PS Audios presents The Curse of Ratanapura - EPISODE 2 ONLINE!

[Si Hunt]

I think I was driving home from Paul's one day and I saw a sign for Mogador, so I said to Simon "That sounds like a Doctor Who planet, I should use that!". So I did.

Si.

[Wayne]

It sounds a bit Lord of the Rings-ish as well!

[Pip Madeley]

Ratanapura page now online:

http://www.planetskaro.org.uk/creati...curseindex.php

[Andrew Curnow]

I notice we've got three more new story titles on the Audio page - for next year! Crikey you guys are organised!!

One question though - has the Christmas story been shelved for some reason, as it appears to have disappeared from the list?

[Si Hunt]

I can't see any story titles for next year, but I can see the Christmas Special (which is still very much on the schedule!)

Si.

[WhiteCrow]

I did enjoy hearing my scene with Ashley - it was a lot of fun to record. I do think the music needed pulling back a little though. It reminds me a bit of a Monty Python skit where they get a bit carried away with the dramatic music, and then it become part comic.

Although it was a small part, I was very impressed with Pips direction on the day, he really knew what he wanted from our performance, and helped us "get it right".

[Si Hunt]

I really enjoyed hearing the episode brought to life. I was impressed with the performances. Unless you were at the recording you probably won't know that the circumstances wern't ideal for this story - it got rather pushed to the back of the schedule on the day so we didn't have much time. Given that, the results are nothing short of amazing. In particular, Dave and Tim are effortlessly good in their respective roles, Alex manages to be (in my opinion) actually totally different to Leckard and, well, Ashley rather steals the whole episode doesn't he? He gives it real gusto.

Pip does a great job with the production, and leaves me wishing I had his flair with the music. He manages to imbue the cues I find so tiresome to assemble with great panache and originality. If I had one criticism to make (and I feel bad doing so, but as we all know in life, praise is worth nothing unless you know someone is willing to also tell the truth about the bits they liked less) I'd hoped there would be more background ambience, for example in the lounge when they are talking I was imagining the milling of guests and the chink of cut crystal decanters! But I always knew that Pip would make his own decisions about production, and the same silence works very well in the bedroom scenes between Nick and Rob later.

A great haunting episode, well done to all everyone who contributed, and thank you for bringing it to life!

Si.

[Andrew Curnow]

I can't see any story titles for next year, but I can see the Christmas Special (which is still very much on the schedule!)

As Davros almost said in Remembrance, It has changed again. Either that or I've been smoking pipe of poppy. Either way, glad to hear Christmas hasn't been cancelled...

Which begs the suggestion, isn't The Cancellation of Christmas quite a good story title?

It's alright, I'll go now...

[Si Hunt]

I'd love to know what the third new title for next year is, as the play itself has yet to be written!

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

I did enjoy hearing my scene with Ashley - it was a lot of fun to record. I do think the music needed pulling back a little though. It reminds me a bit of a Monty Python skit where they get a bit carried away with the dramatic music, and then it become part comic.

Although it was a small part, I was very impressed with Pips direction on the day, he really knew what he wanted from our performance, and helped us "get it right".

Thanks for that Mike, I think you did a great job - I must mention that Ant Williams recorded the same lines but I went with your performance as it much more "on the money" because although Ant was great, he sounds too young! And yes, the music was rather overdone during that scene but that was intended, I wanted it to be very melodramatic

Unless you were at the recording you probably won't know that the circumstances wern't ideal for this story - it got rather pushed to the back of the schedule on the day so we didn't have much time. Given that, the results are nothing short of amazing.

It was a bit of a troubled production, what with our leading lady being unable to make the main recording and the fact we had to use my laptop to record the scenes at the last moment. The performances were excellent, it had been a long day and I might've expected some people to have been a bit tired, but everyone stepped up - as you mentioned, Ashley Culley was FANTASTIC as Barrington (particularly in the scene where he is menaced by the ghost) and I want to hear him in another PS Audio soon!

