Audio Production and Sound Design are as much part of audio storytelling as the dialogue or narrative.
Audio production.
For audio recordings to sound their best we sprinkle them with whiffle dust. That’s the process of removing all the undesirable noises and making voices sound sweet and clear.
Sound effects.
Sound effects are the framework that supports the narrative of the story. The listener creates the world of a story in their mind, and my sound effects help them fill in the gaps.
Having begun with sound-rich narrative podcasts, I also create immersive sound for audio drama.
I visualise all of the action in a story, and pick sounds to build a “cinematic” impression of its setting. I prefer to use sounds I record from the actual environment of the action because they are unique and genuine. Although my listener may never concentrate on the background sounds in a piece of audio, it’s still important for them to be authentic. The subliminal effect of hearing that sound makes the audio, and the story much more believable.