Box in the Attic: an interactive podcast series

Project partners: StoryPunk Limited, Bellyfeel Media and DC Labs at the University of York

Sheffield-based production company Storypunk, specialises in building compelling and entertaining story worlds for film, TV and podcasts.

Storypunk collaborated with the University of York and Bellyfeel Media to develop an interactive podcast series, Box in the Attic. The series explored how the concept of memories triggered by keepsakes and sentimental items could be narrated in an audio-story format. A number of digitised, in-app objects that could be found in ‘a box in the attic’ were created. Listeners were able to engage with the story in a traditional podcast format and also access it interactively through an app.

The project was aimed at podcast consumers who wanted a more immersive narrative experience. A non-linear storytelling prototype app was developed by Bellyfeel Media with support from DC Labs at the University of York. Research was also conducted with academics at the University of York and Bellyfeel Media to test how audiences engaged with the prototype.

Through the project, Storypunk identified that the Box in the Attic concept could pave the way for how digital content could extend and enhance the audio-story experience in the future.

Hugo Heppell, director, and industry partner on this project, says:

“Telling stories through audio has been around since the dawn of radio. With many consumers now listening to podcasts through their phones, we identified the opportunity to explore an immersive audio-story experience.

Working with Bellyfeel Media, Professor Marian Ursu and the DC Labs team on the research phase, allowed us to explore the prototype app and understand how we can further develop this concept.

We believe there are commercial opportunities both from Box in the Attic and its spin-off tools for storytellers to use in the future.”

Categories: Arts, Technology