The Audio Epics Podcast

Why a storytelling podcast? Storytelling podcast #0

A new episode! What, already? Yes, already! We talk a bit about the whole idea behind the Storytelling podcast, why we're doing this and what we have planned for the future.

Storytelling in tabletop roleplaying games - Storytelling podcast #3

We've played a lot of different roleplaying games and tried out various systems and settings, so of course we had to do an episode about them. We talk about the unique storytelling opportunities that this hobby presents, how it is a shared storytelling experience and how roleplaying games can help people improve their social skills. 

Mentioned in this episode:

• Dungeons & Dragons (duh)
• Raymond E. Feist
• Dragonlance
• Weis & Hickman
• Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
• Dragon Age
• RPGLit
• RPG video games
• 13th Age
• World of Darkness
• Vampire: The Masquerade
• The One Ring
• Descent
• Star Wars Roleplaying Game

 

Bizarre story elements in kids' TV shows - Storytelling podcast #4

We're the parents of a toddler and so we get to watch a lot of TV shows aimed at very young children and we noticed just how strange they are most of the time. In this episode, we try to unravel the hows and whys of talking trees, muddy puddles and medieval jesters who travel around the world in hot air balloons.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Peppa Pig
• Woezel & Pip
• Bing
• Dinotrux
• Transformers
• Jokie & Jet
• Efteling
• Samson
• The Smurfs
• Bassie & Adriaan
  
  

VAMPIRES - Storytelling podcast #5

What is the terror that stalks the night in search of living blood? The answer is mosquitoes, but vampires can be pretty annoying too. In this episode, we talk about the various ways vampires have been used in books, movies and games, how the significance of this mythical creature changes over time, how storytellers have tried to find ways to keep the vampire archetype fresh, and why Dracula is still the number one vampire of them all!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Dracula
• Interview with the Vampire
• Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
• Angel
• The Vampire Diaries
• Twilight
• Dracula Untold
• World of Darkness
• Vampire: The Masquerade
• The Silmarillion
• Nosferatu
• Underworld

Humor in storytelling - Storytelling podcast #6

Last week we delved into a topic related to horror, so this week we decided to go in the completely opposite direction and explore comedy. Somehow, we still couldn't avoid talking quite a bit about horror, too. Eline admits that her favorite moment in comedy is a puking scene and Domien is shocked by all the vulgarity these days.

Movies/shows/books/games mentioned in this episode:

• Music & Lyrics
• The Wedding Singer
• Team America: World Police
• Scary Movie
• Epic Movie
• Monkey Island
• Space Quest
• Divinity: Original Sin
• Goat Simulator
• Mr. Bean
• Blackadder
• In De Gloria
• Life Is Beautiful
• Monty Python
• The Room
• Wrong Turn
• The Hills Have Eyes
• Hostel
• The Strangers
• The Human Centipede
• Aliens
• The Lord of the Rings
• Red Dragon
• The Silence of the Lambs

People mentioned:

• Hugh Grant
• Adam Sandler
• Drew Barrymore
• Louis de Funès
• Rowan Atkinson
• Wim Helsen
• Bill Bailey
• James Cameron

Prophecy & Destiny - Storytelling podcast #7

Since the ancient days, it has been foretold that we would do this episode. We talk about the role of prophecy and destiny in storytelling, which turns out to be huge. We also spoil the ending of almost every movie ever made. Get cozy with a nice cup of tea and an apocalyptic vision of impending doom and enjoy the Audio Epics Storytelling Podcast with Domien and Eline!

Movies/shows/books/games mentioned in this episode:

• The Matrix
• Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
• Harry Potter
• Smallville
• Merlin
• Dune
• Maleficent
• The Smurfs
• The Terminator
• Doctor Who
• About Time
• Final Destination
• The Time Machine
• Minority Report
• King Kong
• Superman
• The Planet of the Apes
• The Passion of the Christ
• Titanic
• The Hunger Games

The hero in storytelling - Storytelling podcast #8

Frodo Baggins, Superman, Luke Skywalker... Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, but what is the defining characteristic that binds them? In this episode, we get into that topic and also go on a bit of a tangent about Belgian comic book characters and how they are massively different from American ones. Listen to find out why Eline didn't like the ending to The Dark Knight and what Domien's favourite female fictional character is.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Superman
• Batman
• The Hulk
• Spider-man
• Aquaman
• Wolverine
• Thor
• The Lord of the Rings (like in every episode)
• The Hobbit
• Star Wars
• Suske & Wiske
• Jommeke
• The Secret of N.I.M.H
• Hacksaw Ridge
• The X-Files
• The Will of the Woods
• Witch Hunter
• Avatar
• Dances With Wolves
• Hercules
• Achilles

 

 

Adaptations in storytelling - Storytelling podcast #9

Every medium has its own strengths and weaknesses to tell certain kinds of stories. In this episode, we discuss how adaptations into a different medium can work, how you could make a Tetris movie work and why Peter Jackson has to make the Witch Hunter movie.

WARNING: there is an overabundance of The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit in this episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Lord of the Rings (a LOT)
• The Hobbit (also a LOT)
• The Lego Movie
• The Lego Batman Movie
• Dune
• Arrival
• The Name of the Rose
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• The Shining
• The Mist
• Star Wars
• Tomb Raider
• Silent Hill
• Warcraft
• Knights of the Old Republic
• Mass Effect
• Skyrim
• Diablo
• Tetris
• Batman
• Man of Steel
• War of the Worlds
• Harry Potter
• Pirates of the Caribbean

Storytelling Point of View (part 1 of 2)

"I remember it like it was yesterday..." or "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away?"

There are very different ways to tell a story and viewpoint is one of those technical things in writing that can have a huge impact even though the audience doesn't necessarily pay much attention to them. In this first part of our conversation, we explore the various viewpoints used in written fiction. Why use any one of these over the others? What makes them unique?

 

• 3rd person omniscient
• 3rd person limited
• 2nd person (choose your own adventure)
• 1st person reflective
• 1st person camera

 

Works mentioned in this episode:

• Narnia
• Harry Potter
• The Wheel of Time
• Dune
• The Stormlight Archive
• Moby Dick
• Dracula
• The Hunger Games
• The Da Vinci Code
• The Sixth Sense
• The Lovely Bones
• The Reckoners Trilogy
• The Love Tree
• How I Met Your Mother

 

People mentioned in this episode:

• C.S. Lewis
• Brandon Sanderson
• J.R.R. Tolkien
• Suzanne Collins
• J.K. Rowling
• Robert Jordan
• Frank Herbert
• Dan Brown
• Jos Vanderloo

Storytelling Point of View (part 2 of 2)

Last week we discussed points of view of narration in novels. This week, we talk about point of view as it is used in video games and movies, where the camera takes on much the same role as the narrator in a book. We also talk about audio drama. Oh, and we almost get a divorce during this episode. By the way, if you don't play video games, you may want to skip to about 14 minutes into the podcast. 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

Doom
Wolfenstein 3D
Lara Croft
Baldur's Gate
Diablo
Divinity
Knights of the Old Republic
Kingdoms of Amalur
Fable
Dragon Age
Mass Effect
The Witcher
Fallout
Skyrim
Oblivion
E.T.
Steven Spielberg
The New World
The Strangers
Amélie Poulain
Mathilda
The Fairy Tree
The Owlfield
Camera Panda