First there was radio, then there were podcasts, and now there are podcasts that resemble radio plays! The fictional scripted podcast is an exploding format that has seen a lot of movement and money behind it lately. It’s an exciting platform for storytellers and even a potential avenue for getting a TV show or film project made. And if there was any doubt the audio drama trend was here to stay, the pandemic erased it.
We officially have a new medium, so welcome!
The race to convert ears back into eyes became clear through three adaptations. There was the Gimlet-produced podcast, Homecoming, that became a half-hour drama for Amazon Prime, supervised by Sam Esmail and starring Julia Roberts in the first season and Janelle Monáe in the second. There was also the breakout podcast Limetown that became a Jessica Biel-fronted Facebook Watch series. And then there was the LA Times and Wondery collaboration, Dirty John, that evolved into the Bravo true crime anthology series.
But wait… there’s more!
Thanks to the rise in popularity of this form of entertainment as a way to incubate potential film and TV projects, numerous marquee production companies have started podcast divisions. Think: Marvel, Shondaland, Blumhouse, Skybound, and Wolf Entertainment striking partnerships and deals with the likes of Spotify, iHeartMedia, Audible, and Endeavor Audio. And they are always on the lookout for the next big story, presenting an incredible opportunity for emerging voices and storytellers.
Fortunately, for creatives, newer formats like this come with a bit of creative freedom. They also come with varying amounts of financial rewards. Pro tip: As the writer/creator of a series, you’ll want to try to hold onto whatever Film/TV rights you can, as studios continue to mine podcasts for valuable IP.
Another tip: don’t be lazy! You have a better chance of succeeding if you don’t just take a failed pilot or film and adapt it for audio. Instead, take the time to design a story specifically for the medium. Be creative. It’s what the buyers want and it’s what this new lane demands.
Look forward to HEARING the next great story before I see it.
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Note From Tongal: "Why Writers Should Be Paying Attention To The Scripted Podcast Boom" is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Tongal. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
