I'm looking for short audio documentaries that are full of natural sound

August 26, 2017 11:42 AM

No, not necessarily THAT kind of natural sound. I'm looking for audio documentaries or short podcasts or podcast segments that use of a lot of documentary/actual sound of the topic being reported on.

Lots of podcasts and reporting rely on music or processed sound design - any recommendations for short audio docs that tell stories with the sound of the event or activity they're focusing on instead? I'm especially interested in those that use very little music.

Something like this, although it uses music, is great: http://www.radiodiaries.org/walter-backerman-seltzer-man/

I'm familiar with Third Coast Audio Festival and many of the major audio/radio sites - specific episodes or links would be super helpful! Thanks!

posted by Ms. Toad to Media & Arts (1 answer total)

BBC Radio 4's The Best of Natural History Radio is an archive of docs that feature loads of real, recorded sound straight from actual nature (if you're at all interested in that!).

BBC World Service's The Documentary uses a lot of "real" sound, recorded on-location all around the world. You'll hear the background noise of cities, of specific events, and — I love this — interviews in the speaker's native language (which is then faded back slightly and dubbed over with translation, maintaining the original sound "texture" of the interview). These docs feature top-notch professional editing, but without a lot of that podcast-y stuff like processed sound design and additional music.

CBC's The Doc Project is similar. There's a variety of docs collected, and many of them give you the feel of walking around in the real world, listening to a place, interviewing people on-site.

Whereas BBC's The Documentary is quite educational—informative & professional—I find that CBC's The Doc Project has some stuff that gets very intimate, quirky, and personal.

I'm watching this question with interest!
posted by stellarc at 3:35 PM on August 26, 2017 [2 favorites]