Spotify has just released the newest episode of its podcast series, “Spotify: Discover This. ” Spotify bills the show as “a show aimed at sharing fresh insights on music, podcasting, cultural moments, and trends - amplified in a way only Spotify can.”
In this episode, host Lea Palmieri explores the growing world of fiction podcasts with a variety of creators and voice actors that have joined the audio space - exploring trends in sonic storytelling and taking listeners on an audio adventure.
You can listen to the full episode here
On the heels of the season two pick-up of Spotify’s top-charting audio series, Batman Unburied Lea sat down with Sam Witwer to talk about how he got into character to voice the Harvester in the series. She also chats with Spotify Senior Creative Exec Liz Gateley for some background on why fiction is such an exciting area for the company right now. Lea also sits down with indie creator Lauren Shippen to discuss how she built her fiction audio world from the ground up and how others can do the same. Plus, Gimlet sound designer Jonathon Roberts takes listeners on a journey inside the production side of sound effects, Foley, and audio design.
Available to stream for free exclusively on Spotify, please see below for interview highlights in the episode:
06:25-7:02 - Sam Witwer on preparing for his role as The Harvester in Batman Unburied. “When I think of Batman, some of the stuff that had a greater impression on me when I was younger was stuff like Arkham Asylum and the really dark, scary psychological depth of some of those pieces. My instinct was to go in that direction and to play some of those characters glimpsed in the corners of the painting-like images of Arkham Asylum. Scary, scary stuff that's just beyond the frame of those panels.”
15:13-15:45 - Liz Gateley on Spotify’s approach to fiction podcasts.“For fiction, our strategy has always been to innovate, push boundaries of storytelling, and really create something that embraces audio. All the scripts we look at and concepts we look at, we say, Why do this in audio? And I think what's so unique about what David Goyer created was something that you could only really do in audio, living in the mind of Bruce Wayne for four episodes. He really got it from the get-go. And it was exciting to bring in someone at that level of partner, a producer, and a creator.”
19:31- 20:03 - Liz Gateley on what listeners can expect over the next few years for Spotify and its fiction podcasts.“So we're going to be doing more fiction. I think big hits is what we're aiming for and big partnerships. So you'll see more from DC. You're going to hear about Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw and our partnership with Jordan. And we're also, as you know, adapting Caso 63, which was a huge global hit. So I think we'll also see a lot more adaptations globally for Spotify since we're such a global company.”
23:38-24:08 - Lauren Shippen on how the recording process has changed from the earliest fiction podcasts to the episodes she records today.“Yeah. I mean, it's funny. My process hasn't changed all that much. Yeah, the equipment has gotten better. I think I've become a better director. Like I was directing by default in those days. Whereas now I actually consider myself like I'm a person who, like, directs other people's stuff, you know? That is a lane that I can drive in. And I think I've become a better writer too, so I think that has changed. But the process of working with actors and the way that I like to record things hasn't really changed all that much.”
30:39-31:33 - Jonathon Roberts on what excites him most on sound design in fiction podcasts.“I think sound design for fiction podcasts is really unique in that you are so tight with the protagonist in a story. As opposed to film where you're maybe watching what's going on from the outside. In the fiction podcast, you're right there with the protagonist and sort of like walking with them and experiencing the world through them. And that, I think, is really unique. When I listen and when we make the podcasts, it just feels like I'm more immersed in a story than I might be if I was watching film or TV or theater. ”
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On the heels of the season two pick-up of Spotify’s top-charting audio series, Batman Unburied Lea sat down with Sam Witwer to talk about how he got into character to voice the Harvester in the series. She also chats with Spotify Senior Creative Exec Liz Gateley for some background on why fiction is such an exciting area for the company right now. Lea also sits down with indie creator Lauren Shippen to discuss how she built her fiction audio world from the ground up and how others can do the same. Plus, Gimlet sound designer Jonathon Roberts takes listeners on a journey inside the production side of sound effects, Foley, and audio design.
Available to stream for free exclusively on Spotify, please see below for interview highlights in the episode:
06:25-7:02 - Sam Witwer on preparing for his role as The Harvester in Batman Unburied. “When I think of Batman, some of the stuff that had a greater impression on me when I was younger was stuff like Arkham Asylum and the really dark, scary psychological depth of some of those pieces. My instinct was to go in that direction and to play some of those characters glimpsed in the corners of the painting-like images of Arkham Asylum. Scary, scary stuff that's just beyond the frame of those panels.”
15:13-15:45 - Liz Gateley on Spotify’s approach to fiction podcasts.“For fiction, our strategy has always been to innovate, push boundaries of storytelling, and really create something that embraces audio. All the scripts we look at and concepts we look at, we say, Why do this in audio? And I think what's so unique about what David Goyer created was something that you could only really do in audio, living in the mind of Bruce Wayne for four episodes. He really got it from the get-go. And it was exciting to bring in someone at that level of partner, a producer, and a creator.”
19:31- 20:03 - Liz Gateley on what listeners can expect over the next few years for Spotify and its fiction podcasts.“So we're going to be doing more fiction. I think big hits is what we're aiming for and big partnerships. So you'll see more from DC. You're going to hear about Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw and our partnership with Jordan. And we're also, as you know, adapting Caso 63, which was a huge global hit. So I think we'll also see a lot more adaptations globally for Spotify since we're such a global company.”
23:38-24:08 - Lauren Shippen on how the recording process has changed from the earliest fiction podcasts to the episodes she records today.“Yeah. I mean, it's funny. My process hasn't changed all that much. Yeah, the equipment has gotten better. I think I've become a better director. Like I was directing by default in those days. Whereas now I actually consider myself like I'm a person who, like, directs other people's stuff, you know? That is a lane that I can drive in. And I think I've become a better writer too, so I think that has changed. But the process of working with actors and the way that I like to record things hasn't really changed all that much.”
30:39-31:33 - Jonathon Roberts on what excites him most on sound design in fiction podcasts.“I think sound design for fiction podcasts is really unique in that you are so tight with the protagonist in a story. As opposed to film where you're maybe watching what's going on from the outside. In the fiction podcast, you're right there with the protagonist and sort of like walking with them and experiencing the world through them. And that, I think, is really unique. When I listen and when we make the podcasts, it just feels like I'm more immersed in a story than I might be if I was watching film or TV or theater. ”
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