: Opinion: The fundamentals of audio storytelling #IndiaNEWS #Guest Post Unspooling the basics from characters to production, Indira Rangarajan of Mirchi, writes about the rising wave of audio storytelling

Opinion: The fundamentals of audio storytelling #IndiaNEWS #Guest Post
Unspooling the basics from characters to production, Indira Rangarajan of Mirchi, writes about the rising wave of audio storytelling and how to get it right.

Find your favorite chair. Sit down. Close your eyes. Yes, you. Close them. Take a deep breath. Start to notice the sounds around you. The honking in the street opposite crows in loud conversation with sparrows, the vroom of a bike on concrete, the doorbell ringing. What stories are they telling you? An ordinary day, just like every day? Almost relaxing, isn’t it?

Now, what if this was the dead of the night, say 2 AM? The same sounds, a sudden honk slicing the silence, a flurry of birds in motion, a screeching bike on concrete, and your doorbell ringing without warning. Can you feel your heart race? Can you feel the fear? Same sounds, different emotions.

Audio fires up the imagination like nothing else does, but it’s not all given. Since only one of our senses is heightened, we must constantly build up images of the story in our mind, taking us deeper and deeper into the lives of the characters. It is more work than watching video passively, but way more satisfying. Audio shows, not tell.

At Mirchi, we are always on the lookout to collaborate with independent creators and have their stories told! Here are some of the basics of storytelling that remains the same no matter what the medium. A good story is a good story.

The Conflict

The best stories will have an increasing level of tension, characters going through stressful challenges, giving you almost an unbearable need to have them resolved to feel satisfied. They will have flawed personalities, odds stacked against them, a need to prove something to themselves and others; perfection is boring. Imagine a story where the protagonist knows what to do, when, and how to do it. A likable character with all the answers. Problem solved. Yawn.

Also Read: Opinion: Get REAL With Your REEL Consumer

The Plot

The best stories will have a spine, a plot that is cohesive with a beginning, middle, and an end. While the spine can be familiar, the rendition needs to be unexpected. Can it spotlight a changing trend? We all know fairy tales, the brave prince and the dainty princess. Can we switch that? Or make it a tale of two princes in love?

The Narrative

The best stories will grab you from the get-go. The first minute or two needs to reel you in. Especially in audio, it makes sense to dive right into the narrative, in active voice.

Imagine these two scenarios – one story starts with “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful little girl and one day as she walked back from her school like she did every day, she lost her way.