DR Scene & Story Collection 5 - rr

[redrun]

Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 005, by Various

Librivox readers present a collection of their favorite chapters and short stories, with the original author’s words all brought to life with different reader voices for each character in our popular Dramatic Reading style. This volume includes readings from... (Summary by ToddHW)

What is this collection?
We have quite a selection of plays here on LibriVox, where readers read the lines of a character in a stage play. One reader narrates the "stage directions", so that listeners can imagine the actors on stage. An editor stitches together everyone's lines, for the final production!
We also have "Dramatic Readings" of books that are not written as plays - for these, the Book Coordinator adds character cues to the original text, so that each reader can find their character's lines. The person reading the narration will also have much more to do - often, they'll read nearly the whole book!

This collection is for shorter Dramatic Readings - a short-story, a fable, or perhaps just the best chapter of a beloved novel.
If you want to get started with Dramatic Readings, this is the place to do it! We'd highly recommend doing at least one short project before you start on a book - you'll learn whether you really enjoy the work that goes into it, and you may find more people willing to help you out on a larger project as well.

This collection will host 10 projects. I will keep the Magic Window up to date, but the BC of each project will perform the other usual duties, including preparing a script from a Public Domain source, responding to any questions about their project, Proof Listening (PLing) each character's lines, and editing the final production together. BCs may ask for help on one or more of these tasks, but the responsibility is theirs. Even though these are shorter and easier than a whole book, they are still a sizeable commitment!

Instructions for joining a project are below the Magic Window! Instructions for starting one are in the next post.


Stories in this collection:

1. The Woggle-Bug Book, by L. Frank Baum - died 1919
The BC for this project is Ikestudios
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PNmYiEyT8jvdldMS5664ft-Q4fCxVWwzdiwzwKy86DE/edit?usp=sharing

Original text: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21914
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Frank_Baum (died 1919)
Originally published: 1905


2. (Reserved, in case the previous story runs long)


3. [COMPLETE] The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Chapter 2 in The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes) - died 1930
The BC for this project is Inkell, Proof Listener is BrianFullen
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HFxmv8n-xqBxgFgBPvRwObQ6jXE7rOqHpiaBWDHtZKw/edit?usp=sharing

Original text: https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/69700/pg69700-images.html#chap02
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle (died July 7th 1930)
Book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Case-Book_of_Sherlock_Holmes
Story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Blanched_Soldier
First published: 1927
Cast list: viewtopic.php?p=2311437#p2311437


4. Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway - died 1961
NOTE: Hemingway died in 1961. This story is not PD for readers in Europe and/or Australia, and other countries which observe copyright of author's death +70 years.
The BC for this project is: ChuckW
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tBqK9m4ip0xJ4hL7-QDDiw9SMFx0PomB/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116439386057496903378&rtpof=true&sd=true

Original text: https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/69683
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway
Story on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hills_Like_White_Elephants
First Published: 1927


5. [COMPLETE] The Knight's Move, by Katharine Fullerton Gerould - died 1944
The BC for this project is BrianFullen.
Script to read from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QebantK-TbcYyXjSGKpWfpaO6-CpuxWO/view

Original text: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/20872/pg20872-images.html#THE_KNIGHTS_MOVE10
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Fullerton_Gerould
First published: 1917
Cast list: viewtopic.php?p=2319633#p2319633


6. The Brothers, by Luisa May Alcott - died 1888
The BC for this project is jennlea.
Script to read from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JvDqMSn0H5cS2DP7atpye4_YbK9G8yRh/view?usp=sharing
Special notes:

• Casting for this project is "gender-specific" (male voices for male roles and vice versa)
• This story takes place during the Civil War. Some of the dialogue uses a dialect that aligns with the time period. It may be considered stereotypical and/or offensive to modern readers. Please only claim a part for which you are comfortable being true to text as written.

