Using an actual historical document as a starting place, this piece becomes a haunting 15-minute radio drama of two men's sudden realization of their own mortality. The piece pays homage at times to golden age masters like Arch Obler and Orson Welles, yet doesn’t take on the now-campy quality that some older radio dramas can have. What listeners do get, though, is a thoughtful, realistic imagining of the way things could have gone had Apollo 11 gone horribly wrong. What we hear is not the grandiose rehearsed pomposity of the "One small step for man" speech but the private thoughts of two men who ask each other "how many people do you think they'll bury up here before they're through? However many it is, it's a drop in the bucket when you consider the entirety of mankind." This is extraordinarily compelling radio, excellently conceived, acted, edited and produced. I cannot wait to hear more from this series.
It's not that I haven't wanted to -- I've been waiting and hoping for something like this. Beautiful use of sound, thought-provoking, and occasionally, briefly blurring the fact/fiction line in a manner similar to (the comparison must be drawn) War of the Worlds (although never for long enough to send any panicked listener emails your way). It's just surreal enough without resorting to quirk. Lovely job.
I listened to Moon Graffiti today and will listen to the others soon. For what it’s worth, I like the format a lot — it makes me think and immerse myself for a time. Doing fiction of this sort is kind of countercultural, if you get my drift — we’re so accustomed to using the web (even radio these days) in such a short-attention-span-free-association kind of way that it takes time/psychoemotional investment to engage with fiction. Nice. I would LOVE to have these available by podcast — would totally subscribe....
Anyways, congrats on getting this up, Hillary — let me know if you every podcast it and hope you're spread wide and far on the radio soon.
This is a really creative idea - and different. The best programs that I've been able to hear that are being broadcast in the US right now all seem to be based around intensive, confessional "true" storytelling - some of these programs are REALLY good of course, but others just seem to be riding the TAL bandwagon. I was starting to wonder if anyone would ever do anything that wasn't based on individuals just mining "something that really happened." So here's an imaginative effort from some talented people who want to imagine and compose in another way. I hope it gets stations, an audience, and enough support to give it a chance to take more and more risks with its material.
I have been a fan of radio fiction since I was a kid and borrowed cassettes of "Cloak and Dagger" and "A Date With Judy."
This story is super fun and smart and I hope to hear more from these geniuses soon!
You captured perfectly both the profound isolation and utter hopelessness. I was in tears at the end, and I'm guessing the image of the two men spending eternity watching the earth rise and set will be burned into my mind for quite a while.
I heard the end of this piece on the radio last night, and found this site after googling. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see an mp3 or streaming option. ??? How is one supposed to listen to this? On a computer? Really?
Creepy and compelling look at what could have easily happened. You nailed their personalities, Buzz Aldrin was a more whimsical foil to Neal Armstrong's pragmatism. A piece that is out of this world.
Comments for Moon Graffiti
Produced by Jonathan Mitchell
Other pieces by The Truth
Rating Summary
11 comments
Dennis Conrow
Posted on July 13, 2010 at 02:42 PM | Permalink
Compelling radio
Using an actual historical document as a starting place, this piece becomes a haunting 15-minute radio drama of two men's sudden realization of their own mortality. The piece pays homage at times to golden age masters like Arch Obler and Orson Welles, yet doesn’t take on the now-campy quality that some older radio dramas can have. What listeners do get, though, is a thoughtful, realistic imagining of the way things could have gone had Apollo 11 gone horribly wrong. What we hear is not the grandiose rehearsed pomposity of the "One small step for man" speech but the private thoughts of two men who ask each other "how many people do you think they'll bury up here before they're through? However many it is, it's a drop in the bucket when you consider the entirety of mankind." This is extraordinarily compelling radio, excellently conceived, acted, edited and produced. I cannot wait to hear more from this series.
Adrianne Mathiowetz
Posted on July 14, 2010 at 12:51 PM | Permalink
I Don't Even Like Radio Fiction
It's not that I haven't wanted to -- I've been waiting and hoping for something like this. Beautiful use of sound, thought-provoking, and occasionally, briefly blurring the fact/fiction line in a manner similar to (the comparison must be drawn) War of the Worlds (although never for long enough to send any panicked listener emails your way). It's just surreal enough without resorting to quirk. Lovely job.
Tom Kecskemethy
Posted on July 28, 2010 at 10:52 AM | Permalink
Great stuff -- really nicely produced!
I listened to Moon Graffiti today and will listen to the others soon. For what it’s worth, I like the format a lot — it makes me think and immerse myself for a time. Doing fiction of this sort is kind of countercultural, if you get my drift — we’re so accustomed to using the web (even radio these days) in such a short-attention-span-free-association kind of way that it takes time/psychoemotional investment to engage with fiction. Nice. I would LOVE to have these available by podcast — would totally subscribe....
Anyways, congrats on getting this up, Hillary — let me know if you every podcast it and hope you're spread wide and far on the radio soon.
Marjorie Van Halteren
Posted on July 18, 2010 at 12:09 PM | Permalink
Something New
This is a really creative idea - and different. The best programs that I've been able to hear that are being broadcast in the US right now all seem to be based around intensive, confessional "true" storytelling - some of these programs are REALLY good of course, but others just seem to be riding the TAL bandwagon. I was starting to wonder if anyone would ever do anything that wasn't based on individuals just mining "something that really happened." So here's an imaginative effort from some talented people who want to imagine and compose in another way. I hope it gets stations, an audience, and enough support to give it a chance to take more and more risks with its material.
Trey Kay
Posted on July 16, 2010 at 12:22 PM | Permalink
Brave New World!
Jonathon and Hillary are taking the old tradition of radio drama and making it new and relevant. Bravo!
lauren m
Posted on July 14, 2010 at 08:40 AM | Permalink
Bravo!
I have been a fan of radio fiction since I was a kid and borrowed cassettes of "Cloak and Dagger" and "A Date With Judy."
This story is super fun and smart and I hope to hear more from these geniuses soon!
Wayne Knickel
Posted on July 14, 2010 at 05:28 PM | Permalink
History that could have been
Nixon sounded like Nixon, so did the other astronauts. We like alternative takes on history.
A. Emily Ralph
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 01:43 PM | Permalink
Amazing
You captured perfectly both the profound isolation and utter hopelessness. I was in tears at the end, and I'm guessing the image of the two men spending eternity watching the earth rise and set will be burned into my mind for quite a while.
Keep up the great work!
Aubrey
brad laboe
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 11:32 AM | Permalink
Mercury theater of the web
Classic audio theater... if you had played this on the night of you'd have had them crying in the streets
michael costello
Posted on February 06, 2011 at 09:39 PM | Permalink
listen to audio on a computer? really?
I heard the end of this piece on the radio last night, and found this site after googling. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see an mp3 or streaming option. ??? How is one supposed to listen to this? On a computer? Really?
Shane McLaughlin
Posted on January 01, 2011 at 09:35 PM | Permalink
wow
Creepy and compelling look at what could have easily happened. You nailed their personalities, Buzz Aldrin was a more whimsical foil to Neal Armstrong's pragmatism. A piece that is out of this world.