We're Alive, A Story of Survival explained

We're Alive — A Story of Survival
Production:Kc Wayland
Grayson Stone
Starring:Ensemble cast
Url:http://www.zombiepodcast.com
Status:completed
Length:20-30 minutes
Num Episodes:166
Num Seasons:4
Audio Format:Stereophonic/MP3
Began:May 04, 2009
Ended:July 29, 2014
Language:English

We're Alive — A Story of Survival is a horror/post apocalyptic audio drama, originally released in podcast form. Its story follows a large group of survivors of a zombie apocalypse[1] [2] in downtown Los Angeles, California.[3]

We're Alive premiered May 4, 2009 on iTunes, and concluded its fourth and last season on July 29, 2014. When in production, the We're Alive series released 3 first-run episodes a month, totaling 36 episodes a season.[4] The compiled-season version of the show is produced by Wayland Productions, and is distributed through CD/Digital downloads by Blackstone Audio and also through the Rusty Quill Network.[5]

Background

We're Alive started early in 2009 when creator, Kc Wayland, originally outlined the story for a pitch for television.[6] At the time he saw there was a gap in programming that could be filled by a horror survival series. He designed a show that would take advantage of the repeated set, the tower, and then branch out from there as the show would get more popular. After the initial story and character outlines were created, he then proceeded to talk with other film producers seeing if there would be a way to get the show on broadcast television.

After not being able to successfully pitch the idea, Wayland then decided to produce the show as an audio drama.[6] The concept for self-production was a "if you build it, they will come"; in regards to both listeners and producers. In late April 2009, Wayland met with Shane Salk and pitched the idea. Together they settled on the serialized audio format. Wayland and Salk went on to produce the first two seasons, and then Grayson Stone (an intern in season 1 and 2) and Wayland continued to produce the final two seasons.

Sequels and Spinoffs

In 2015, Wayland announced a follow-up podcast mini-series titled We're Alive: Lockdown.[6] The project was crowdfunded through Kickstarter, raising $54,774 of its $50,000 goal. Lockdown takes place within Twin Towers Jail. Six inmates, and the prison guards assigned to them have found themselves trapped in the inescapable confines of T-block during the lockdown following a prison riot. Boundaries of trust are pushed to the limit as the survivors must learn to work together if they have any hope of escaping the horde of infected and the deadly secret that lies within the walls of Twin Tower Jail.[7]

In 2019, Wayland released a new follow-up chapter to the series titled We're Alive: Goldrush. This entry in the We’re Alive canon is described as a “spaghetti-western tale of humor, horror and heartbreak”. The series follows four post-apocalyptic soldiers as they stumble across clues to a hidden gold heist stash. Since gold retains value even after the apocalypse, they plot to track down the prize for themselves.[8] Goldrush was shortlisted as a BBC Audio Drama Award for best podcast.[9]

Since late 2019, hints and images have been shared on the official We’re Alive website and by Writer/Director Kc Wayland on social media regarding a possible true sequel to the show entitled We’re Alive: Descendants. According to Wayland the writing for this show has been ongoing since We’re Alive: A Story of Survival concluded in 2014.[10] We're Alive: Descendants has been announced with Wayland Productions announcing an April 5, 2022 release.

Format

There were several factors that led Wayland to the audio-only format. In limiting the visuals, the story would be able to explore limitless possibilities in settings and situations not fully explored by this genre. Being a "horror", the power of sound and "what you can't see" could be utilized in a powerful way. Using no visuals also limited the vastness of production. Actors could come in once every two months for a full day of recording that would cover six full episodes (2 chapters).[11]

Production process

A typical chapter is about sixty pages long, and is recorded by the actors in a recording stage in Orange County,[11] CA. A typical day runs about six to eight hours of raw recording. From there, a voice cutter then goes through the session and separates just the usable lines, and then passes it onto another editor who then lays in the initial sound effects and pacing. The last stage then goes back to Wayland, who acts as the supervising sound editor and covers the last stage of production, often doing a large amount of foley and music selections.

Release dates and episode length

In a typical month, We're Alive produced three episodes comprising one chapter, taking one week off between chapters. Twelve chapters make up one season, and there are four seasons with a total of forty eight chapters. Each episode is approximately twenty minutes, making each chapter about an hour long.

Published version

Blackstone Audio has published all three seasons currently available: Season 1,[12] Season 2,[13] Season 3.[14]

Awards

We're Alive was nominated in 2012 for the Best Audio Drama in the Audio Publishing Awards.[15] In the same year, it was named "Best of 2012" in the iTunes Arts category.[16] Other awards won by the series include:

Cast

Notable guest voices

In addition the regular cast — which includes Jim Gleason who starred on the 2013–2014 season of American Horror Story[24] — there have been a number of notable guest voices on We're Alive. These names include Bob Bergen (current voice of Porky Pig), Seth Peterson from Burn Notice, and Greg Miller.