Original text: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3806
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisa_May_Alcott
First published: 1863


7. The Adventure of the Speckled Band, by Arthur Conan Doyle - died 1930
The BC for this project is Bookworm360
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B0xy2g0RQDibyz5OehCj66dUbxvzJqC6Xf-gFytkmDw/edit?usp=sharing
Special notes:

• Casting for this project is "gender-specific (male voices for male roles and vice versa)
• Readers are more than welcome to attempt a British accent, but it is not required.

Original text https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48320
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle (Jul. 7, 1930)
Title on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Speckled_Band
First published: February 1892


8. (Reserved as an extension of Speckled Band)

9. This Finer Shadow, Chapter 11, by Harlan Cozad McIntosh - died 1940
The BC for this project is: BrianFullen
Script to read from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pusP335QNR2GIPmbSa_lZVG_0-CZB5PL/view?usp=sharing

Original text: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64251
First Published: 1941


10.

Please see instructions below the Magic Window for claiming a part, and in the next post for starting a project.


Please don't download or listen to files belonging to projects in progress (unless you are the BC or PL). Our servers are not set up to handle the greater volume of traffic. Please wait until the project has been completed. Thanks!

Magic Window:

BC Admin

Instructions for readers:

Above the Magic Window, you'll find the list of stories in this collection. Each will show the name of the Book Coordinator (BC), a link to the prepared script, and any copyright information or other notes for that story project. The stories must be in the Public Domain in the USA to be included, but please be sure it is also Public Domain in your own country before signing up!

Claiming roles: Look in the Magic Window for the list of available roles. Post a reply in this thread asking for the role you would like to record, and include the name of the story the role is in.
Please note: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. When you submit your recording, you will be placing your recording in the public domain as well.

Deadline: Unless otherwise noted, your deadline is 2 months from posting your claim. If you cannot complete the recording within this time, please post in the thread to relinquish your claim or to ask the BC for an extension. If your recording is not completed by the deadline, your claim may be reassigned at the BC's discretion.

Proof Listening: Unless otherwise noted, the PL level is "Standard".
Someone will check the technical specs of your recording, will follow along to make sure that each of your lines can be heard, and will ask you to fix any mistakes that materially change the meaning of your line.

New to recording? Please see our Newbie Guide to Recording for further instructions. A quick guide to our required technical settings can be found here. When you post your file, please tell us what name you would like to use in our catalog.


What to record

Please read from the script that the BC of the project has prepared - linked above the Magic Window.

If you are reading the part of a character, please record a voice credit at the beginning of your file, like this:

Name of character (as shown in the Magic Window), read by your catalog name

Then, record each line marked for your character in the script. Please remember to leave at least 3 seconds of silence to separate each of your lines from the others, then about 5 seconds of silence at the very end of your recording.


If you are reading the narration of a story, please record the usual LibriVox intro, like this:

Story #, in Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, volume 5. Story title, by Author.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit librivox.org.

If the BC has not added a prompt for this, you can then say something like "Cast of Characters", leave a pause of several seconds, and then "Narrated by your catalog name."

Then, record everything in the script that is not marked for a particular character. Please leave at least 3 seconds of silence in your recording so the editor can see where the character lines should go. You will also leave about 5 seconds of silence after you read the final line(s) below.

At the end of the narration, say:

End of Story title, by Author

If this is the final story in the collection, please also say:

End of Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, volume 5.

Remember to leave about 5 seconds of silence at the very end of the recording.


When finished recording

Save your file, and export it as MP3, in mono, at 128kbps (full tech specs here)

File name: drcollection5_storytitle_charactername.mp3 (*)
* Where storytitle and charactername are a shortened version of the story title, and of your character's name. All lower-case, no spaces!

Upload your MP3 file with the LibriVox Uploader: https://librivox.org/login/uploader

(If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin)

MC to select: redrun

Copy and paste the file link generated by the uploader into a new post in this thread along with the file duration (mm:ss). Watch this thread for prooflistening notes.

If you are the BC/editor and are also reading a role, PL at this point is optional. There will be a final PL after you are finished editing everything together.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Just post in this thread.

