Writing Old Time Radio - The Sounds And The Fury

When I was writing comic book scripts for Roland Mann under the Silverline banner, he had me work in what was then--and possibly still--called the Marvel Comics style.

DC, at least once upon a time, had writers do full scripts -- action, dialog, the whole megillah in one package. Marvel had writers provide a script with just the action first.

The artist would then take that and draw the panels. Once those were done the writer would come back and decide what people were saying, trying to match the facial expressions as much as possible.

It's kind of like lip synching with line art. You have to come up with words that describe action too like Thwapp! Remember Batman, the Adam West one? Google it, Junior. It was a big hit in its day.

The thinking behind the Marvel style is that it involves the artist in the storytelling a little more and keeps him/her from worrying about where the word balloons are going to go.

So, when I was shifting gears to write for audio--which was not that hard because as my resume notes I'm incredibly versatile and adaptable though also modest and self-effacing--I read some material on how to tell stories in sound and then I set to work.

Step one is adapting expository material to dialog. "Look there's a green streak in the sky. It's going down behind those hills."

To punctuate that you need an appropriate sound effect, not unlike those Thwapps I was talking about earlier.

SFX: MARTIAN CRAFT CRASHING INTO GRAVEL.

I approached the adaptation of H.G. Wells War of the Worlds, now available at Audible.com and on iTunes, the way I approached comics. Tell the story - don't worry where the word balloons go.

Or in audio terms, write the sound effects needed, let the sound artists worry about the rest.

WARNING: That can make the producer a little frustrated:

"You put this many sound effects in again I'm going to kill you."

Fortunately it's a long drive from Utah, where he resides.

A large number of sound effects can also lead to arguments with the sound engineer.

"That's not what a telegraph sounds like. That's what a morse code transmitter in World War II sounded like," sez I.

"How do you know?"

"I watched Hellcats of the Navy on cable."

"Well what does it sound like?"

"What am I? Michael Winslow? Go watch the Big Valley or Bonanza or something. Eventually they'll have to go into Stockton or wherever the Cartwrights lived and send or receive one."

Eventually, once the artistic differences are worked out, you wind up with a nifty audio program with sound effects helping to paint the picture in your mind's eye.

It really is theater of the imagination.

Now it's time for to save this.

SFX: MOUSE CLICK

And hit SEND.

SFX: Keyboard thwick.

War of the Worlds Is Now on Audible.com

The radio-drama style adaptation I did of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds is now available on iTunes and via audible.com.

It's kind of exciting even to be buried on iTunes, where it's interestingly easier to find if you search for Sidney Williams and look for the War of the Worlds (dramatized) title in the results mix.

You'll see there's a blues man named Sidney Williams, too. Although Mississippi Shivers sounds like something I'd come up with, thass not me, man. Would that I didn't have a tin ear.

Happily the price on the War of the Worlds adaptation is now around $10 and cheaper on iTunes or with an Audible membership plan.


As I've probably mentioned here before, the dramatic portions of the program were recorded in Great Britain. I got to talk to the actors, headed by Martyn Tott, in a phone conference while some scenes were recorded, which was kind of fun and exciting.

Check it out if you like.

War of the Worlds Positive Feedback

Troy Thayne, producer of the full-cast audio drama I scripted, received an e-mail from a listener.

"...as for your production of (H.G. Wells)"War of the Worlds" bravo. bravo. bravo. excellent, top notch job. everything from the script selected to the actors and sound effects (which were extraordinary and appropriate) we enjoyed the play immensely. please do more productions. we'd listen to each one, without a doubt. thanks again."

Always nice to get messages like that forwarded.

Listen to War of the Worlds for Free!

The Old Time Radio-style version of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds that I scripted is now being streamed via Shoutcast.

It's actually an online radio station, so if you listen you'll be hearing the most complete version, with comments from the announcer leading into and coming back from commercial breaks.

To access it go to www.shoutcast.com, search for "War of the Worlds" using the search field on the left side of the site under the graphic text: Shoutcast Shocase.

Click the Tune In button when the results come up, and your default media player should open.

It's a continuous stream so if you get there in the middle it will start over.

Or you can order an MP3 version via the link at right. :-)

Addendum
Apparently the feed's down at the moment - if you search and fail to find it wait awhile and try again.