Hub

Drama brief

Our Priority Genres are: Crime/Thriller, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Rom Coms, Romance, Grounded Comedy Drama. Mystery in all genres that will keep listeners hooked to the end.

We are seeking high profile IP that relates to UK audiences. It should carry a significant existing fandom, driven by nostalgia or an opportunity to pivot into audio. These can be: 

• Universe expansions of best of British IP, from big and small screen, old and new
• Comic Books by creators who actively engage with their fans.
• Active fandoms who create fan-art, cosplay, fan-fic etc.
• British Classics and heritage brands adapted by or Executive Produced by household names.
• A preference for spin offs, prequels, sequels, rather than straight adaptations (except comic books and Classics which we would consider for adaption).

N.b. We are unlikely to adapt books (other than PD classics), especially if we have the audiobook on site.

We’re eager to work with UK writers who have significant experience and are known in the UK. We work with some of the UK's biggest screen talent and authors and are open to new opportunities to develop premium audio drama. Writers do not always have to be household names but have written episodes for Premium TV shows in the US and UK. We particularly welcome writers of marginalized identities, with a particular focus on race, gender identity, and disability. It is key that writers who know their way around Genre storytelling. We will take a chance on new writers with a great idea and strong samples.

When considering form and structure in Audible drama, most of our series are 3-5 hours (with the exception of epic storytelling that truly requires epic length). We are now considering feature length for the first time and we are series based; that is we tend to release all episodes at once, and expect a lot of binging consumption. We’re big on strong episode outs, that push listeners directly into the next episode (and therefore not big on anthology). We favour ‘audio forward’ concepts (e.g. protagonist making an investigation podcast) small casts and tight plots when introducing new drama listeners to the medium.

Comedy brief 

In the comedy space, we’re looking for shows with big cut-through appeal, and the ability to bring a new audience to Audible. That could be off the back of a big punchy idea, concept, format, IP, or from incredible lead talent. 

The ideal Audible comedy podcast should hit the sweet spot between having a broad fanbase, but also a cult-like appeal that creates active listeners hungry for more. It should have a very clear offer and appeal – whether that’s pure comedy escapism, or using comedy to help us learn something about the world or ourselves. We want shows that can be a hit right out of the gates – the kind of eye-catching show that could splash on a billboard and shout about the great comedy content we make. 

We’re not looking for quiet, cosy shows, background listening, ultra-niche subject matter, or unfocussed formats with no distinctive angle. We have a smart, engaged audience, so we’re also not looking for lowbrow or overly crass humour.

We’re very open to podcasts involving big comedy IP, especially recent-nostalgia (e.g. From the Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast, and The Kurupt FM Podkast), as long as there is an interesting and audio-centric format - but please indicate that you have access and details of the rights position.

Please note we are very talent focussed and will support the very highest-level talent and ideas, so don’t be afraid to be very ambitious with casting. We generally commission limited-series (e.g. 6, 8, 10, 12 eps), so don’t require huge time commitments of top talent. We are especially interested in talent that don’t currently have a podcast. 

We’re open to a range of formats: scripted, non-scripted, conversation-based, stand up, panel, sketch… as long as the format is original and funny, with great lead talent.

If you’re pitching a scripted series (sketch, sitcom, etc), please also submit a writing sample of at least two or three scenes from the script, unless your writer has a very substantial back catalogue of successful writing in this space. In the scripted space, we are especially interested in shows that combine comedy with a genre angle (thriller, horror, espionage, etc). 

In terms of theme and content, please bear in mind we’re looking for shows that can listeners can enjoy for a long time to come – so while ‘zeitgeist’ issues (e.g. the environment, populism, etc) are great, ‘topical’ (e.g. what happened today in politics or in sport) is not a great fit.

We want to expand the range of voices in audio, so particularly welcome writers, producers and talent from marginalised identities. 

Factual brief 

Our current commissioning strategy for factual titles falls into two clear categories:

True Crime / Investigations

We want brilliant, original stories that you can’t put down. In our eyes this means well-written, diligently researched, precise storytelling with clear narrative arcs and something at stake. Stories should follow a compelling character, have a clear beginning/middle/end and a captivating title and log-line to draw the listener in. We’d encourage you to listen to current Audible programmes like I Am Not Nicholas, Finding Q, or Squid Scam that focus on characters as they explore wider human and societal issues. 

When pitching true crime, we want to see how you plan on elevating the genre beyond the traditional tropes. 

For episodic, investigative treatments, we are looking for great access alongside well-defined story structure, with an overarching narrative thread that builds over the episode arc. We want sustainable themes that have enough depth to encourage listening over the entire series. 

Wellbeing

If pitching a wellness or wellbeing series, we want to see a unique and specific angle to your discussion or concept. In this space, we are particularly interested in ideas around mental, emotional, spiritual and intellectual wellness.

We're looking to work with presenters and experts who are known in their field and command an audience. A distinctive presenter can sometimes open up new angles to a story that has been told before.

We’re interested in formats that step outside the regular interview-style podcast - concepts that are explored over the course of a single series, ideas that investigate or build on a theme episode by episode, shows that offer practical prompts, long-form memoirs or immersive experiences. 

Budget (applicable across all genres): A full detailed budget is not required initially but if you can give an indication of cost, please do so. You will be asked to submit a full budget if your pitch is taken to the next stage.   

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