[redrun]

Previous collections:
Collection 1: viewtopic.php?t=51521
Collection 2: viewtopic.php?t=75165
Collection 3: viewtopic.php?t=86596
Collection 4: viewtopic.php?t=99014

For Book Coordinators (BCs):

What you should know

All texts must be Public Domain in the USA:
Usually, we take our source from the US Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org), and not its international sister organizations. If your original source is not Project Gutenberg, please post in the thread to make sure it is usable!

Texts should be fairly short:
These projects should aim to fit within about an hour. Depending on how fast folks talk, and how closely their lines are edited together, this makes for a length of about 8000 words. If a project is going to be longer than 72 minutes (the smallest standard size of CD-ROM, and the largest size we can be sure most MP3 players support), then we may break it into two sections within the collection.

Your responsibilities:
Though I will be the one updating the Magic Window, you are signing up for all of the other usual tasks of a BC, DPL, and Editor:

• Prepare a script, with cues so that readers can find their respective lines
• Acknowledge claims and answer any questions readers may have about your project
• Proof-Listen readers' lines, and give feedback in a timely manner (generally: a few days, and at least post to let folks know if it will be longer)
• Post to the thread when a claim to a role has expired, and should be open again to the next comer
• Edit together the final production, along with a formatted cast list, when all of the lines are turned in

You can ask someone for help in one of these tasks, but if you are not willing to learn to do it if that person disappears, then BCing a DR may not be for you.

These are the default options. Unless you say otherwise when you start your project:

• Casting will be "gender-neutral".
  You may set certain roles as "gender-specific", meaning you would like only a female reader to play a particular female role, for example.
• Proof Listening level will be "Standard" - except that you will need to follow along with the text, to make sure all the lines are there!
  You may set a higher level of PL, which lets readers know you will be checking something (e.g., pronunciation of character names) more closely than usual. If you have questions on PL standards, see the Guide for Proof-listeners.
• The deadline for submissions will be 2 months from posting a claim.
  You can set a longer or shorter deadline to begin with, and you can grant extensions at your discretion.

You can find more information and helpful tips on BCing a Dramatic Reading in this thread:
viewtopic.php?t=44647


Starting a project

Prepare a text, if the original text does not include cues for each character's lines. Our recommended method:
Copy/paste the story or chapter from Project Gutenberg into a new Google Docs document. If it is from a book, please include the whole chapter!
Find the bits of dialog that are spoken by characters, and split them into separate lines from the narration. Mark each with the character's name at the beginning of the line, so that readers can easily search for them. For example:

John: ‘Chairs and tables and all such’,
Narrator: he said, waving his hand,
John: ‘is for use in the meetings and partings of man...'

Optionally, you may color-code these cues (or the entire line spoken by the character), to make them stand out from the narration. Please keep in mind that not everyone can tell all the colors apart, and it is very hard to read bright text on a bright background, or dark on dark!
We also recommend adding a prompt for the narrator at the beginning or the end, to announce the "Cast of Characters".

Ask for assistance, if you think you might need it. If you're prepared to Proof Listen everyone's lines, but might have trouble with editing everything together, please post in the thread to say so. If you would like someone to check your script for mistakes before folks start recording based on it, please post a link to your script, and say that.
For a longer Dramatic Reading, since the narrator essentially has to read the whole book, this is also where you would look for a narrator. In this collection, it's a much more manageable role, so we won't require that you find someone before starting.

When you are ready to start, please make a new post in this thread, with the following:
* Title and author of the story - if it is from a book, please include the chapter number(s)
* Link to the Public Domain text that you've used as your source
* Link to your script
* Link to the author on Wikipedia, and death date, if known
* Link to the title on Wikipedia, if it has its own page
* Original publication date
* Any special notes for your project - if you want to designate some roles as gender-specific, or you'll be using a higher level of PL, please say so here! Please also say who will be helping and in what capacity, if you have asked for help with something like editing.
* The list of characters in your DR, as you would like their intros read (example: "Benny, a bright young boy of nine"). Please add the narrator, if the narrator isn't also a character in the story! You may also include notes for the reader, which I will put in the "Notes" column for the role.


