Elliot Wolf shared that the issue that inspired the development of Dark Woods as a “character drama that's set on the backdrop of some real world issues" resulted in some creative strategies for production, including with the cast: She cites the example of “The Horror of Dolores Roach,” which began life as a one-woman play written by Aaron Mark and produced for the stage by O’Donnell.Two episodes of Dark Woods have released so far to set up the story of Monica Raymund’s Laura and Corey Stoll’s Mark following the death of a young woman in the California redwood forest, which kicks off a mystery that could change the lives (and livelihoods) of a lot of small town locals due to drug cartels operating within the national park. Podcasts and their screen incarnations will differ, said O’Donnell, who was a theater company director before coming to Gimlet. But Hollywood remained resistant to fiction podcasts’ value to TV, O’Donnell said. Mimi O’Donnell was hired as head of scripted programming for Spotify-owned podcast company Gimlet Media after its “Homecoming” drama made a splash in 2018 with film star Julia Roberts topping the Prime Video adaptation. and internationally, is marking its 10th year.īut it took a confluence of events to raise podcasting’s profile and change attitudes: The proliferation of streaming services with a voracious need for shows, like Apple TV+ and Peacock, and the COVID-19 pandemic. “Welcome to Night Vale,” a cult hit that’s become the basis of books, albums and live shows in the U.S. Streaming demandsįiction isn’t new to the podcasting party. Their reaction? “‘Yeah, maybe later,’’ he recalled. You don’t need lighting, you don’t need location shooting, you don’t need expensive sets,’” Bowers said. “I was touting this to some production companies and studios five years ago, saying, ‘This is a great way to test out concepts. Good luck getting an hour of television for $5 million,” he said.Īndy Bowers, a pioneer in podcast production and technology, says Hollywood was bound to catch on. “Let’s say that a really well-done season of a scripted podcast is a half-million dollars. Stern detailed the economic upside of gauging a series’ viability based on a podcast as opposed to a pilot. He joined his father’s company, then Wolf Films, about three years ago and is part of its rebranding that includes storytelling in new media. “You have the ability to really immerse yourself in an audio series that paints the picture much better than anything you can do with the written word,” Wolf said. That reflects the approach of Wolf Entertainment, whose network franchises include “Chicago,” “FBI” and the enduring “Law & Order.” The company headed by Dick Wolf is producing podcasts including “Hunted,” starring Parker Posey and Brandon Scott, and “Dark Woods” with Corey Stoll and Monica Raymund - the latter drama in development by Universal Television.įor studio executives inundated with series proposals that often consist of a single page of description, a well-made podcast is a valuable alternative, said Elliot Wolf, the executive producer of “Dark Woods.” “We really started this business as an opportunity to absolutely create best-in-class audio dramas, but with very much an eye toward having them serve as proof-of-concept IP (intellectual property) that could then launch TV and film and graphic novels,” said Stern. Stern himself has shifted gears: He’s president of Echoverse, a podcast studio launched in 2020 with a focus on sci-fi, fantasy and supernatural stories. “Very traditional, legacy media companies” see fiction podcasts as content to be mined, said Mark Stern, a former studio chief and head of Syfy channel’s original content for a decade. They’re seizing on podcasts as a more cost-effective way to test a series concept than filming a TV pilot, and more persuasive than a written pitch. If you’re glued to a scripted podcast drama, you may be auditioning a potential TV series - a result of Hollywood’s demand for small-screen material and the realization that podcasts beyond nonfiction are a valuable resource.ĭramatizations of fact-based podcasts such as Wondery’s “WeCrashed,” about the WeWork business debacle, and Dateline NBC’s crime saga “The Thing About Pam” have become TV staples with top actors including Jared Leto and Renée Zellweger.īut there’s a new wave of fiction podcasts, some made with the express intent of judging a story’s worthiness for a second life on screen, emerging from prominent newcomers to the audio world. LOS ANGELES - Listened to any good television shows lately?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |