This Company is Trying to Turn Movies into Podcasts

I love cinema. I love it so much I call it cinema. I'm not even going to call them movies yet because I love them so much. I know I sound like a douche but I just don't care. I would mainline movies into my veins if given a choice. 

But would I listen to them broken down into podcast episodes? 

And if I would listen to a podcast, what would it even sound like? 

Well, Cadence13, the company behind Crooked Media (Pod Save America) and other popular pods, is trying to turn this idea into a reality. 

“We want to create a brand new lane of storytelling and build a brand new type of listening experience, Chris Corcoran, chief content officer and founding partner of Cadence13, said in an interview with Variety. 

Podcasts are really growing and the subject matter is always interesting to chase. I listen to a lot of Cadence13's podcasts, including ones from Crooked Media and a really interesting filmmaking podcast about James Cameron. 

So while dealing with entertainment is not something new to them, they're launching something new to all of us. 

According to Variety, "The company is launching C13Features, which will back thrillers, dramas, comedies, and other stories that unspool between 90 minutes to two-hours, or roughly the length of a feature film. Each C13Feature will be a fictionalized story with a beginning, a middle, and end, all wrapped into one podcast episode — similar to a movie arc. The company plans to hire movie stars and prominent actors to voice key roles and to partner with film directors and other creative talent."

As we've said many times before, Hollywood relies on IP right now, and Cadence13 founding partner Chris Cocoran has said he views this new series as an “IP incubator.” Basically, if they script great stories and they go viral, they'll be able to sell them to Hollywood. 

And that's not the only way they see things going. 

There are lots of great unproduced screenplays they think could be perfect test subjects for their series. 

“There are a lot of scripts out there that are un-produced that might work and there are also original scripts that we hope to develop,” said Corcoran. “There can’t be too many characters and we need a compelling storyline that keeps listeners engaged.”

This is smart business, but will it work? 

Audible has a similar series that has found some success. And the real play here is getting dedicated listeners who travel with particular characters and stories over series. So in a way, they're really making long-form TV...or radio plays like the old days. 

Whatever it is, I do think the IP will help stories find audiences, so it's something I would definitely explore as a writer. And if you have reps and are looking for work I bet places like this are hiring. 

With work stoppages in shooting, podcasts have the opportunity to gain ground. 

Only time will tell what else they can turn into podcasts. 

Up next: Get our free screenwriting eBook! 

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