During the project

Watch this thread for any questions or file submissions, and also inform me when a claim for a role has expired. I'll put the date of each claim in the Magic Window, to make that last part easier for you. If you are going to be offline for more than a few days, please either post in thread, or let me know privately - I'll make sure folks know that you'll be back.


When all readers have submitted their files

Prepare a formatted "Cast List" for your story, with the name of each role, followed by the reader's catalog name (which may be different from their forum name), as a link to their reader page. You can follow the instructions on our Cast Coder to have it format the list for you, or you can copy/paste from below and fill in the details yourself:

Code: Select all

Role: <a href="Link to reader's catalog page">Reader's catalog name</a>

* We used to need a "<br>" tag at the end of each line, but that is no longer necessary.

Edit together the final production. We recommend starting with a copy of the narrator's file, then using 'cut' (as opposed to 'copy') and 'paste' to move the characters' lines into the silences in the narrator's file. You can find more discussion of this method, along with a video demonstration, inside this thread.

You can put each reader's introduction ("Role, read by Reader") at the beginning or end of your edited story, as seems best to you. Don't forget that your narrator is also a reader!

Make sure that the finished file matches the usual specifications:
* Volume: between 86dB and 92dB (as reported by Checker)
* Silences: between 0.5 and 1.0 seconds of silence at the beginning, and about 5 seconds at the end of the file
* The file should be in mono, with a bit rate of 128bkps (see detailed tech specs here)
* The length should be under 72 minutes (if it is longer, please let me know, and we'll see about splitting your file into two separate sections)

Save your edited file using the file name provided in the Magic Window. It will be something like this:
drsceneandstoryvol005_##_various_128kb.mp3 (where ## is your story's number in this collection)

Upload your MP3 file with the LibriVox Uploader: https://librivox.org/login/uploader

(If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin)

MC to select: redrun

Copy and paste the file link generated by the uploader into a new post in this thread along with the file duration (mm:ss). Watch this thread for prooflistening notes.

Proof-listening completed stories: If someone else edited your story together, you should be the one to proof-listen. If you edited it yourself, we will find a volunteer to PL it for you.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Just post in this thread.

[redrun]

Our first submission is for The Woggle-Bug Book, and Ikestudios will be the BC. Here's where the initial information is, as I requested:
viewtopic.php?p=2300909#p2300909

Since I hadn't asked for the author information, I've looked it up to add it to the first post. Ikestudios, please review the instructions for BCs, particularly the "What you should know" section. If you have any special notes for this project, or any questions on how this works, please let me know!

[silverquill]

Let me be the first to sign up. May I take the role of King Weasel?

[redrun]

Thank you, Larry.

[Ikestudios]

Here is mine

https://librivox.org/uploads/redrun/drtitleinoneword_Mr__H__M__Woggle-Bug,_T__E_L__Frank_Baum_mp3_.mp3

[redrun]

Here is mine

https://librivox.org/uploads/redrun/drtitleinoneword_Mr__H__M__Woggle-Bug,_T__E_L__Frank_Baum_mp3_.mp3

Hmm, perhaps I need to expand on the file naming instructions:

Save your file, and export it as MP3, in mono, at 128kbps, named like this:
drtitleinoneword_charactername_authorsurname.mp3 (*)

* Please use lower-case only. You can find the author information in the list above the Magic Window. If you read the narration, then you can use "narrator" for your character name.

For "drtitleinoneword", I'm expecting this to be replaced with something like "wogglebugbook". I'm expecting only the author's surname, and the whole thing does need to be lower-case. I see an extra "_mp3_", as well.
Sorry to be picky, and the names for these files matter less than usual because they'll be edited in to the final files for cataloging, but it certainly helps in keeping them organized!
Will you please upload again, adjusting the file name as described? I'll see about making those instructions more clear on their own.

