STORYCORPS 460: At the Movies
This first podcast was a collection of three stories, which depicted unexpected ways in which people’s lives were influenced by their experiences at the movies. The podcast began with the narrator introducing the topic of the episode and the first story. This opening was peppered with sound bites, which either pertained to the content or which provided a glimpse of the storyteller’s voice.
The first story was about how Sigmund Stahl met his wife on a blind date, in which she accidentally took him to a risque movie. The story was bookended by a song from the film– emphasizing the story’s time period and adding a layer of authenticity. As for the pacing and tone, Stahl retells the story to his granddaughter. This encourages a cozy, conversational tone. Paired with his granddaughter’s occasional laugh in the background, the dynamic makes the listener feel as though they are comfortably seated with the two at a kitchen table.
The second story was introduced with music from the film, which inspired Ricardo Pitts-Wiley to become an actor (Brock Peters’ “A Red-Headed Woman”). The narrator briefly explains the song’s relevance to the story. Ricardo, an African American, then describes how his casting in a predominantly-white high school production of Romeo & Juliet was negatively received by his peers, and how Brock Peters’ encouraged him to persevere and discover his love of acting.
Once again, music is utilized to transition into the final story about Willie Harris and Alex Brown, two original members of the Black Stuntmen’s Association. Their story is also introduced by the narrator, who ties in current controversy surrounding the Oscars’ tendency to only nominate white actors. This segment expertly balanced the two storytellers– allowing them to tell one cohesive narrative.
The podcast is concluded by the fade in of instrumental music, a piano version of “Life on Mars” by David Bowie. Personally, I found this song choice unrelated and think that a song pertaining to cinema would have been preferable. The song is then overlaid with an intro to the topic of the next episode (including a sound bite from the storyteller) and the credits.
***It’s important to note how the storytellers’ are not answering any specific questions and are instead simply recounting their stories in chronological order. This setup allows the listeners to get immersed in the content and not the medium.
“I Didn’t Know If I Really Belonged”: A Chickasaw Woman Finds Her Way Back to Oklahoma
This second podcast provides a brief glimpse into how Shelby Rowe, a healthcare professional, overcame her own emotional struggles by exploring her Native American roots.
The podcast begins with instrumental music, which is then played throughout the narrator’s introduction of Shelby and her story. The music then fades out and the listener is thrust into a conversation between Shelby and a close friend. We learn a bit about Shelby’s past and how after a failed marriage, she returned to Chickasaw nation to rediscover herself and subsequently discover new coping mechanisms.
After Shelby finishes telling her story, the music simply fades back in, plays for approximately ten seconds, and then fades out again– allowing the listeners a moment of reflection and neatly bookending the story.