We were assigned to watch a podcast episode and explain the role audio played in the story. I chose Spooked Season Season 6: Episode 21 – Dismal Falls
Audio was incredibly effective for “Dismal Falls” because it taps into the listener’s imagination. Unlike film or visual media, there’s no screen showing what to fear, so the fear creeps in mentally, shaped by tone, pacing, and sound design.
Summary:
The story is about a guy named Chuck, who decides to hike a place called Dismal Falls in the Appalachian Mountains. Even though he had a map with him, it was hard to navigate exactly where to go. Going out on a limb, he picks a trail to follow, but quickly gets a bad feeling deep in his gut. After hiking for the day and setting camp, he sees an old woman in a black cloak standing ominously in the distance. She runs out of sight, causing Chuck to be confused as to why this woman is running around in the woods. He goes to find out for himself, before being startled by her and deciding to leave immediately. Somehow, she’s following him, but moving faster than he can escape. He’s running at this point, before stumbling upon a bobcat with human eyes. He assumes it’s the woman, and mentally begs for her to let him go. The cat turns around and he was able to finally escape.
Thoughts:
The producers used sounds like footsteps, animal and bug noises, and Sudden, sharp noises would then jolt the listener, mirroring the rising tension in the story.
The narration is often layered with subtle, ominous background music that shifts with the story’s mood. At calmer moments, the music is quiet or silent. When tension rises, more unsettling tones are introduced.
The way the narrator paused, whispered, or hesitated in speech helped communicate fear and uncertainty. Silence was used strategically, letting moments of dread linger, making the listener feel the same tension the storyteller did. These pauses made the scary moments affect the listener more.
It was also effective by interviewing the witness to get a raw and believable perspective of the story. This made the story feel more authentic.
Techniques like subtle background music, ambient noise, and the rhythm of speech were essential in telling the story of “Dismal Falls” effectively.
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