[Ikestudios]

Since I am the one editing. Does that really matter?
The finale file I understand why it needs to be like that.

[Ikestudios]

Well any ways here it is:
https://librivox.org/uploads/redrun/wogglebugbook_mrhmwogglebugte_Lyman.mp3

[redrun]

Since I am the one editing. Does that really matter?
The finale file I understand why it needs to be like that.

Well, it still goes into a folder that I need to manage, and that is much simpler if things are organized!

Thank you for uploading again. It's not quite right, but I'll rename it for you this time.
In fact, I got confirmation this morning that I can change (hopefully simplify) the naming convention, so I'll be updating both this evening. Best to do it before we have too many files uploaded.

Since you are the one editing your play, someone may volunteer to Proof-Listen your uploaded file. If you'd really like to get that assurance, I'll be happy to do so myself!
Otherwise, if nobody has PL'd it by the time you go to edit, don't let it hold you up, as there will be a final round of PL.

[Inkell]

Hi Redrun! I'm loving the detailed instructions, very thorough and outlines everything well. Anyway I just had a clarifying question, when you say about 8000 words does that mean before or after scripting? Because I just finished scripting and the one I wanted to do passed the 8000 mark (it's 8026 to be exact) after adding in the names, cast list disclaimers and stuff, I don't remember exactly what it was before scripting but it was definitely 7000s not 8000s. Would this still be okay to use or is too long?

[redrun]

Hi Redrun! I'm loving the detailed instructions, very thorough and outlines everything well. Anyway I just had a clarifying question, when you say about 8000 words does that mean before or after scripting? Because I just finished scripting and the one I wanted to do passed the 8000 mark (it's 8026 to be exact) after adding in the names, cast list disclaimers and stuff, I don't remember exactly what it was before scripting but it was definitely 7000s not 8000s. Would this still be okay to use or is too long?

Excellent, I'm glad to hear it's comprehensible to someone other than me!
The 8000 word estimate was before scripting, so that does sound like a good candidate to try as a single section. It is only an estimate, so I'll try to keep things as easy as possible to "split" later, if needed.

[Inkell]

Excellent, I'm glad to hear it's comprehensible to someone other than me!
The 8000 word estimate was before scripting, so that does sound like a good candidate to try as a single section. It is only an estimate, so I'll try to keep things as easy as possible to "split" later, if needed.

Well it's definitely comprehensible to at least one other person! And thanks, that's good to know

[redrun]

File name: drcollection5_storytitle_charactername.mp3 (*)
* Where storytitle and charactername are a shortened version of the story title, and of your character's name. All lower-case, no spaces!

I've updated the file naming convention, renamed our existing file, and updated its link in the Magic Window. I hope this will be a little simpler, since folks won't need to refer to the top post for author info.

[Inkell]

* The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Section II in The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes)
* Text Link: https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/69700/pg69700-images.html#chap02
* Script Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HFxmv8n-xqBxgFgBPvRwObQ6jXE7rOqHpiaBWDHtZKw/edit?usp=sharing
* Author Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle (died July 7th 1930)
* Story Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Blanched_Soldier (Book Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Case-Book_of_Sherlock_Holmes)
* First published: October 16th 1926 (Book first published in June 1927)
* Other: BrianFullen has kindly agreed to serve as DPL
* Characters: Sherlock Holmes [also the narrator, I will read this role]
Mr James M Dodd [NOTES: Very large role, the client who is seeking help finding a friend he made in the army]
Colonel Emsworth [NOTES: Large role, a tough retired army colonel]
Godfrey Emsworth [NOTES: Large role, the missing friend and only son of the Colonel]
Ralph, the old butler [NOTES: Medium role, the Emsworths’ loyal butler]
Mr Kent [NOTES: Medium role, a surgeon in the Emsworths’ employ]
Sir James Saunders [NOTES: Small role, a renowned dermatologist]
Doctor [NOTES: Small role, doctor in South Africa]
Doctor John Watson [NOTES: Minor role, one line]

Did I do that right, redrun?