If I had one criticism to make (and I feel bad doing so, but as we all know in life, praise is worth nothing unless you know someone is willing to also tell the truth about the bits they liked less) I'd hoped there would be more background ambience, for example in the lounge when they are talking I was imagining the milling of guests and the chink of cut crystal decanters!

Constructive criticism is always good and in this case I totally agree with you Si, but sadly I just couldn't source the right sounds, and given there was only seven or eight characters I couldn't use 'crowd' tracks as it would've sounded false. If only we had foley people!

[Andrew Curnow]

I'd love to know what the third new title for next year is, as the play itself has yet to be written!

Well the title was good anyway, so that's a start!

[SiHart]

I haven't had a chance to hear Ratanapura pt 1 yet, but I'm looking forward to it tonight.

Si xx

[Paul Monk]

Listened to this this morning and loved it. I echo everthing thats been said here. The performances were all brilliant. This was recorded very late in the day and recorded hugely out of sequence due to me having to take two little horrors home to bed!
I loved Ashley's performance. He was very weaslely.
A lot has also been said of the quietness of Ali's part and whilst thats true no-one has really commented on her performance which I thought was excellent.

[Dirk Gently]

Ah yes, Ali's performance was very good. Her quiet authority was well done & delivered clearly. I'd really like to see her do more audios.

[Antony Cox]

I think I was driving home from Paul's one day and I saw a sign for Mogador, so I said to Simon "That sounds like a Doctor Who planet, I should use that!". So I did.

Si.

If I may be a frothing pedant for a moment, you were probably driving home from ours when you saw the sign for Mogador - if you'd have been driving home from Paul's and saw it then you'd have been going completely the wrong way!

With regards to The Curse of Ratanapura, I've listened to it once but will listen to it again this evening before I comment.

[Si Hunt]

Yes I thought it was yours! That makes more sense!

I'd really like to see her do more audios.

You won't have too long to wait Tim...

Si.

[Paul Monk]

If I may be a frothing pedant for a moment, you were probably driving home from ours when you saw the sign for Mogador

Thats true! Its just off the M25 and sign posted off the A217 which is why I never questioned it. But yes Si would have been lost if he'd gone that way from my place.
Mordor is just off the A3 by the way.

[Antony Cox]

Mordor is just off the A3 by the way.

I thought it was in Taggart..?

[WhiteCrow]

I'd really like to see her do more audios.

How is it possible to SEE someone do more AUDIOS? Get a grip man!

[Si Hunt]

Si would have been lost if he'd gone that way from my place.

It's not entirely unlikely!

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

How is it possible to SEE someone do more AUDIOS? Get a grip man!

I see everyone in all the audio, that's what a cast list is for.

[Antony Cox]

Just listened to Part One again.

It's taken me a while to get into, and I've really had to concentarte on all the characters and the general goings-on, but it's very good indeed! Very atmospheric; in Who-terms it's got a very 'Horror of Fang Rock' feel to it, all the Lords and Ladies and jewellry being bandied about.

All the performances are very good, particluarly Alex who has such a great voice for audio work, but it's a shame that Ali's lines are so quiet.

Looking forward to Part Two!

[Si Hunt]

Pip and I thought quite hard about the characters in this one; they all have backgrounds, family secrets, hidden pasts... not all of them are relevent to the way the story pans out, but some of them are. We wanted to do something a bit more challenging, to make people listen hard. So I'm glad you did!

I can't wait to hear Part 2 either!

Si.

[SiHart]

I thought that was very enjoyable and was very atmospheric. The music generally worked, but sometimes sailed close to working against the atmosphere though, as it was rather cheesy in places, especially the "lots of bears I see." line.

Good performances though, with everyone giving it their all in just the right way. I can't wait to hear how the storyline ends.

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

The cheese was too difficult to resist