Did anyone else get the Blacklist podcast today, where big Franklin broke the news that they're stopping the table reads podcasts because they don't make the coin required to keep going?

I know the Blacklist has raised some passionate debate around these parts before, but the table reads were generally pretty good. Any other suggestions out there as a replacement?

Quoted from Cameron Did anyone else get the Blacklist podcast today, where big Franklin broke the news that they're stopping the table reads podcasts because they don't make the coin required to keep going? I know the Blacklist has raised some passionate debate around these parts before, but the table reads were generally pretty good. Any other suggestions out there as a replacement?

Cam,

Looks like an opportunity, here.  

Don

Lols, you didn't find my one did you, Don?? That thing was so bad it's worse than herpies, and is getting removed asap!!

Genuinely wondering if there's any other well produced Pods with decent stories out there that I've been missing? And if anyone hasn't heard the last BL one, was a goody

Have a look at Wildsoundfestival.com, I can only recommend them.

Cheers Equinox, am onto it

Quoted from Equinox Have a look at Wildsoundfestival.com, I can only recommend them.

YES! Love these guys. I've had a TV script and a short story read by these guys and posted on Youtube.  

Quoted from Don Cam, Looks like an opportunity, here.   Don

Suggesting one for SS?

Hey Pia,

Having vaguely attempted to create one, but instead creating a disasterpiece, I can offer advice. If you wanted to create a good table read for the site, you really just need to get a group of people together who are up for a laugh, and confident enough to do some vocal acting. If anyone's got that to hand then it's a pretty straightforward effort to get their pod recorded and onto iTunes, it's just the initial production that needs the legwork.

I listened to the old pod that the site used to have and it was a good listen, plus everyone is podding now so it is a good source for extending your current reach. You've obviously got the scripts so good luck if you get onto it, I know I'll listen!

I personally have no time for it. I'm way too busy these days, but I used to play around with that kind of stuff. There was even a company that did these way back, but I can't remember the name of it right now. I had several of my scripts done by them and others did as well. They were a lot of fun.

I think Don was hinting that if someone wants to start something here at SS, there would be a place for it. Anyone?  

A couple years back, I started a facebook group "table reads on Skype". At the time, I was just looking to group some screen writers that might be interested in helping each other out with table reads. I never really used the group, however, because around that time I switched to prose.

However, the group grew and grew on its own. It now has 460 members. I suspect most of these are aspiring actors, not screenwriters. The group doesn't do anything. People just send requests to join.

I don't really have time to do anything with it, but I suppose if readers were needed, I could send a group message and see if anyone responded. Or if Cam wanted to start something here, I could make him an admin of the facebook group...then you wouldn't even need me.

Quoted from leitskev I don't really have time to do anything with it, but I suppose if readers were needed, I could send a group message and see if anyone responded. Or if Cam wanted to start something here, I could make him an admin of the facebook group...then you wouldn't even need me.

Great idea!  

Quoted from Equinox Have a look at Wildsoundfestival.com, I can only recommend them.

WILDsound provides some very awesome feedback. They are very professional and I highly recommend them.

Quoted from leitskev However, the group grew and grew on its own. It now has 460 members. I suspect most of these are aspiring actors, not screenwriters. The group doesn't do anything. People just send requests to join.

I'm definitely up for having some involvement, whether it's attaching sound effects, or just managing it and getting it up online. I had a bit of practice with Audacity and adding music, doing editing and I don't think the sound effects would take much effort.

Alas, due to slightly testing personal circumstances, I don't have that much time to give at the moment to get full blown involved in sorting people out and managing the reads, but if anyone was able to put together a recording I'm definitely up for editing it and getting it out there. Really depends if anyone's up for it on the table read bit, or if the demand's there?

Fortunately enough, the fact that it's largely shorts as material, it really wouldn't take as much time to fix up as a whole feature length session as per other podcasts.

Not sure what you have in mind, Cam. My original intention was to just get table reads to help writers with their scripts. But I think most people signing up, I don't know, maybe thought it was a way to try out for acting roles? I don't know, I have not asked any of them.

I had thought in the past that it could be cool to write something like a creepy pasta, get actors to read it, and post it on youtube. I have no idea whether actors in that group would respond, but they might if they knew it was going to be posted.

There are apps that can be used to record skype calls. As far as editing, I don't know anything and it sounds like a lot of work.

