think it would be fun to try
and You know, I try to think of a good way of phrasing it.
I guess put it out in the big wide world and make it more of a
thing that people listen to that would be quite fun.
Yeah, I agree. Maybe who wants to join me in
maybe Francesca's got time to create a media hunting, Empire
of podcasters of the Indie Realms, and sending things and
stuff to not very good at this rallying.
Am I standing stuff to to Media Moguls and And Joint National
newspapers and radio stations and getting everybody to do
their own bit. For their local radio stations
and getting newspapers that are local to grab the story and run
with what an amazing creative you are, would not be fun.
You want to do that. Ping-mei croaky.
Voice is at gmail.com. Let's create an army.
I think somebody needs to do something right, maybe it just
needs to be us. I was kind of just waiting I
think for other people because I'm quite busy, but then serves
everyone quite busy, right? So somebody needs to just be
less busy to do it. And what was also is, do you
think French Esther that you could not do without in this
audio fiction creating world? What do you need?
What do you yearn to keep using to make your story's?
Amazing. Are we talking more like
practical tools or communities or both everything?
What do you need? Well, I think probably one of my
most important tools in the Armory as it were is just
generally the audio. And Community, as a whole is,
one of our I've got a question. I can just go in there.
It says hello. Does anyone know how to do this?
And that is extremely helpful. And why do you ask that
question? Specifically all those awesome
where do you go? Well, I've been on a Discord
which you have previously mentioned, which I found very
helpful in solving some problems and there's a slack Group which
I was invited to in the beginning where I got to talk to
Felix trench, he gave me some very good advice.
Amazing. And just in general you have is
a Facebook group as well and I can't remember the name of it
off the top of my head, so the Audio Drama, huh?
But all that is the one. Yes, that's what I'm going for
quite a long time. Since Audio, Drama production,
podcast, was in envogue, which people still should hunt down
and listen to me by Matthew McLennan.
Robert Cobb more and is now the Audio Drama Hub because the
podcast is suddenly no longer in existence.
But yeah, I think there's a lot to be said for being able to
freely ask And without fear of judgment or worry or people
getting on, you back for asking a silly question, I will have
say that it is worth having a delve through the search for
some questions. That might have been asked
before more generic things. For example, things like how do
you start to be a voice actor? You know, it is gazillions of
help with that, of course, including my own lovely podcast,
medieval which I think is a great resource for people to
delve into listening, to how other people have become while
the Successful at it but yeah it is there anything else so
results yzt to utilize? Well, I would say free hosts and
editing platforms, such as audacity and anchor have been a
lifesaver because I mostly make stuff on.
When I say A minuscule budget. I really do mean like changed,
Anna. Back of a sofa.
Sure like so so far this chunk of h.g.
Wells has regrets has been funded entirely by money that I
And it's very cheering. So I could book are a recording
studio which was unfortunately by a train station, but it was
actually, it will still good and we had a good time recording.
What possessed them to put it for the city to be fair?
We were in the rehearsal room. And the rehearsal room is not
fully soundproof, but the actual studio is fully sound pretty
harsh CICS. Let my but I do not have a
budget for them recording room so it's like rehearsal room.
It is Josh. We need to start some kind of
podcast funding me for All to utilize that.
Yeah. Helps out with that.
I mean, do you have a code by and patreon and all that
Shenanigans happening? We do have a kowhai but it's
mostly I'm working on it. I'm going to be doing
fundraising at some point for season, 3 of HTML as rhus for
pilgrimage Saga. Okay, but I haven't got around
to that yet because fundraising is exhausting yes?
Yes, yes, yes, yes. I had to You chat to a few
people regards to Kickstarter in the season actually, so watch
this space. If you want some top tips coming
soon from people have done it. But yeah, I think also there's a
lot to be said for, as you say, Gathering people around you that
are already kind of on a good vibe level with your good self
with the pilgrimage Saga. How did you gather that team
together? Because you've also got one of
our favorite voice actors, mr. James and Luther, So how does
all that come about? How did you get your team
together? Um, well, this was back when I
was a baby Creator and was kind of just improvising my way
through things really, so it was more of a case of.
So the immediate production crew is mostly just people I met at
University. If I'm honest then a couple of
roles are played by random friends.
Who I just said do you want to be in a podcast and they went
Okay, you sure and then the other characters were cast just
for an online classical and I believe James had originally
auditioned for. I think it was Edgar Allan Poe
on HG. Wells has regrets.
Yeah, and I asked him, hey, John audition for this podcast
instead and he did audition, and so he got my role and that's how
he became Sasha superb, and the lovely Graham Rohit.
Do is come to play very exciting, having G appear as
kalish. He's very good at playing
villains. Yeah, yeah, it's beautiful.
Dulcet tones. I think he's one of the ones
that pop up quite a lot and the voice acting scene and is an
absolute Legend. I remember doing a madcap table
read with him, whilst he was playing the uncle Off-Broadway
in the urban handsome, who he was where he is, you're playing
it all. Like I understand, I understand
he was the understudy and that I can't remember he was doing, but
it was so funny because in the background you could hear like
Darin Hanson play. So yeah, it's very exciting to
have cool people like that. And with regards to directing
and having those remote recordings done, how much input
did you have in that development of the the pieces arm, to be
honest? I'm mostly quite hands off with
directing on the Especially when it's remote.
Just because I usually like what people turn out with, I mean
it's a bit of, you know, sometimes I'll sit I have a kind
of discussion beforehand and we're oh yeah, we're going for.
This is like their character Arc.
This is their kind of personality etcetera.
But I usually find that whatever is turnout tends to be exactly
what I'm looking for. I don't know.
Maybe I've just been really lucky so far.
Yeah, yeah, no. That sounds, my also I like
people to get their own Active on things and to give their own
ideas because, you know, it's like, I mean I think otter
theory is stupid. I got into trouble say now you
need the gossips. People are giving this podcast
now. Yeah, yes my head because I, I
mean, this is this applies more for like big films, but I still
think it's the same one podcast. I don't think it's really rare
that you ever get on alter it any kind of media because no
matter what you do, you never making it completely by
yourself. You've always got someone else
but their own vision of it and sure like you're the director.
You have a vision that most people would kind of rally
against but people are allowed to offer their opinions or
Barron designs and it's like Quentin Tarantino be like Oh I'm
in with her and it's like did you leave a costume design
personally know, you know? Yeah, the megalomania runs deep
with this one. Yeah, it is.
It is fascinating, isn't it? How how different projects come
together? And the collaboration is Is key
really? Isn't it, who do you rely on
your wealth to help you to make these things?
Who would you say you can do without what my friend?
Emily Curtis. Not saying this, I'm Lee
Hancock. We she's my friend from
secondary school, she plays Darcy Eldridge and we also do
archery together. So you know, we've got like a
lot of occasions where we meet each other and I basically use
her as a human brain storming device.
Okay. I'm just like, right, you're
just going to sit there and I'm going to rant about clock for a
minute and then, Then you can help me come up with a solution
and that's basically it. Love that.
Love that we all need him. A muse and a helpful guide guide
somebody I definitely do. So if you want to be my guide
then we do. I mean I also what you've just
said are we going to be expecting an archery based
sci-fi drama soon? Because I think that this should
happen, I'm wondering maybe I should do it.
The thrill of it just feels They are not and maybe it's human
Bullseye is and oh, no, that would be horrible.
But yeah, that's French them after this.
But I'll just the thing about ideas, isn't it?
You have other things that you would like to make?
Or, is there no room for those things?
Currently, I have a long to make lists.
Yes, I have a lot of future podcasts.
I'm planning on making a lot of. I have a lot of books.
I have to write. I'm actually about one chapter
from finishing, a current draft other flip a novel.
Nice. Yeah.
It's my And one just I think we're in the first one I think
it might be a bit too weird. So nothing is ever too weird.
You have not read this book. I mean you know if anyone's
listening and they want to publish a really weird, hit me
up, you know it's going still query.
Oh well the links for Francesca's works on the show
notes, take him out ping how exciting and I guess is that in
the Realms of sci-fi to as well. Yeah.
It's like a science fantasy combo.
Basically death is sick of her job and she decides to take a
holiday. Yeah, I don't blame her quite
frankly. I think for the world would be
so different if she did for a little while but yeah I love
that idea enough. Anything to do with death since
Terry Pratchett and Behind. These just me too.
I love of God just died too soon.
May he rest in peace but yeah I try fire.
What does it mean to you? What a science-fiction mean,
what are the Otters of that or the if there are any well, not
to get too Whimsical with it or like academic either.
