Undergraduate

Module Content

This module teaches the building blocks of radio and podcasting. You will learn how to use recording and editing equipment as well as creative approaches to interviewing, sound design, narrative structure and storytelling. Though primarily practical, there will be also be an emphasis on learning techniques for telling audio stories through listening and discussion of works produced by audio producers both here in the UK and around the world. At the end of the course you will produce an audio work of up to 8-10 minutes in length and write an associated Critical Evaluation.

The module is delivered by Jane Ray, a multi award winning audio documentary maker and founding director of The Whickers, a fund for emerging documentary talent in audio and film. Jane’s audio experience covers ground breaking investigative journalism, [eg: Sony Gold Best News Programme: The Day They Made it Rain] arts documentary [eg: Sony Bronze: Best Arts Programme: Spinechillers] and scripted factual programming [eg: Sony Gold: Best factual Feature: On Saying Goodbye] She also won the TRIC award (Television and Radio Industries Club) for producing a raft of factual radio programmes to excite young minds. Jane reputation is based on her editorial skill when taking on the most challenging subjects and for bringing hitherto unheard voices to air. She pioneered diverse, access driven documentary in the 1990s after joining the BBC, initially as a radio reporter, in 1987. Since leaving the BBC in 2015 to set up The Whickers Jane has also tutored at the BFI, New York University in London and run workshops for the Open City Documentary Festival and around the world. Her most recent audio piece for BBC Radio 3’s innovative binaural documentary slot Between The Ears: Singing not Drowning explores her dread of water and can be found on BBC Sounds. Some of her earlier work is available via her company's Cat Flap Media website.

Jane is joined by John Wakefield, a leading London based sound designer and documentary maker. He is is also a highly respected pioneer of podcast audio drama. His best known production 'Wooden Overcoats' (Co-Director/Producer/Sound Designer) was one of the most highly acclaimed podcasts of 2015 and has been praised by the world’s press including TIME Magazine, The New York Times, The Guardian, NPR and described as “a podcast for people who think podcasts are for other people” by the Hindustan Times. Other projects include BBC Audio Drama Award winning 'Rathband' (Co-Director/Sound Designer) and sitcom 'Trimble', as well as a number of audio plays, comedies and documentaries.  He has also appeared on podcast juries for the PRIX EUROPA (European Broadcasting Association), The Flyd International Radio Drama Festival (Copenhagen) and been invited to speak at a number of audio festivals and at the BBC. There is nothing John does not know about getting the best sound design out of UCL’s preferred audio editing software system, Reaper, but  he is also very handy with the rest.

The module is overseen by Dinah Lammiman, Professor of Factual Storytelling, UCL who has presented and produced countless documentary radio programmes for the BBC.

Learning Outcomes

Having completed the module students will:

Have learnt to use audio recording equipment to produce broadcast/podcast/other audio-based distribution quality sound.
	Have acquired the basic technical skills to produce radio using the latest sound recording and mixing hard and software.
	Have a introductory understanding of the technical skills of professional editing programme/s
	Be able to produce a short documentary feature using a single person narrative with sound design
	Be able to recognise a range of documentary radio approaches and have acquired an introductory understanding of these field
	Be familiar with lines of enquiry about ethical issues involved in the production of non-fiction radio and thereby have acquired an appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge in this field;
	Have begun to develop a critical attitude to material presented.
	Have developed basic skills to help pitch stories/product to potential clients.
Delivery Method

One 3-hour seminar per week

Additional Information

There will be at least one formatively assessed practical assignment before students embark on their final piece.

Postgraduate

Module Content

This module teaches the building blocks of radio and podcasting. You will learn how to use recording and editing equipment as well as creative approaches to interviewing, sound design, narrative structure and storytelling. Though primarily practical, there will also be an emphasis on learning techniques for telling audio stories through listening and discussion of works produced by audio producers both here in the UK and around the world.

The module is overseen by Dinah Lammiman, Professor of Factual Storytelling, UCL who has presented and produced countless documentary radio programmes for the BBC.

Learning Outcomes

Having completed the module students will:

Have learnt to manage and produce an audio project of up to 10 minutes
	Understand how to use audio recording equipment to produce broadcast /podcast /other audio-based distribution quality sound.
	Have acquired the technical skills to produce radio using the latest sound recording and mixing hard and software.
	Be able to recognise and assess a range of documentary radio approaches and have acquired a systematic understanding of these fields.
	Have developed an understanding of the current audio landscape and be able to contexualise their work within it
	Be able to find the form best suited to a particular ‘narrative’ be this in media or other contexts ;
	Have the skills to produce a high quality short documentary feature using a single person narrative with advanced sound design.
	Be familiar with lines of enquiry about ethical issues involved in the production of non-fiction radio and thereby have acquired an appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge in this field. .
Delivery Method

One 3-hour seminar per week.

Additional Information

There will be at least one formatively assessed practical assignment before students embark on their final piece.