End Date:
Applications will close on December 4 and a decision sent to applicants on December 6. The short notice is because I want to get a teaser/trailer out in December so I will want to close casting on December 11.
Reply to:
Igor de L'Stok at <
Required:
<*>Who are you? You don't need to give me a curiculum vitae (although they can be very impressive) but I would like to know something about you. Are you an extravert, an introvert, do you live in an attic churning out advertising copy and crave a virtual life or are you, by day, a millionaire with a secret identity fighting said-bookisms, Mary Sues and bad grammar at night?
<*>What have you done? Previous experience is vital since this production is not a project for a beginner (although if the director wants to take on a staff of his own, this would be great!). A list of previous works with links will do but I'd particularly like to hear what you think have been your biggest challenges and triumphs.
<*>What would you like to do? Read through this post and the treatment and give me your thoughts on the direction that you would take. Be as general or specific as you like, but your vision will be pivotal to our success. I am looking for partner in a team here, not someone who is just doing a job.
<*>How would you do it? The production will be a combination of straight audio drama, music sourced from public domain originals and faux radio transmissions. How would you achieve these? What specific problems can you see and how would you overcome them? What hardware and software resources do you have access to? On application I will send you a final draft of the first episode's script if you want to be specific.
Good sound editing is vital to the success of any audio production. Whereas a movie has a whole crew of cinematographers, editors and special effects departments under the artistic control of a director, pretty much all of these jobs are done by the sound editor on an audio production. This is why I am advertising for a director rather than just a sound editor because in essence it is their job to turn the voice actors lines into a finished audio drama.
In Silvertongue Productions, the director's roles and responsibilities are...
<*>An equal say with the producer in the creative choice of Voice Actors and power of veto if the audio quality is too poor for them to work with.
<*>An equal say with the producer in the choice of incidental music and sound effects
<*>To take the Voice Actor's submitted lines, adjust volume levels, clean them up, edit them to length and assemble them along with music and selected sound effects to achieve the maximum effect.
As producer I see my role as being in charge of the organisation of the production and the director's role as being in charge of the artistic and creative decisions. In all promotional material the director will get equal billing to the producer. As such we need to be in agreement right from the start as to the style and content of the finished production and the best place to start is to read through the Treatment I have posted earlier. Some additional material ...
The Work Method:
1. CONCEPT
<*>Producer to create Treatment, Draft Storyboard
<*>Producer to nominate director, sound editor, script editor, IT and publicity support
<*>Producer to call for story submissions
<*>Script editor to complete story, write-up as script
<*>Producer signs off pre-production script and storyboard
2. PRE-PRODUCTION
<*>Producer or Director posts Casting Call
<*>Producer and Director decide on VA parts, notify cast and get coms details
<*>Script editor updates Production script and storyboard
<*>Script editor distributes productions scripts to VA's
<*>Director acquires sound effects and music
3. PRODUCTION
<*>VA's record and return parts
<*>Director edits VA's lines and assembles with music and sound effects
<*>Webmaster creates website
4. DISTRIBUTION
<*>Release of ep.1 Jan 1
<*>Decision to continue to Season 2: Y – Commence Concept N - AfterParty!!!
<*>Release of ep.2 Feb 1
<*>Initiate “Lessons Learned”
<*>Release of ep.3 Mar 1
Positions:
1. PRODUCER
As the originator of the production concept, I will be the producer of this mini-series and reserve first right of refusal on production of the next. My major responsibility will be project management, the creation of the work method & storyboard, definition of position responsibilities, the advertising for and choice of the major crew positions and a joint say in the choice of Voice Actors. Once crew positions are filled, their jobs will be their responsibility and I generally do not micro-manage, however I reserve the right to serve as final quality control at pre-production and production milestones. During production my major responsibility is monitoring, planning, organisation and communication to help everyone work together as a team and achieve our group goal.
2. WRITERS
Because the episode format is compartmentalised we've been able to have three fan writers collaborate in the series by contributing material that will be the backbone of the three episodes. Initially I have acted as head writer and script editor to tie all the pieces together, but in future seasons this could be done by someone else.
3. DIRECTOR / SOUND EDITOR
This position is vital to the success of the production and if it can't be filled we'll have to postpone until it can. The sound director's responsibility is to turn the script into a finished audio production. They will have an equal say in the creative choice of Voice Actors and power of veto if the audio quality is too poor for them to work with. The choice of music and sound effects will be theirs but their major job will be to take the Voice Actor's submitted lines, adjust volume levels, clean them up, edit them to length and assemble them along with the music and selected sound effects to achieve the maximum effect.
4. VOICE ACTORS
There will be a casting call posted on all the major audio drama forums as well as distributed amongst the Crimson Skies fan community. Auditions will be accepted and the parts given to the best delivery with an acceptable sound quality as judged by the Director and Producer
5. WEBMASTER & PUBLICITY SUPPORT
Not absolutely essential but a better website can be made if it is created and managed by one person who has expertise and can concentrate on it. Likewise, the best production in the world is wasted if no-one knows of its existence so a person who will write and lodge posts on all the forums of interest for example, will be a real asset to the production.
The Organisation
1. HOME FORUM
This is the public discussion forum for the production, where people can discuss the production with the cast and crew, and where news is first released. For the forseeable future It will be sited in the Tall Tales and Taller Exploits sub-forum of the Montana Raiders Crimson Skies forum.
2. PRODUCTION GROUP
This is a Google Group that is open to cast and crew on an invitation basis rather than an open group to the general public. Membership of the Production is on the understanding of non-disclosure – that is to say that members are not allowed to leak anything posted to the Production Group without permission. This is not because of any worries about cultural espionage but simply so that spoilers do not ruin the listener's surprise before an episode is released.
3. WEBSITE
This is a public website, address undecided as yet, where the episodes and promotional material will be available for download and credits and hyperlinks listed.
If all this organisation sounds rather anal retentive and over-the-top [shrugs] that's what project management is all about. By defining roles and responsibilities and agreeing on methods and goals right at the start there are no surprises along the way and everyone knows where they stand.
Igor de L'Stok
Producer, Silvertongue Productions
Labels: Crimson Skies