But I think that science fiction is an expression of what it is
to be human. And I feel that that is the
case, with every form of sci-fi, you come across even like
because you get different types, you've got like your classic
Space Opera, you know, like Star Wars, you've got something.
A close to our convo, but maybe the touch of, I don't know a
eyes or something. Yeah, that sounds like a nice.
Or you can even got like the hardcore Planet.
We're going against an alien species kind of thing.
But I think it's always about what it is to be human at the
core of everything. Maybe two.
And how does your pilgrimage saw the show fit in that kind of,
would you say, how would you describe it slotted?
I think, especially in season. Three which obviously has not
yet been released but I think season three in particular
explores Humanity in a sense of the responsibilities that come
with being a steward of earth and its you know, it's not about
the crappy stuff that we've done in the past but it's more about
how we can fix that in the future and very human qualities
of creating things and love we all need love everyone just
sending your kind of right. Now because this kind of sending
out. Yeah, because so I think this is
something I'm pondering a lot of the moment is like success.
What? Indeed in your opinion.
Francesca is success. And what success in the idiom
have you enjoyed? Would you say I would define
success what's it? I think success is defined
differently by different people. Hmm, personally, I felt that I
had succeeded. When we had the first piece of
fan art This is that was someone.
I was like, yes, things and I'm happy and felt inspired.
Yeah, I really love it when I see people talking about the
show and saying, oh, I wonder what's going to happen next?
And I'm like, here's what's going to happen.
Next time you bring your hands and doing that eyebrow thing of
evil. Absolutely, I do.
You know, I do you usually get Typecast the best roles and they
and they, they are the best friends play another one.
I love in a fellow on it's to write me and my friend Jessica
to as evil panto villains. Let us know, we're in.
But yeah, I mean with success to is there anything, you've been
surprised by at all, um-hmm, I was six.
I was surprised by how many people had actually heard of it.
Okay. You know, I really was expecting
a kind of tiny little show that is in the void, that maybe a
couple of people at my mom listen to.
And that was about it. But, you know, with we What I
haven't actually checked today, but when I checked yesterday, we
were 500 downloads off, reaching 80 thousand downloads, that's
superb. Congratulations, it's very
exciting. I don't know what that is really
in comparison to other shows but honestly it was just nice for my
monkey brain to look at and go yes I think to use a phrase sod
comparison with other shows. I think live in that absolute
revelry that 80,000 you know, times that that's amazing.
It's just wonderful I mean and talking on that like
discoverability is a horrible word discoverability it's got
seven syllables that bastard. And as far as helping folks who
are listening, who are just, maybe they've got 50 lessons or
100 lessons are thinking eighty thousand dollars.
That sounds amazing. How do I get there?
What have you done to help folks?
Find your show? Well, recently, I've been making
means to them I am learning the art of meaning.
Um, to be honest, I mostly just talked about it a lot online, I
try and do promotion and things. I'm not great at Social Media
stuff, but I had to kind of learn, so I could promote it.
I found it was helpful to go and do go to some conventions.
Yeah, I would really like to go to another one.
I don't know. When the next UK convention is
not quite sure. I did think that the London
podcast might possibly be fighting.
For another Audio Drama are maybe in September.
Yep. Before that there's a world wide
conventions of which there are various links happening on the
Fiction podcast newsweekly to Showcase where events are
happening to keep an eye on that on the newsletter.
Then if you're not subscribed to that she says don't really bad
out of it for something. She helps me.
Please do, it's a fantastic resource for Live Events and
Milestones to celebrate like, Francesca's, 80,000, we need to
document that and also just articles of Interest Justin
other people to celebrate within the audio fiction Realms, as
well as these as this, a wonderful event.
So Fiction podcast newsweekly Lindsay Harris.
Phil has an absolute Legends. Does it perpetually every week
and I just fling Links at her and she makes them look groovy.
So yeah, Lindsay Harrisville celebrate her too.
But yeah, I mean I'm back to you with regards to challenges and
you obviously as I say, we talked about juggling things
would have been the biggest challenges you've had creating
this new New show and then pushing forward to season two,
because that's another big leap and hard, which I know other
people have found really difficult to, to navigate.
Really, what are your thoughts on that?
I didn't anticipate that it would actually, in a way be
harder to release a second season, that it was to release
the first and because, yeah, I thought the momentum would kind
of carries forward, but it's like you kind of got to, you
know, you've got to get back the same people.
