Should someone start producing original Star Wars audio dramas?

Now, this borders the material for "literary" but given the fact the existing audio dramas for Star Wars come from Dark Empire and Tales of the Jedi plus the fact that audio books exist....why not. I hope the Moderators will be alright with this since the kind of discussion is related to literature.

I was listening to some of the Big Finish audio drama series of Doctor Who. It's an interesting series since they actually got Sylvester Mccoy, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and a host of the original actors for the program to participate in adding new adventures to their works.

What was the original benefit? There wasn't really much of a problem with the fact that they'd added twenty or thirty years in the meantime. It was as if I was a child again and the Fifth Doctor was castigating Turlough again for being the snivelling coward that he is on PBS.

While I doubt anyone could get Harrison Ford to do one for any reasonable price. Mark Hamill is a voice actor and there could be a "New Adventures of Luke Skywalker" for a relatively low low price of works. This doesn't include Kyle Katarn, characters like Corran Horn, and others. The dramas of Dark Empire and Tales of the Jedi were both highly enjoyable.

Why haven't we seen original material for them?

 

I'd definitely be interested. I love the audio books (though the material that's lost in the abridgements is always a shame - some manage it better than others. SBS? What a shoddy audiobook...)

Audio dramas that are specifically designed for an audio formate would be great.

I know they made a few of the ToTJ and Dark Empire comics, but to be honest, they didn't really show what a good audio drama can do.

The Big Finish audio books are remarkably successful. I have a whole run of 8th Doctor Big Finish productions to listen to at some point, though I haven't got around to it yet...

I imagine it hasn't happened because of perceived disinterest or the people who'd have the relevant contract would rather put money into something else? Eh, either way, it's a shame.

 

I think they'd have an easier time selling them with iTunes and other programs like that now. I will admit that I've never been able to hear one of the old audio dramas so I'm not entirely sure what I'm missing.

I did find a Tales audio book at the comic store the other day and she gave it to me for $5, but I still haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.

 

Frankly, I think rather than someone like Del Ray this is a project that's tailor made for Lucasfilm directly. They already have the studios and ability to insert sounds and other issues at will during a recording session. Frankly, they also have contact with the necessary voice talent.

The only real question is how to make it known that something like this would be popular. I'd prefer a continuing "Adventures of Luke Skywalker" type thing like the 8th Doctor adventures where there's a continous story than a big production about things to be honest.

 

It'll have American-class accents. There's no telling how they'll repronounce names. It's risky. Worse, don't you tire of the same movie tunes and sound effects after several decades?

 

I will take new (quality) EU over a few mispronunciations any day.

 

I wouldn't mind a Game of Thrones audio, actually.

 

Oddly, no.

;-)

 

But the ENTIRE game of Jedi Outcast's music and tunes came from the movies. Outrageous! Compared to the symphonia of KOTOR . . . I don't know what it takes to factor into these audios, how much time you have to spare. Straightforward production could mean slimmer costs.

 

I admit that it would be better if they didn't wholesale steal from John Williams but I wouldn't mind too much. Frankly, audio dramas only insert musical interludes rarely into themselves since well....you need to describe scenes through character's voices.

However, they have hordes of already electronically pre-prepared noises to choose from.

 

The films have American-class accents too largely - and who's to say they won't source different accents for different characters, that's part of the art of a good audio drama - good casting. Plus we already have the pronounciation issue with the audio books.

loo-MY-uh :nods:

 

Is that what they call her? See what I mean?

 

As I explained to a friend who called me on MY mispronunciations.

"Oh, you don't think people have different ways of pronouncing things in Star Wars? Everyone speaks the Emperor's Basic?!"

 

Technically, Americans do say anti (an-tie) to our antee, so the "i" emphasis with Lumie does make a degree of sense. Ah well.

 

C-3P0

Princess Leeeeeeeee-uh.

 

Exactly.

Still, the Big Finish series is wonderful because it reflects how diverse the various stories could be told in a world like Doctor Who (and could be like Star Wars). There's the 70+ Doctor adventures (you heard that write) that have already been released. They also have villains series (Cybermen and Daleks) plus an entire work devoted to politics on the Doctor's homeworld.

We could have Rebellion, Empire, Yuuzhan Vong War tales, The Luke Skywalker tales, and tales of a young Han Solo (played by Sean Patrick Flannery!)

 

It depends on the context (and individual), really. I use both the "an-tie" and the "an-tee" pronounciantions, depending on word, situation, and state of mind. "An-tee" does sound better, though.

And Star Wars pronounciantions often make no sense, IMO. Kun isn't "Koon" because its American, its "Koon" because... KJA said it that way? I donno about everyone else, but I've always said Kun like gun---"Koon" just doesn't sound threatening at all. Either way, I still feel silly saying just about any Star Wars name out loud.



I think I'd enjoy some Star Wars audio-dramas. If they came out on a weekly basis, it'd be a great throwback to all the old sci-fi radio serials from the 50s. Just so long as they're done right and done well...

 

Totally! But...isn't that a caveat for everything, really?

Love the idea for a weekly radio serial...

 

Wait, wait, wait - It's loo-MY-uh? I've been pronouncing it loo-ME-uh. When did THIS happen?

Oh, and on topic, I'd love to hear some new original radio dramas.

 

*shrug* Ask the dude who reads the audio books... I'm completely at a loss as to how much canon credibility those things have re: pronounciation. But there you have it.

 

That is an awesome idea! The Dark Empire audio books were great but I REALLY loved "Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell" "Droid World" and "Planet of the Hoojibs". I can still hear Leia's "distinctive" inflection as she screams "But that Hoojib down!" Audio dramas done well can really bring the characters to life. I would buy a new original audio drama in a heartbeat.

 

That would be totally awesome. I'd buy them in a heartbeat as well.

Doctor Who Big Finish = Loads of fun!

 

Agreed. The potential of audio dramas has yet to be tapped and should bereally, especially in light of Big Finish's success.

Of course the big question is - Will we have American Imperials to complement the British & Aussie ones already in existence?

JB

 

Could also cover the oft-unheard cry for more "Tales from ____" books.

Now if we could just pipe in the audio "Tales from _____" while playing a new X-Wing/TIE Fighter game, we'd be in business.

 

Actually the radio dramas were wonderful. I was given the ROTJ cassettes as a kid and loved it. It was a lot of fun and had all kinds of new "scenes".

SW had some mystery then. It's like Pandora's box. What's in there is irresistable, but you can't unwrap the presents twice. You know?