Episodes

Season 4

Notes and References

  1. The resurgence of audio drama . March 27, 2015 . Purcell . Julius . December 8, 2015 . December 10, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151210221841/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/audio-drama-day-october-30th-continues-historic-legacy-of-halloween-horror-imaginative-storytelling-300156405.html . live .
  2. Audio Drama Day, October 30th, Continues Historic Legacy of Halloween Horror, Imaginative Storytelling . October 8, 2015 . December 8, 2015 . December 10, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151210221841/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/audio-drama-day-october-30th-continues-historic-legacy-of-halloween-horror-imaginative-storytelling-300156405.html . live .
  3. Web site: 12 podcasts that will tell you a fantastic story . . November 26, 2014 . Kumagai . Jillian . December 8, 2015 . December 10, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151210195159/http://mashable.com/2014/11/26/storytelling-podcasts/#6U_fe21pouqK . live .
  4. Williams. Mike. Your Next Zombie Obsession: We're Alive. Time. 29 October 2010 . 14 January 2014. 14 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140814042524/http://techland.time.com/2010/10/29/your-next-zombie-obsession-were-alive/. live.
  5. News: Rusty Quill Podcast Network List . RustyQuill.com . 12 September 2021 . 12 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210912121135/https://rustyquill.com/rusty-quill-brings-second-wave-shows-including-were-alive-to-rq-network/ . live .
  6. Web site: Veteran behind popular zombie podcast is back for spinoff . Lilley . Kevin . June 20, 2015 . December 8, 2015 . April 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220426192650/https://www.armytimes.com/off-duty/movies-video-games/2015/06/20/veteran-behind-popular-zombie-podcast-is-back-for-spinoff/ . live .
  7. Web site: We're Alive: Lockdown Story Overview. 2021-07-18. 2021-07-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210718133619/https://www.werealive.com/the-story-lockdown/. live.
  8. Web site: We're Alive: Goldrush Announcement. 11 September 2019 . 2021-07-18. 2021-07-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210718133619/http://www.insideradio.com/podcastnewsdaily/after-three-year-hiatus-we-re-alive-springs-back-to-life/article_bf3c13ec-d4b7-11e9-bb61-9725adb633f6.html. live.
  9. Web site: BBC Radio Drama Awards. 2021-09-12. 2021-08-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20210813205606/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1gm35LPLDkmbj6LxPk9m3HH/the-2020-shortlist. live.
  10. Web site: We're Alive: Descendants Update. 2021-07-18. 2021-07-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210718133616/https://www.werealive.com/news/wadescendantsupdate1/. live.
  11. Web site: MICKADEIT. FRANK. Zombie radio, dead and raised in O.C.. 20 May 2011 . Orange County Register. 14 January 2014. 21 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140121192426/http://www.ocregister.com/articles/salk-301258-one-radio.html. live.
  12. News: Blackstone Audio We're Alive Season 1 . Blackstone Audio . 4 December 2013 . 20 June 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130620231914/http://www.blackstoneaudio.com/audiobook.cfm?id=6486 . live .
  13. News: Blackstone Audio We're Alive Season 2. Blackstone Audio. 4 December 2013. 25 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111025095016/http://www.blackstoneaudio.com/audiobook.cfm?id=6521. live.
  14. News: Blackstone Audio We're Alive Season 3. Blackstone Audio. 4 December 2013. 26 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220426192654/https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/audiobook.cfm?id=7632. live.
  15. News: Audiofile Audies Nominations 2012 . Audiofile Magazine . 4 December 2013 . 5 October 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005003759/http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/2012_audies.html . live .
  16. News: iTunes best of 2012, Arts . We're Alive . 4 December 2013 . 3 June 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130603161248/http://www.zombiepodcast.com/news/were-alive-named-best-of-2012/ . live .
  17. News: 4th Annual Dead Letter Awards . Mail Order Zombie . 4 December 2013 . 23 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131123025311/http://mailorderzombie.libsyn.com/webpage/2012/03 . live .
  18. News: Mark Time Award Winners . Jerry Stearns . 4 December 2013 . 18 December 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131218193100/http://www.greatnorthernaudio.com/MarkTime/MarkTime-winners.html . live .
  19. News: Parsec Awards Winners Finalists 2014 . Parsec Awards Steering Committee . 18 July 2021 . 5 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220405070555/http://www.parsecawards.com/past-awards/2014-parsec-awards-winners-finalists/ . live .
  20. News: Parsec Awards Winners Finalists 2010 . Parsec Awards Steering Committee . 4 December 2013 . 12 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200112171810/http://www.parsecawards.com/past-awards/2010-parsec-awards-winners-finalists/ . live .
  21. News: Parsec Awards Winners Finalists 2011 . Parsec Awards Steering Committee . 4 December 2013 . 29 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190729215447/http://www.parsecawards.com/past-awards/2011-parsec-awards-winners-finalists/ . live .
  22. News: Parsec Awards Winners Finalists 2012 . Parsec Awards Steering Committee . 4 December 2013 . 12 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200112171801/http://www.parsecawards.com/past-awards/2012-parsec-awards-winners-finalists/ . live .
  23. News: Parsec Awards Winners Finalists 2013 . Parsec Awards Steering Committee . 4 December 2013 . 4 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104065509/http://www.parsecawards.com/2013-parsec-awards/2013-parsec-awards-finalists/ . live .
  24. Web site: IMDB_Gleason. . 16 January 2014. 12 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130912092320/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322282/. live.

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