REC 103 30 Second Radio Spot

Goal:

Get familiar with basic recording equipment and software. Follow specifications.

Work with a partner or by yourself to produce a 30-second radio commercial for a product or service. Groups of 2 max! This may be an actual product (automobile, rock concert, insurance company) or a fictional one you made up yourself. Any recording platform may be used, but the final product must be a .wav or .mp3 digital file. All other file submission types will receive a 0.

    Your spot must meet the following criteria:

  1. The content must be inoffensive (PG-13 as opposed to NC-17!). Have fun, but try not to be rude or demeaning. Stay away from topics related to drugs (weed, being high or on drugs included!), alcohol, strip-clubs, other sexual topics, and political topics. Any commercials made around these topics will receive a 0. We are making commercials for audio experience, not to start a debate.
  2. Both partners must have a speaking part in the spot; you may recruit other members of the class if necessary. If you are working by yourself you must find a second person to speak in the commercial. It cannot be just you.
  3. You must use music in the spot. It is not necessary to have music throughout the ad, but there must be music somewhere during the spot.
  4. You must use sound effects. Again, they need not be wall-to-wall, but there must be appropriate sound effects in the spot.
  5. The spot cannot exceed 30 seconds – 29.5 seconds is even better! Going over 30 seconds will cost you.

Submit your finished project in Canvas as an .mp3 or .wav file. Be certain to identify the spot by name and include the production partners who created it.

Have fun!!

Resources

DAW: Reaper

Online DAW: Soundtrap

Example Script

SMARTY PANTS Radio Spot

1. (Annc.) Are you not very smart! 2. (Char. #1) Whhhhaaat? 3. (Annc.) No, I mean really stupid? 4. (Char. #2) Duuuhh… 5. (Annc.) Dumb as a stump? 6. (Char. #1) Dumb laugh… 7. (Annc.) What you need are Smarty Pants! 8. (Zip SFX) Jingle 9. (Annc.) That’s right! Pull on a pair of Smarty pants... 10. (Zip SFX) Jingle 11. (Annc.) and suddenly… 12 (Char. #1) the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of other two sides… 13. (Char. #2) energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another … 14. (Annc.) That’s right! Get smart! 15. (Zip SFX) Jingle 16. (Annc.) Get Smarty Pants! 17. (Zip SFX) Jingle 18. (Annc.) Smarty Pants are not available in stores…in fact, they’re not available anywhere…