Reading a feature out loud sounds like it would take a long time, too.

Anyway, it's a resource if you want to use it anytime, just let me know. You could sign up and I'd make you admin, so you could message people directly...or if you don't want to go through that, I don't mind passing messages to the group.

Hey Kevin,

Lols, definitely wouldn't be going near a feature, it'd have to be the shorts with my kinda resources! You know what? This may actually be worth attempting, assuming someone around here is happy enough to lend a good short script for it.

My thoughts, I could firstly check to see if anyone would be interested in reading for it. Would definitely give anyone involved a credit shout at the beginning and end, unfortunately no money but at least their name would be there and it shouldn't take up much of their time or effort.

The Skype quality would be horrendous so I'd probably have to get people to read blind, record their lines and mount it afterwards, not ideal but a way around it. Or just get everyone to hit record and do a read all at once, send it to me and then edit afterwards. It actually doesn't take that much time to edit, especially if it's a short.

Last thing, Don/Pia. If someone's prepared to lend a script, if some actors are able to lend their voices, and if I was able to actually pull it together in a decent enough format, would you be happy to associate it with or mount it on the site? No point in making it if no one gets to listen to it.

Really it's just a bit of fun, but it could be quite cool if people actually got to hear their own work read out dramatically. There's a lot of "if's" up there so it may never happen, but it might be worth giving it a shot if the interest's there.

Kevin Lenihan on facebook, if you want to friend.

Table Reads on Skype is group name

Onto it Kevin, think I've tracked you down.

Anyway, I'm off to bed, will have a good think about this tomorrow morning whilst I'm playing football (soccerball edition).

Cheers mate,

Cam

made you admin, Cam

I will respond to this, I promise, but let's just say, I will help where I czn.

Written in haste

-Don

No worries at all Don, and no pressure either.

Thanks Kevin, I'll send something round later on today and see what happens.

99% of the members in that group I did not invite, they just found it. That's why I suspect...but don't know...that they are actors who are hoping it was a recruitment tool for parts. So no idea what their interest will be. But cold reading is really good practice for them. So I would think there might be interest in reading a short, or a first act. Posting on youtube could be an option that might make it more appealing(or less, I don't know)

Good luck though!

Cheers Kevin, I'm holding off saying anything until Don has a wee think and we'll see what happens.

Ta again mate

Quoted from Cameron Last thing, Don/Pia. If someone's prepared to lend a script, if some actors are able to lend their voices, and if I was able to actually pull it together in a decent enough format, would you be happy to associate it with or mount it on the site? No point in making it if no one gets to listen to it. Really it's just a bit of fun, but it could be quite cool if people actually got to hear their own work read out dramatically. There's a lot of "if's" up there so it may never happen, but it might be worth giving it a shot if the interest's there.

Fuck, yes! I would be happy to host and distribute.  And read lines. You are more than welcome to use the site to manage it.  Let me know what I can do help move this along?

Don

Lots of great scripts at SS. I'm sure most authors would be happy to have their scripts read.  

Good Luck.  

Quoted from Don Fuck, yes! I would be happy to host and distribute.  And read lines. You are more than welcome to use the site to manage it.  Let me know what I can do help move this along?

Haha, that's the passion we need right there Don! Sweet as, right I'll start to figure it all out then.

Any idea of a script or anyone who'd be up for lending one?

Quoted from Cameron Haha, that's the passion we need right there Don! Sweet as, right I'll start to figure it all out then. Any idea of a script or anyone who'd be up for lending one?

Cam,

Either pick a script you like and reach out to the author and/or post a topic "Looking For A Short Script to Audio Produce".

Something like, I would like to audio produce your short script and release it under a Creative Commons 4.0 license  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/  on SimplyScripts

Writer still retains all rights to the work and is only giving permission to distribute the audio work only under an attribution, non-commercial, no derivative license which only means anyone can share it, can't sell it and can't change it.  "It" being the audio work.

Don

Hi Don,

Cheers mate. I'd never even thought of the legal requirements, dim as I am with the licensing side of things.

I've just stuck up a message on the facebook page Kevin added me to, so hopefully I'll get some interest off some of the acting community and then I can take it forward and find that script to use.

Fingers crossed!

Cam

Cam, your message was Oh My God long! lol I bet Don never thought it would be ME to say that to someone else!

I left yours up, and added a new one. A much shorter one. We'll see if any responses.

