If you've ever played the parlour game Consequences, you've got the basic principal of . When I started the project 4 series ago on what was then 主播大秀7, it was just a six episode reading, voiced by one of our staff announcers. But the principle of 'What do you want to happen next?' was there, and we could see the potential. With series two and three picking up a variety of awards, it's grown into a full cast drama, but it's still as true as it ever was that we have no idea what will happen in next week's episode. That's up to our listeners who send in their 200-word story lines each week.聽
On Thursday morning I'll discuss the entires with colleague Debbie Sheringham and dramatist and we'll pick a plot for Robert to dramatise. We record it on Friday morning, it's transmitted at 1.10pm on Saturday, and we do it all again next week.
So what are we looking for in a storyline? There are certain basics. We need plot, rather than dialogue, the story needs to move forward in some way, and it needs to be consistent with what's happened so far, even if it asks us to reinterpret those events. It helps if we can hear how it would make good radio, be original rather than following well-worn plots and characters. And then there's the twist. If you can finish with a moment that will really make the listeners sit up, that's great.
This week those writing in had to deal with a challenge not uncommon in serial drama, having to write a character out of the series, with the actor (in this case Broadchurch's Joe Sims) leaving the cast. A number of people picked up on Mark's liking for continental pastures and suggested Death By Croissant. We also had quite a few gun-wielding standoffs and explosions. But there was one storyline that really stood out, because it was great for radio, and moved the story forward in an interesting way.聽
Have a - and write in with your idea of what should happen next week.
And the consequence was...
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Paul Arnold is the producer of Chain Gang聽- 聽the Radio 4 Extra drama that聽allows you to shape the story聽- .
Deadlines are weekly -聽聽this 聽week's entries close on Thurs 31st October聽at 8am.
Download to find out where the story has got to so far.