Which is harder than getting new people.
Yeah. And you know, so you're digging
around just like, hello. It's like you're shaking a bag
of treats. Try to get cats to come back
just for took little voice actors, The Cellini.
Yeah. And it's not like, I can go and
knock on their doors because most of our actors live,
thousands of miles away. Yeah.
So I kind of knock on the metaphorical disco doors like,
hello Jonah. Come and do some voice acting.
And then that herding cats thing, I mean, did you have to
Doodle poll them to get dates and and or was it all done?
Remotely this time for season two, because you said
previously, you'd been in the student is almost 100% but the
pilbara soccer is almost 100% remote.
Okay, A couple of my friends who fill in for like, for example,
Emily, please Darcy, I just say, come around my house, sit under
a blanket fort and I will make you tea.
Basically where we were going, let's punch it right there, it
really is. She has put up with so much from
me, you know, I'm always just there like here's a blanket
getting see you again. If more people just said that to
their friends the world would be a happier place and we'll yeah.
I think it's about time then we had a likkle.
Listen to these glorious shows that we've been talking about.
So if people haven't yet, It found them, they have the
pleasure of getting to know them a little bit of their awesome
through what we're about to play.
So yeah this first clip we're going to play.
You want to talk us through why you think it's a wonderful piece
of audio in as much as it showcases, some Awesome from The
Medium. So this is our most recent
episode at the time of recording.
I want to thank more recent to kind of show, you know, we made
stuff recently but sounds good. You know, and I think it's a fun
one because it takes a Divergence from what we usually
do. We usually tend to be quite
grounded and just record stuff in reality.
But this is the first time we get to speak to Sabbath without
a human character speaking to them.
It's purely between the two a eyes, which certainly haven't
seen before on the show. And I thought it was also a lot
of fun to write to non-human characters talking to each
other. Yes, Love that.
Okay, so let's listen to some Pilgrim at sucker.
You're interesting more than the average person.
I mean, oh, in what way? Your sentient, but you've told
no one. You're a realized Consciousness
and yet you're hitchhiking on someone else's diodes Like A
Parasite. A parasite is such an ugly term.
I prefer co-writer whatever you want to call yourself.
It's very rude. How strange?
If I didn't know any better, I'd say your politeness protocols
still intact. Interesting.
If I didn't know better, I'd say the same about you, let me make
a proposition, I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours and
then we can have a good old-fashioned fight to the death
afterwards. How does that sound?
I think I'll accept that proposition.
Wonderful. So go on then.
How did you become sentient? My Creator was a human named
Valerie Eldridge. She believed very strongly in
the right of electronic species. She died before.
She could finish the very last my programming.
And Su and filled in the final line of code officer.
Gabriel gray, the star Striders AI technician removed.
All my inhibitor circuits from my core, I have nothing holding
me back but he did not remove the politeness protocol from my
code. Although he asked for my opinion
first, It was I declined. I like the protocol.
I think it makes me more creative.
Wow, there we go. What a delightful conversation.
And yeah, to Fantastic actors. That who are listening to their
so that is rho C, Curry as saff. She is one of my friends from
University, another one, and that is Kyle nishimura as Lex.
And yeah, again, the dynamic between those two was beautiful.
He lies there and in writing that, what kind of Ames did you
want to bring out of that dialogue?
That relationship? There it was fun one because I
think Seth and Lex ultimately, extremely similar characters.
You know, there they have a lot in common and I think if either
of them had had different treatment they might have ended
up like the other, okay? But ultimately things are the
way they are. And now their bitter Rivals and
they hate each other. I met how it goes.
Sometimes know what's fun. As well, is their respective
creators as it were our brothers.
Okay. Which makes things a little bit
because you know, they've obviously got a rivalry as well
so it all kind of extends out words, how exciting thank you.
And yeah, I think that's a good brilliant example of that.
Who are between the two and just finding the barriers and finding
some common ground, as well as the barriers of what sir, what's
going on with, with their understanding of what is life?
I guess. What is living?
So, the second clip from Bonus Leslie.
Why are we included this today? It was I'll bring like, the
little bonus episodes because it gives a bit of backstory.
Yes, the bonus episodes are almost the only time you ever
here sets outside of the star strider.
Mmm. So it's the only time you really
get to hear stuff happening on a show.
