Take ten years of writing, add one written edit and one audio edit and what do you have? A very special audiobook that is truly accessible to the audience it is designed for. Alternative Voices theatre company received funding from Arts Council England to create the audiobook in April 2022 as part of the Developing Your Creative Practice funding grant. When we approached Dave Mills from Media Mania Coventry, he was hesitant, at first, to begin the project as there were a lot of unknowns. We had never attempted anything of this magnitude before, so simple questions needed answering such as: How long would it take to edit? How many actors would we need and who would they be?
The answers to these questions unfolded as the project began. Take for instance the editing of the original text. We knew it was far too big to be an audiobook initially and we knew it was not accessible to neurodiverse audiences as it had complex jargon and was too long. We needed an individual willing to tackle the editing alongside a busy life and such an individual was difficult to locate initially. Such an individual came forth and she truly did an excellent job. She did not tell us she was Dyslexic until halfway through the process meaning that our whole team including the editors, directors, and producers were Neurodiverse. This happened organically without a tick box sheet and was truly magical, despite throwing us challenges such as learning how to get backgrounds yellow or blue on Microsoft Word so that scripts could be read. It meant that everyone truly understood the needs of the listeners engaging with the audiobook and that was important to us as a team.
We auditioned for actors in June 2022, and we found five Neurodiverse actors who are a truly talented bunch. Once I came back from Amsterdam for the practical learning element of the project, we rehearsed tirelessly over Microsoft Teams, ready to begin production in April 2023 when we had the studio space booked originally for two days. We ensured that we did a site visit before beginning production so that the actors could meet Dave, see the studio space, and understand what would be expected of them. We supported them with transport to Coventry from Birmingham, and we supported them in negotiating rail strikes, despite many of them experiencing anxiety since Lockdown in 2020. Media Mania were truly welcoming and adapted to the needs of the actors, even allowing a space for individuals to sleep when they were not needed in the studio as some of the cast worked night shifts alongside their acting jobs.
On Sunday 16th and Sunday 23rd of April 2023, yup we worked Sundays to accommodate our daytime jobs and careers, we began to record the project. We quickly realized that we had a diverse cast with a variety of different needs and when we completed the feedback session a learning point for us was that we really needed a week of recording, and we should have paired the actors with more experience in audio with those without to provide a fruitful collaborative learning experience for both parties. We learned the value of the environment when recording such a project as we provided a space where one of the actors felt more comfortable and Dave loaned a handheld sound recorder to get the best vocal performance from her. Just adding those simple tweaks worked wonders and the performance she gave was stunning. There really is something to be said for helping your actors to feel comfortable so that they can do their best work.
We also learned the value of planning time for our own well-being. After several difficult personal circumstances such as funerals, health challenges and the studio flooding during the storms in the wet months we managed to finish the recording, albeit after five days instead of the intended two. Hearing the chapters for the first time was magical and reminded me why we had begun the project in the first instance.
I would like to thank Dave for believing in the project and putting an extreme amount more work in than was originally anticipated. 40 hours of editing and an extra three days of recording is truly going above and beyond to make a project come to life.
I would like to thank the actors for recording the book alongside other commitments such as being parents, working in care, and running their own projects. Especially when they came in to attend feedback sessions and extra recording sessions when those were not stated in the original planning of the project.
I hope the listeners can appreciate what a truly special project it is. The book interviews nine neurodiverse individuals about their school experiences. It includes parents, carers, and teachers as without them we cannot have a collaborative conversation about what needs to change in the education system to support a better future for those who do not quite fit the mold. Finally, it was created by a team of individuals who are all neurodiverse and are all achieving highly in adult life. If ever you are thinking about creating an audiobook in the future, I would like to recommend Media Mania as your first choice of producers particularly if you are neurodiverse. They truly understand how to work with diverse needs and how to work collaboratively to achieve a good quality project.
When I Grow Up I want to be a Cat, written by Madeleine Levy is available to purchase on Amazon and Kobo and is available in eBook and paperback format.
Amazon paperback link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Grow-Want-Cat-Surviving/dp/1838149007
the ebooks.com listing: https://www.ebooks.com/en-gb/book/210374730/when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-a-cat/madeleine-levy/
Here’s the Amazon UK link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Grow-Want-Cat-Surviving-ebook/dp/B09G23L38G
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-a-cat
The audiobook will be released on May 10th 2024 on Band Camp and there will be a listening party on May 28th 2024 at 7pm on the Band Camp platform.
Please log in via this link on May 28th 2024 at 7pm https://alternativevoicestheatrecompany.bandcamp.com/live/when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-a-cat-listening-party
And enjoy listening to our wonderful work.