Sunday 27 September 2009

Middle Ditch 36

Listen here:



The Whistling Chimney

On a stormy night, the pub chimney begins to whistle.
Drake, released from hospital, Anna and Susan get the fright of their lives.

This episode features in order of appearance

David Caddy as the Announcer
Sorani Mkandawire as Anna
Sue Tarrant as Susan
Jeremy Drake as Farmer Drake

Editing and sound effects by Helen Hardy and David Caddy
Written and directed by Monique Caddy

49 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

Great sound effects and the interrelation of the screaming. Made me jump.

Chris Benjamin said...

good old fashioned ghost story. great job on the sound!

Rick said...

How appropriate for the season! I don't know how you do it, but the storyline, the acting, and the special effects keep getting better and better. Congratulations.

TomCat said...

Hi Monique. Sadly, i gouldn't get enough volume to understand it.

Commander Zaius said...

Call me naive but I'm not sure I got the meaning in Brutus the pig sudden resurgence. Great story, enjoyed the whistling wind.

Devin said...

Good one!! I also jumped-great sound effects and story!! I hope all of you at Middle Ditch are doing beautifully and having a great start to your week-love and hugs to the whole cast!!

Anne Lyken-Garner said...

I had to turn my volume way up for this one, but my, what suspense! For a minute I was almost scared, especially when she suddenly screamed. Nice ending, it leaves you wondering,what's going to be revealed next and what we'll learn in the next episode. Well done everyone!

Middle Ditch said...

Thanks Charles. It took us ages to get the sound effects right but it works. I also jumped when I listened to it again even though I was there when it was done.

Thanks Ben, I'm glad that you enjoyed this.

Rick, sometimes even I don't know how on earth I did it. This was written such a long time ago and recorded months ago and it was also a surprise to us that it went on in the season. Okay, a little early but still.

Middle Ditch said...

TomCat, I'm still so pleased to see you again. Perhaps another time you might try again and who knows?

Beach Bum, thanks for visiting. I have neglected my blog friends too long and will soon visit you again. As for Brutus? Goodness knows what Granddad did to make him perform much better!

Middle Ditch said...

Devin, great to see you. I actually got goose pimples at one point whilst listening. The cast is absolutely excellent.

Anne, we are pleased to announce that in the next episode we will have, for the first time, the splendid Ian Brinton playing Joe, the sidekick of Jim.

Thank you all so much for your lovely support. Without you, this could not be happening and I mean it. I would probably have given up a long time ago.

TomCat said...

OK, I had a little more time today, so I tried again. Nope. I tried going to the site and listening. No better. Then I downloaded it as a file and tried with Windows Media Player. Voila! If others have the same problem, now you know what to tell them.

Excellent spooky humor.

Sun Follower said...

Sound effects are great! As is story, as usual.

Middle Ditch said...

Thanks for the tip TomCat. I have written it all down and will pass it on if such a thing might happen with any other listener.

Sun Follower, it is great to see you here. Thanks for listening and commenting.

Reader Wil said...

Well that was pretty spooky! Well played!
Why don't we have ghosts here in the Netherlands?
Hi Monique, de "manneke pis" van mijn slide is een brandweermanneke! Ha. ha...

Middle Ditch said...

Hey Reader Wil, it took me some time to get used to halloween here. We have St Maarten in Holland which is much friendlier I think.

And a huge ooooooooooops! I really didn't see it. All I saw was a 'you know what' what I took for a 'you know what'. Where is my mind!

Anonymous said...

Cool ... I love the sound effects.

Middle Ditch said...

Cool to see you again Aggie. You have been missed.

jed said...

I am pleased that the storyline, acting and sound effects seem to be working well in this episode. I thought that it worked well and also am pleased with its impact.

Keep up the good work.

Middle Ditch said...

Jed, your last words "Stone me!" still provokes laughter from me. Well done and well done to Sorani and Sue. Perfectly acted.

TomCat said...

YVW. Persistence pays. :-)

cherie said...

i have not been here in a while, ms. monique, as i had been preoccupied with the disasters in my country and in indonesai and samoa. i am missing some fun but want you to know that i am here.

