Environment / Podcast
Innovative new BBC podcast series made in Bristol
BBC Radio 4 has recently launched a unique new podcast created in Bristol. Forest 404 is a 27-part podcast staring Pearl Mackie, best known for appearing in Doctor Who and who studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Forest 404 is a one-of-a-kind for BBC podcasts, aiming to give its listeners a deeper audio experience. It’s a sci-fi thriller composed of a three-tiered structure, depicting a world where forests have been completely erased from history.
Alongside the story, there are factual talks from a range of speakers including musicians, bioethicists and anthropologists who guide the audience through the themes and issues the podcast presents.
is needed now More than ever
Rhian Roberts, digital commissioner for Radio 4, said of the podcast: “It weaves the best of Radio 4 together – a rollercoaster of a story that’s unnervingly timely, with talks that bring footnotes to life, providing the insight and facts behind the drama.”
Pearl Mackie stars in this innovative audio experience
The podcast features an all-female cast led by Mackie, who graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2010, as well as the talented Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood, with an original theme from Bonobo.
Set in the 24th century in an eerie, post-cataclysmic world, the podcast follows Pan, a sound archivist who discovers some haunting recordings from the 21st century, featuring sounds from a rainforest. Pan feels she must discover more about the rainforest that had been erased from her memory and find out why it no longer exists.
As well as being a fast-paced thriller, the podcast is also one of the biggest national investigations on the therapeutic effects of sound.
Alexander Smalley, a virtual nature researcher at the University of Exeter, hopes to form an in-depth idea of how we respond to nature-based sounds.
“A large body of evidence shows that spending time in natural environments can have positive effects on people’s wellbeing. But we know very little about the importance of sound in this relationship,” says Alexander.
“We want as many people as possible to take part in this study, helping us uncover what works and why.”
Forest 404 is available to listen to now on BBC 4 Sounds
Forest 404 is available as a podcast box set on BBC Sounds. Download BBC Sounds to listen and subscribe and to take part in the Forest 404 Experiment, complete the online survey: www.nquire.org.uk/mission/forest-experiment/contribute
Read more: New podcast showcases Bristol’s creatives of colour
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