I guess there is no longer a way to message the group. That's too bad.

But one thing you can do is create an event and invite people. So if you had a date you were looking to do this.

I used to do these things for my bar, but facebook always changes the functions.

Quoted from Cameron Hi Don, Cheers mate. I'd never even thought of the legal requirements, dim as I am with the licensing side of things. I've just stuck up a message on the facebook page Kevin added me to, so hopefully I'll get some interest off some of the acting community and then I can take it forward and find that script to use. Fingers crossed! Cam

Can we also post something here, too? I'd like to give SS'ers a shot, too.  

This may be a good opportunity to test out the new SimplyScripts Newsletter^TM...

Can I have the link to the Facebook group?

Re: Long post, yes, Kevin.  I lol'd.  At least Cam knows how to use the shift key...

I can be short. Ask any gal I've...never mind.

Hey Kevin/Don,

Yeh, in retrospect an essay wasn't the best idea. You went good cop, I clearly went bad, and you managed to pique someone's interest so there we go! I gotta say that shift key's pretty damn useful, up there with the control key and letter F as one of my fave's, no idea how you survived without it Kevin.

Here you go Don - https://www.facebook.com/groups/408704702532488/ you may have to get added to the group to view it, so if you try to join it I'm sure one of us will accept the request.

And yeh, definitely get it up here! We've only got one volunteer thus far so we'd definitely need some more potential actors. Where do you reckon it's best kept on the site, around the general discussion forum? And totally get it onto the newsletter, any help we can get to get this beast to fly is much appreciated (both on acting front and script selection).

Script wise, given we've only got one person thus far from an acting perspective, we're probably best for the first one to stick to one with fewer characters than a full ensemble cast, just to get to grips with it. I'll trawl around the site to see what's out there, but if anyone's read anything good that fits the bill then let me know.

I have not done these, so I am not speaking from experience, but I suspect you don't want too many readers on any one script. Especially given how buggy skype can be. So you don't want to get a separate reader for each character.

Also, if there are actors, they probably want to practice cold reads.

Different ways you could break it up. You could have a main reader who does all the smaller parts, and another reader do the protagonist.

Sorry, I won't volunteer to read. I suck. I can't even read my own writing very convincingly.

I can volunteer for a read but keep in mind that I have a huuuuge accent (it's a mix of mediteranean/russian) and as I'm in Baku, Azerbaijan there's a substantial time difference. However, I'm available if it's done mornings or even aternoons before 12 am.

Are you sure you need actors for it though? I thought it's best when done in impatial voice - this way you can see much more. That's how we table read the plays anyway. There was some discussion about it on FB, in that group but I don't remember how it ended. Some said table reads for plays were different to screenplay reads as reads for plays were done for the actors.
But I'm still not sure if you benefit from it read by actors. Actors can make a lot of bad dialog work - and that's the problem.

Anyway, I've done some acting in the past, so please consider me as well. Now I have to figure out how to register for this thing. I used to be in Kevin's group - I remember that very well.

Hey Kham,

Sorry, my folks are in town so I haven't had a chance to reply properly yet.

You're definitely down on my list of actors (we need a few)!! No worries at all about the accent, that sounds like a cool mix anyway so it should be an asset rather than anything negative, and I'm sure it's better than my mad Scottish one. And yeh, as Don said a few posts back about getting anyone involved from around here, if anyone fancies it then stick your hand up, no previous acting experience necessary.

I'm going to be scouring the forums tonight and tomorrow, and by the end of the weekend should have hopefully approached some folk about scripts. From then on comes the challenge of figuring out how it'll work, but really appreciate you offering your services.

Cheers Khamanna!

Cam

If you want me, then count me in for the special jobs when you once need a German accent in English or German in native tongue.

Possibly in English, if you don't find an exact match for some accents, I also could jump in for a Dutch, Dane, Pole, Austrian and other neighboring countries. This won't be high quality or fully authentic, I believe even laughable to some degree, but possibly I got a better feeling how they rudimentarily speak in English because they're neighboring countries.

So, as said, special jobs only.

Hey Alexander,

Cheers mate, bang on, you're down on the list. I doubt anyone outside of the specific countries named would find an impersonation of their fine accents funny, and tbh your accent's gotta be better than some of the Hollywood actors and their attempts at European accents whilst speaking English (even Russell Crowe in bloody Robin Hood, and English is his first language).

Really appreciate it.

Cam