For my second blog post, I have decided to continue on with “Volume 1: Alien Invasion” of the series “The Other Stories”. As I listen to episode two, “The Business Man at the End of My Bed”, I am immediately brought back to the state of mind that I was in while listening to episode one. The writers and narrators of “The Other Stories” do a fantastic job at working together to write all of the stories similarly, but yet they are all so different.
One way that all of the episodes are linked together is through one topic. They all revolve around alien invasions. This gives the whole podcast a sense on unity and it make you, as the listener, not feel like the podcast is just telling you random scary stories but that they all are meant to be listened together. Since this podcast has different volumes that all revolve around one topic, such as Volume 1 revolving around alien invasions and Volume 2 revolving around social media, the listener is able to pick a topic that they want to listen about is never lost of feels out of place because although all of the stories are completely different they are all connected by the topic that they are about.
Another interesting part about this specific podcast is that although there are four men who write the stories and narrate, in every episode, consistently, there is only one narrator and only one writer for the story. With only one narrator the listener does not get lost while the story is told and does not get confused as to who is talking and why they are talking. The use of only one narrator and writer is consistent throughout the podcast which gives the podcast a sense of uniformity as it progresses.
The editors of “The Other Stories” also play a huge role in keeping all of the episodes sounding consistent so that the listener is drawn back into each episode. The editors of each podcast have a way of using the same eerie sound quietly in the background that makes all of the episodes seem extremely cohesive. They have a consistent sound that they play in every episode that adds to the suspense and drama of the story and keeps the listener drawn into the story. Along with the same, consistent sound in every episode, the editors add sound effect when major actions are done in the story. This include guns going off, the sound of a car motor, and doors opening. The use of sound throughout the entire volume of the podcast gives a sense of uniformity and also allows for the listener to envision the story in their minds. Since the story is only being told auditorily, the listener needs some help creating the story visually in their minds. This allows for the listener to follow the story better and not get lost or confused as the details in the story progresses.
On top of sound effect, the writers have a habit of using extremely detailed words and adjectives in their stories. The use of detail adds to the listeners story inside of their minds as they listen to the episode. It allows for almost a movie to play out in their minds as they listen to this story being told. Without the use of detail, the story becomes hard to follow along with.
The narrators, writers, and editors of “The Other Stories” are able to make all of their episodes sound cohesive and as if they all go together even though every story does not rely on the previous one. With the use of sounds, details, and consistent themes throughout the entire volume, the creators of “The Other Stories” can create a podcast that is easy to follow along with and is interesting to listen to.
Word count: 640
Hello Emily!
“The Other Stories” sounds like such a creative and atmospheric podcast. I really love how you talked about how this second podcast episode you listened to retained its cohesiveness without being too repetitive. Since the podcasts I have listened to are usually more casual and generally only spend one to two episodes per story before completely changing topics, it was really interesting to see how podcasts with a more serious tone approach stories and try to make them like chapters of a book rather than completely separate pieces.
The fact that “The Other Stories” seems like such an immersive narrative makes sense why the editors add in a ton of subtle yet effective details like music for suspense. I feel like music is so important to create a separate headspace and is also a less conscious way of reminding listeners of the world the podcast is in. In the last episode I listened to from “Reply All,” I definitely started to notice a lot of the ambiance like a low murmur of the bar or the rumble of a car which made me really feel like I was actually in those spaces if I just closed my eyes.
I also really liked that you mentioned that each episode is written and narrated by one writer, and it seems like such a great way to retain that uniformity as well. The fact that the story is told through one perspective seems like a great choice for what seems to be a very immersive experience, and by having one narrator, listeners are far less likely to be drawn out or distracted from it. Although I’ve never listened to the podcast before, I wonder how it might change if there were more perspectives and voices expressed in the story through multiple narrators. Would it expand the depth of the story, or would it involuntarily break listeners’ focus? However, the way you described it, this seems like a really smart choice on the podcast’s part to really zone in and to portray a really immersive experience.
Word Count: 344