This piece was originally written for a 5-minute audio production challenge but even though the script was only 4 pages, the final produced runtime ended up being too long for that purpose. Due to sickness, I wasn't able to dedicate much time to trying to edit it down so I decided to just leave it as is. And I think it turned out just fine. But I am undeniably biased. :)
I will share a bit more about the inspiration for, and the process of making, this short audio drama below, but some of it contains spoilers so be sure to listen before reading below the player. I will say that this one is quite different from my previous projects. Not only does it use some different storytelling mechanics that I don't usually use, or even prefer to hear in audio drama, but it also has a very overt message. That's also something I typically steer clear of.
Synopsis
An older man takes stock of his life and he's not sure he likes what he sees. Where will he go from here?
Credits
"The Brokenhearted" was written, directed, and produced by J.D. Sutter.
The cast was:
Announcer/Pastor - David M. Sanborn
David - J.D. Sutter
Nadia - Bethany Baldwin
Classmate - John Tuttle III
Doctor - Craig Hart
Son - Dominic Treis
Music:
"Mystical Realm" by ELVGames & PEGGU-SENSEI, courtesy Fanatical
"New Land" by Kozirsky, courtesy Fanatical
"Winter" by Alexander Nakarada, Licensed under CC4 - Attribution
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Behind the Making of "The Brokenhearted"
Character names are something that I am usually very intentional with in my projects, though sometimes I choose them simply because they sound good or I like them. In this case, it's a bit of both. I have always liked the name Nadia ever since I encountered it for the first time in a novel many years ago, and when I started writing this script it came to my mind naturally and felt right. After I'd written the first draft, I decided to look it up and found that one of the meanings of the name is "hope" and that only reinforced in my mind that it was the perfect name for this character. She was such a bright spot in David's life that after her loss, he felt hopeless.
The theme of the audio challenge for which this was intended to be entered was "Reflection" and as I began to think about that concept, this story immediately began to form in my mind. I incorporated three different interpretations of, or angles on, that word in this piece; first a literal definition by having David looking at himself in the mirror in the opening scene, then the reminiscence approach as he reflects back on key points in his life, and finally some deep self-reflection on where he was at that point in time.
As I have shared in a previous project, I have experienced some quite heavy losses in my life. This year alone, there have been several deaths in my social circles, including two due to suicide. One of those was right before I started working on this project. As the shape of this short story was forming in my head, I was still processing all of those feelings and I couldn't escape them. They hugely influenced the entire direction this script went.
One of the points of producing these micro audio dramas for me is to push myself as a creative to try something new or stretch myself in some way with each project. I was quite nervous about this one for several reasons as I mentioned in a recent post. One reason was the major usage of flashbacks to tell much of the story; I know some folks don't really care for that. But I think the biggest one for me was the challenge of playing a character at multiple life stages, from teen to elderly, and doing so convincingly and not sounding "cartoony". I have voiced stereotypical "old men" before, but usually in a comedic manner. It's one thing to play the old guy who is the comic relief in a show, but it's another thing entirely to play a serious, emotional man in his late 60s. I'm not fully satisfied with my performance, but I hope it worked enough for the story to still have an impact.
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| Screenshot of a few lines from the script |
And speaking of impact, that was another thing I was attempting to do here. I typically shy away from very overt messaging or didactic approaches to storytelling but in this instance, the whole goal was to illustrate how we need to try to be aware of those we come in contact with on a regular basis who may be feeling emotionally and mentally weighed down by life. A simple word or gesture can go a long way to lift someone's spirits. Believe me, I've been there when no one seems to notice or care about how you are feeling. And I've also been there when someone unexpectedly reaches out with love and concern. Not always trying to "fix things" or offer advice but just to be there and listen. Like the pastor does in this story.
And that brings me to the final point I wanted to mention. I also don't usually prefer to have an announcer who gives a moral or Scripture reference as that can run the risk of beating the audience over the head with a message or point. Perhaps I still did that with this piece, though because of all that was on my mind during this process, I felt it was integral to this production. You'll have to let me know how it felt to you and if I hit the target or missed the mark. As I said before, these pieces are about experimentation for me and I know it won't always result in the perfect end product. And I have to be ok with that and just learn from each experience.
Bonus Tidbits
I always give my actors the leeway to offer alternative takes on the lines in the script. A lot of actors don't take me up on that (which is perfectly fine), and even when they do, I will stick with the wording in the script the majority of the time. But on occasion a voice talent will give me an alternative version that is just gold and it will elevate the moment, the scene, and even the project as a whole to use it rather than what I wrote. Such was the case with the final line in this piece. Actor David Sanborn really embodied his character and gave me such a compelling and emotional take that capped off the last moment of this piece in a beautiful way. I absolutely love it when that happens!
Two little details from the script that I thought were interesting was the juxtaposition of two different test results, both of which were "positive", but had very different responses. And the other was the recurring reference to taking a walk. It was an element of nearly every point in David's life in some way and I thought it was a fun little thing to add to his character. Did I overdo it? You'll have to let me know.
In terms of production, one of the things I did to stretch myself creatively with this project was to record nearly all of the sound effects myself rather than pull them from a library. All of the footsteps, shaving sounds, water running, faucet turning on and off, and washing the face effects were recorded in my home.
As always, I was thrilled to work with some super talented folks on this project. Huge thanks to the full cast. They were all amazing! And special thanks to David and Bethany for delivering such emotional performances.
If you enjoyed this audio drama, please share it with someone. And if you can, please consider clicking the button below to "buy me a coffee" as a thank you. I'd also love to hear what you thought of this piece in the comments!
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