Middle Ditch said...

Amen to that TomCat.

Cherie, I have been following the stories. So much destruction. So much sadness. I fully understand that you are very busy else where.

fizzycat said...

Nice spooky episode. Loved the suspense, building up, off set with the story of Brutus!
Hopefully going to get you some more listners now by mentioning you all on facebook. Best wishes, Fizz.

Middle Ditch said...

Fizz, you are so kind! Thank you!

fizzycat said...

Now befriended.

Richard said...

Thanks for passing by to see the owls :).

David Caddy said...

A great all round effort to produce a this episode. There are some great lines and sounds that are bringing smiles to listeners. It would be great to know what other listeners think of the episode. Please let us know.

Middle Ditch said...

Thanks Fizz

Richard, I always enjoy your photographs.

David, yes, according to our counter we get loads of visitors. I also would like to see what other listeners think.

BernardL said...

Another stellar performance with accompanying sound. I feel Halloween around the bend. :)

cherie said...

i finally heard the episode. my, so much jumpiness! it's all very real! was there really a ghost?

Middle Ditch said...

Hi BernardL, thanks. A little early for the season. But still, it's a great episode acted very well.

Cherie, unfortunately no, there was no ghost even though they were all hoping there would be one.

When Anna left the village she didn't know she was pregnant of her third son, Dod. I thought an introduction of him falling down the chimney was appropriate. After all, as the new and legal owner, he inherited the pub, it was about time someone checked out the chimney.

Janice Thomson said...

The sound effects in this were marvelous - I was sitting on the edge of my chair with the hair starting to rise on the back of my neck...what a thrilling episode - well done!

Cherie said...

ms. monique, for some reason, i cannot open the dashboard of This Side of Town so i created a new blog. please go visit http://uncoveringaculture.blogspot.com i am so sad...thank you!

Middle Ditch said...

Janice, thank you. I also, when I first heard this episode again with all it's sound effects, had my hair up. I also looked outside thinking it was a real thunderstorm.

Cherie, I'll be over very soon.

darkfoam said...

stone me .. it's moving!!! ..

well, i'm finally caught up. spent a quiet morning just listening and drinking my coffee. truly enjoyed the past few episodes.

Middle Ditch said...

Thanks Foam

Unknown said...

Getting a little aggressive with these sound effects :-) Love it. Good tension and suspense.

Middle Ditch said...

They were needed Ricardo. Great sound effects for a spooky story. It took us ages to get them right though.

Good to see you.

X. Dell said...

I was beginning to think I had landed in an episode of The X Files for a second. I see we will be getting a new character soon.

Regarding the last episode: it's kinda comforting to see Lady Annabel and Sir Randy up to their old tricks.

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

The storm sounds very realistic and well-placed.

Britain and storms goes together like British Columbia and storms.:)

Middle Ditch said...

X.Dell, The X Files! What a brilliant idea for next year's spooky episode!

Say weird things are going on at Farmer Drake's farm and with the help of Joe and Jim strange happenings are discovered. Who knows? Perhaps another pig victim is discovered. I quite like the idea. Thanks!

Middle Ditch said...

thekingpin68, you have been in my thoughts lately and I am over to your blog right now. Thanks for your input. I love reading comments.

Rick said...

Just stopping by to say "hi" and to tell you that this story gets better each time I listen to it!

Middle Ditch said...

Thanks Rick. The next episode will be posted soon. And be totally different with the introduction of Ian Brinton playing Jim's sidekick Joe.

Felicity Grace Terry said...

Hi, Firstly many thanks for visiting me over at Pen And Paper. I never knew such sites as this were available but I've really enjoyed listening though I seemed to have trouble with the volume in places. I shall certainly look out for the next episode.

Commander Zaius said...

Dropped in to check. Can't wait for the next episode.

Middle Ditch said...

Thanks Petty, welcome to Middle Ditch, quirky tales of village life. I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

Beach Bum, the next episode is posted.

Thank you both for visiting and commenting.

jed said...

The storm is indeed very much like we get around here.

Middle Ditch said...

Yes it is Jed. November is soon here with its howling wind.