FIVE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE SLEEP, is a series of intimate 15 minute dialogues between two people in a relationship, recorded around a bed.
Each voyeuristic episode captures a pivotal moment in time, going chronologically.
Best listened to immediately after waking up.
For anyone who has ever said too much or not enough.
Written by Matt Kagen,
directed by Fern Diaz,
& featuring Chantel Bravo and Doug Harris.
A First Rodeo Production.
Listen.
SIX SERMONS, an episodic miniseries
about a young pastor who must take over
a church when her boss kills himself.
Created and written by Asa Merritt,
directed by Sarah Benson,
& featuring Stephanie Hsu, Bill Irwin,
Guy Boyd
A First Rodeo and Clamor Audio Production.
Listen.
THE CHAMPION, a Neo-Western short
from The Wet Lines Anthology, in which
a boxer prepares for the biggest fight
of his life, with the help of
his little cousin.
Written by First Rodeo,
directed by Georgina Escobar,
& featuring Felix Xavier.
A First Rodeo and Gilded Audio production.
Listen here.
ABOUT US
Founded by Asa Merritt and Matt Kagen in 2020, First Rodeo is a writing and producing studio devoted to audio fiction. We tell stories that push the boundaries of genre, combining techniques of journalism and theater. Our goal is to make a mark on the long tradition of audio storytelling, bringing work that is both grounded and poetic to a wide audience.
THE FIRST RODEO PROCESS
We believe compelling audio fiction (as with excellent non-fiction) should stay tethered to reality. If it wanders too far into the fantastic, listeners stop believing it and they tune out. We’ve learned (through much trial and error) that when you can’t see what’s going on, the ordinary can become quite mysterious. Poetic, but grounded is our goal.
As writers and editors, we go through a rigorous script draft process, testing our characters and structure on the page, and then refining the piece through informal actor readings and inner artistic circles. Usually when we get excited about a project, we’re making mood boards, reading books, talking with experts, recording inspiring sounds as we hear them, and thinking about casting.
From there, we hire a theater director who helps cast the show with a combination of professional award-winning actors from theater and film. Once we have the cast, we work with a sound technician to collect field recordings in a location similar to the one we’re attempting to evoke in the show, usually recording some “non-actors” on location to give the piece an extra degree of verisimilitude. After that, we have a 1-2 week rehearsal process with professional actors, culminating in recording the show, live with actors, in a professional recording studio. Gleeful from the high of production, we go straight into dark, lonely rooms and do the dialogue edit over a series of months, before handing it off to a master/mixer to do the final edit. We love working with a network of musicians for the show, and mix in their original compositions.
The final piece blends precise field recordings, magnetic professional performances, spontaneous on-location voices, and music together to create something that feels like a wonderful home cooked dinner that you want to share with friends. It’s a delicate recipe, but one we never tire of trying to perfect.
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