“Do you believe in life after this project?” No, Cher. I don’t.
The First (And Last) C. H. E. R. 104.7 FM Radio Broadcast – Draft
I survived making this project, so that’s really all that should matter.
I’m not sure how my original deviated into this… whatever I made, but I’m strangely attached to the finished product. It’s definitely a more absurd concept/structure than what I was originally planning – mostly because I wanted to make sure the entire point of this project would get across. It’s the same basic idea, but I’m worried I may have altered how the message is getting across, if it’s getting across at all. The point I’m shooting for is along the lines of: “Think about it. If your worst problem is that you have to get up to get your laptop charger, then your life is pretty good. Stop complaining.” I don’t know what drove me to put that sound clip of Cher saying “Snap out of it!” from Moonstruck, but I think I want it to represent an “outside voice,” to the broadcast. The problems are ridiculous when you hear them, so that clip plays a role in reminding people of that – in a way that I really hope makes sense.
The reason behind turning the project into a radio broadcast format came out of Ira Glass’ advice of realizing that a story is “drama,” in Part 4. I know there isn’t a technical storyline to follow, but I wanted to establish characters (Rich Hilton, Stranded Man, Commercial Guy, and even Cher, in a sense,) and have some kind of plot that escalated and made people think. As I was recording, I started to see the potential of Rich Hilton as this apathetic kind of character who really doesn’t care about people’s problems because he’s too busy with his own. Essentially, he’s us, but on a more exaggerated level. “Stranded Guy” is the same way, and the reason their voices sound similar – apart from the obvious – is that I wanted to really drive home the point that a lot of us think this way. First World Country. First World Problems.
Then we come to the stranger parts. The distorted “Believe,” the altered “Snap out of it!” chorus, and Rich’s changing attitude towards these recordings from interested to more or less laughing at them; not to mention the ending music. I honestly can’t explain the definitive reasons why all of those found their way into my piece, but Ira says you have to be determined end ruthless with your work (Part Two), and I just know I can make them fit in amazingly well if I work on it more.
Luckily, I only had minimal trouble when it came to the actual editing of the piece. I’ve used Garageband enough to know how to clip audio pieces together, and once I got into the rhythm of recording a segment, pasting in the little beeps and Chers, adjusting the volume, etc., it was a fairly quick process. It needs work. I should clarify some things, and find ways to make the piece flow better. Or scrap everything and start again. I don’t know, I really like what I have, but I’ll totally understand if the general consensus is that this is a piece of garbage.
I’d apologize for the overwhelming Cher-ness of this, but I knew I had to include her somehow, and she ended up becoming my muse for the entire piece.
4 responses so far
You definitely win the award for creativity with the audio format. So, creativity? Check. Message? Check. Delivery? Check. You’ve got your bases covered.
You’re talking a little fast in the intro. What would happen if you slow it down but still retain the sort of satirical approach to the radio personality guy. Love Rich Hilton name. Totally fun. The set up is so critical though, and a little complicated: the host finding an iPhone floating, playing the clips. It’s easy to miss the details of what’s going on, and you want your listeners to be as clued in as possible. I don’t understand, for instance, what you say right before going into the first stranded guy bit. Something like “the skies are pretty bad out there?” Slow it down and articulate a little more to set up the fantastical premise as clearly as possible. When you say “don’t have your maid turn the dial,” the first couple of times I listened I thought you said “mate.” Little things like that.
Love how you use sound effects. How you have the radio announcer pop in with commentary like “pretty bad stuff, huh? Stay tuned…” Good stuff.
Do you throw away the line “I don’t have anything else prepared today anyway”? IT seems a little too much of an aside. Just a teeny bit.
Hey, I know Im being picky here. I want to bring out the potential.
When you say the call lights are going crazy, I get excited thinking you’re going to bring in some callers. Look, I can see why you wouldn’t go there (Rich Hilton is too interested in himself to actually take calls, lack of time to write and record the calls, too much going on, too long, etc). But I was wondering if you had actually thought about including a call or two. Some good opportunity there…
I enjoyed our class discussion of how you imagined the progression–into lethargy and total surrender. When the little things become such problems, you stop caring about the real issues (e.g. voting). Very clever. You could keep imagining how to build on that progression.
I love what you are doing with first-world problems here, and I can’t say a word about any lack of creativity here. You really stretch the potential of the “audio-essay” genre. Made me think. Entertained me. I will tune in again.
The creativity factor of this project is definitely top notch. You really took your original idea and twisted it in a way that I absolutely did not expect. I really liked he use of the “snap out of it!” clip. You called it an “outside voice.” I’d take it a step farther and call Cher our subconscious for this particular broadcast. I found myself placated and amused by each of the problems Stranded Guy mentions, but Cher was always there to tell me that this really isn’t a problem, look around a little! I thought that clip worked wonders. I will advise cutting down on the amount of problems, though, I think your point can be communicated more effectively by removing 2 or 3 of the less humorous ones.
I also agree that the formatting of this project really turned out to be top-notch. The broadcast-style commercial break, the distorted intro voice and the commentator’s interludes are served to make your project more entertaining. If you hadn’t called the station C.H.E.R, I could’ve mistook it for something real. Nevertheless, almost all of your stylistic and formatting decisions added, I felt, to the originality and genuinity of your project.
As far as changes to make are concerned, I would look to shorten your piece a little bit by removing a few of the problems. I also do agree that at times it is hard to understand what you’re saying. You get very quiet towards the last of Stranded Guy’s messages. Now I know you’re going for an effect here, but the effect gets in the way of clarity in this instance. I’d advise making the voice a little louder, and to maintain the effect, add to the raspiness/roughness of his voice.
Really, really liked it! Probably why I wrote so much.
I like how to attempt to use humor to convey a more serious message. I do believe you have too many problems contained in your essay. After about 5-6, I started to tune out. Maybe keep your best 6 or so and then try and find another segment that you can add to continue with your main purpose. It can still be Cher related of course. =p
Your audio essay is super creative. I like the beginning music, but I don’t understand the glass bottle thing at all. Maybe I’m just slow… Your introduction could be a little clearer. I think you can talk clearly while still being fast paced. I like the snap out of it effects, but like the problems, there are a few too many.
Great commercial. Very entertaining. The frivolous problems we have is captured with this commercial and I do believe therefore that it adds to your purpose and effect. Be careful with humor though. Everyone finds different things funny and so I think humor is often the hardest device to use effectively on a broad audience.
You employ a very creative medium to deliver your purpose. I think you have a lot to work with, and you already seem to have refined many parts of your essay. Keep trying to distill your purpose and effect. Have Fun!
It was incredibly funny to listen to! I really enjoyed it, and was really glad that you stuck to that topic! The way you incorporated Cher was just so fun!
Suggestions:
– to cut out one or two of the events that your recording had to go through, hand in hand, lessening the amount of “snap out of it” moments.
– try using your spokesperson to state your main point
– the closing of piece was a but abrupt, perhaps change it so that it’s a smoother, conclusive sound
It’s difficult to improve on things so great!