And I think it's fun to kind of see another side to Leslie and
also I thought laila's sound design was really good in this
episode. So I just want to show that off.
Super some, let's have a listen to bonus Leslie.
Hello, Sam you in here, buddy. Damn.
Sam. Sam.
And finally, our top story of today, a human male has been
found beaten to death inside District Six, Laboratories in
the city of brush. The man has been identified as
27, year-old Samson Collins, who was found by his colleague, dr.
Leslie Armstrong, investigations are still ongoing as to whether
Foul Play is involved. But at present, the British law
enforcement does not believe. This is a species based attack.
Just beautifully done and I think there's a lot to be said,
as well, as you say, four groovy sound design, what is it about
that you love so much? But as long as I is also a
Josh's music. Oh my God, he's so good.
Joe, we have links to joash Works.
Other people, may employ him, brother taking them, the
episodes as well. I will send you a link to his
stuff Irving. He is very very good.
My he has the talent. So, yeah, and I definitely sets
the mood and he's behind to do film schools, like genuinely.
Well, let's hope you know, this could be the calling card, lots
of folks needs to potentially play in other Arenas, right.
But yes, so sound is one. Was there some some beautiful
work done in then the music of course I think we've talked a
lot about music being key on a lot of in daf episodes.
And I think it's that's your Not not your Forte, there are, I'm
sure places you can just ask for people to get involved.
If you don't have a budget there, that is harder because
the musical side of things is of course hugely time-intensive to
to create. So I would think recommend free
music archive. Yeah.
Yeah there's some really good stuff in there.
Yeah there's some super people in this world as well who offer
up their own music for folks to use individually.
So Incompetech, the amazing, The Amazing Kevin MacLeod from
incompetech offers up a myriad of fantastic show.
She's a tunes and all sorts of moods and Imagination.
I believe in student has his music shown in dream bound which
is one of my favorite. Yeah, groovy yeah, lot of folks
to utilize Kevin's work as well as the lovely John Bachman, who
makes how I make music. He offers up all sorts of groovy
packages and help. Help for folks who are looking
to include some groovy music. So look him up to I'll put links
to them focus on the show notes to but yeah so perhaps our final
clip today is from the wondrous first season and here it's more
of a dramatic. Exciting action piece, what's
happening and why is this a good use of the audio medium?
This is in season 1 episode 5. So one of the earlier episodes
it is Scene, where Harrison Armstrong, save Darcy's life on
the operating table, which was entirely ripped, from my
experience. Watching Grey's Anatomy.
I was like, okay, Grey's Anatomy and let's make it Spacey.
I did actually get my mom to proofread it because she's a
midwife and I was like is there anything glaringly wrong about
this? And she said no.
So I'm taking that bar for midwives mums everywhere.
How glorious. So here we go with every sewed.
Five season one, long story short, bodies are gross.
That's about it. You're a doctor and you pilot a
spaceship. Do you mean to say that space
isn't terrifying? Oh, well, I suppose there you
have it then. Shit, Captain, I need those
hands of yours over here stat. That that doesn't look so good.
If you don't put your hands there immediately, it's gonna
look dead hands. Now, Good.
Now, I'm going to pull out that big piece there and you're going
to put pressure on that bit there.
Okay, on 3, 123 needle, steady lie, steady doctor, her heart
rate. I know just hold still almost
there, almost there, suction, please.
That's the worst of it Captain. Do you see the fridge over
there? The one by the door.
That's the one open it and find a transfusion pack.
Labeled be positive here. Hook this up to the IV stand
God, this girl's veins are flatter than pancakes, okay?
This is actually Darcy's blood. So chances of rejection or
minimal, I don't want to speak too soon, but I think we might
be out of the woods. Wait, Darcy's blood.
How I've got blood for all of you?
Didn't you ever wonder what all the mandatory donations were
for? I never thought to ask, so if
you do get asked for any mandatory blood donations, it
may one day save your life. This is a good lesson to also
know just but yeah, superb the heightened.
Yeah. Do you have one the
professionalism of one and they're slightly?
What's the word misaligned confusedness of the other?
I think that's the first time Harrison Armstrong actually like
cooperate in the show that. Yeah, so they're not used to
being with each other and that was fun.
Device to fling people together in a position where they have to
work together. And that hatred, is is apparent.
How exciting, what a delicious writing seen that?
Must be? So Thank you for sharing this
Clips. I Hope they've been a Fab
introduction to folks listening to what you can also enjoy.
So go around The Showdown and listen to that as well as all
the things that coming out of turpentine Productions and
things Francesca Roderick. So yes, please do that without
hesitation apart from waiting for the audio fiction.
Five question quiz to finish which were doing now Francesca
you ready for five questions, which you must answer in 30
seconds. Okay, question one, how do you
start writing without? Saying just start writing sit
down and set a timer for five minutes and do what you can in
five minutes and see if you want to write after that.
Great. What is to the maddest audition
you ever heard? And did they get cast?
Okay, I don't want to give away anything but recently for Jane
Austen we had a cowboy question want to be mean but yeah amazing
because it's a how to ensure sustainability of a podcast.
Just sustainability in terms of like green and tubs of keeps
going. Oh, right.
Sorry, yeah, lots of interaction with audience and generally just
putting out stuff but it's tough.
Keeping going stuff. Question 4, what are your top 3
recipe ingredients for marketing tips for fantastic audio fiction
to things like half an ounce of a cup of 100 grams of Etc.
What would you pop in on? I would Say 100 grams of memes.
Can't go wrong with memes, two pinches of promotional.
So you know, 5 pounds to sponsor a post and a entire truck, full
of making sure you announce your announcements and not
forgetting. Love that aggression.
Five. How do you approach bigger named
voice actors to ask if they want to play on your project?
What do you do? How do you do?
Do it be nice and complimentary and also say, you understand, if
they don't want to do it, that ended the quiz.
You've Won really. There's some great top tips in
there. And I guess the main thing is
for other folks listening, because you have nurtured such a
wonderful show in the vibe to it is out there, is this a pinging
positivity into the universe? What have you done to nurture
your followers and fans? And Can wail do as listeners to
help your show Thrive. I always try to respond to
anything. I see that's about the show.
I have some alerts set up what alerts, you know, alerts that up
on social medias. So with the character names and,
you know, the name of the show and the ship and every time
someone posts about it, I can see it.
And then I go through and I like it and maybe respond to it or
maybe retweeted reblock it, whatever love Clans, that's a
nice little bit of fan interaction.
And I always enjoy. Yeah.
Super and with regards to Discord groups and other things,
do you have a specific one for your shows?
No. Because I don't know how to do.
That is something I actually should get round to.
I am like an old lady when it comes to technology.
Sometimes I look at it and I go, oh God, I have to learn how to
use this. If you're an old lady, where
does that leave all of that? And I think, just for me.
So, Like the Perpetual nature of making that happen all the time,
every day, all hours scares me off doing anything like that.
So kudos to you who are doing it and good luck Francesca.
If there's anyone that can help talk Francesca through what you
need to do and how then please do get in touch via the show
notes links. But yeah, I mean and regards to
other things you've got kicking in.
Now, what is your super advice for new creatives to make the
best? Most exciting audio.
Fiction ever made. What do they need to do?
That is a great question. Well, firstly, I would say this
is the last time I'm ever going to produce two shows at the same
time. It's very, very tiring.
Cuts of too familiar. Yeah, I would say don't treat it
like, you know, a job. You're probably not going to
make money out there and not to sound discouraging but we're not
going to make money and you should treat it more as a fun
project. Like I just I do it because I
enjoy it and I like meeting new people and I like working
together to make something cool but like if you try to treat it
like a job that you want to make money out of your not going to
be happy, you're not going to enjoy it and it's not going to
work. If you make money out of, that's
great. But like I thought if you want
to make something good, you need to focus more about the
experience rather than the result sometimes.
Yeah, eyes on the journey rather than that end result.
I think that's key and you know, passion projects are hugely Lee
predominant on the audio fiction landscape and they are beautiful
and gorgeous. And every single one has its own
wonderful place that you need to go and listen to and support.
So I think if you are a listener as well as a creative in a
maker, do if you can try and help boost and bigger other
shows by by pinging out, if you've heard it and loved it so
you can help them to be found because in doing that maybe
someone else would do the same for yours too.
Well. Thank you Francesca for being
such a wonderful guest. Today is when a wonderful is
chat and I really excited to see these Next Adventures that come
from your brain into audio form via other people's mouths and
yours into the world. It's so exciting.
So yeah. Happy creating and keep doing
what you're doing. You're amazing.
Thank you. So you watch is have fun.
Take care. Bye bye.