Short Cuts

By BBC Radio 4Society & Culture Documentary

Short Cuts episodes

September 13, 2022 Scenes from a Life
A car ride tumbles through grief, teenagers howl in the woods and a snapshot of a day's answering machines across America - Josie Long presents short documentaries and audio adventures where all the action unfolds in the present.
Church in the woods, Louisiana, USA at 6pm in April 2020
Produced by Mara Lazer
The Balloon
Produced by Talia Augustidis
Animal Tracking Class
With Andrius Gaidamavičius
Produced by Vaida Pilibaitytė
This recording was originally broadcast in the documentary Širdies formos pėdsakais (Heart Shaped Footprints)
Thank you for Calling
Produced by Jules Bradley
Curated by Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min
September 06, 2022 Radio
Treetop antennas, a witness from history and a dialogue with a loudspeaker - Josie Long presents short radio docs and adventures in sound inspired by broadcasts into the ether.
From the forests of North Carolina, USA to the city of Kyiv, Ukraine - two ham radio enthusiasts seek each other out and a voice from the past prompts a dialogue on listening between a rabbi and a radio producer.
Treetop Radio
Featuring Volodymyr Gurtovy and Thomas Witherspoon
Produced by Cicely Fell
Here Comes Everybody
Extract from Shake Rattle Roll - originally made for New American Radio
Produced by Gregory Whitehead and Dan Lander
www.somewhere.org
Mattie's Broadcast
Produced by Veronica Simmonds
Featuring music from Alphabet of Wrongdoing by Cantor/Composer/Vocalist Daniela Gesundheit
Curated by Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min
July 12, 2022 New Forms
A therapeutic technique sits at the heart of an interview and the protagonist of a novel speaks back to its writer - Josie Long presents short documentaries and audio adventures which experiment with form.
Everything is Fine Forecast
Originally produced for the podcast Randomly Generated Thought
Written and performed by Ewan Cameron.
Music and sound design by Ewan Cameron
Life Partners
Produced by Christina Hardinge
Afterword
Written and read by Bongani Kona
Sound design by Catherine Boulle
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
29 min
July 05, 2022 Twilight Hours
As the light fades, Josie Long presents short documentaries about hovering on the edge of darkness. A poetic dialogue prompted by an eager moon and a wander through nature in the gloaming.
Eager Moon
Produced by James T. Green and Ariana Martinez
The History of Night
Featuring Dr Andrew Flack
Produced by Hunter Charlton
Epilogue
Produced by Sean Towgood
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
29 min
June 28, 2022 Action!
An AI writes a Nicolas Cage film, a Matt Damon lookalike causes havoc and a story has its climax removed - Josie Long presents short action-driven documentaries and audio adventures.
Matt Damon
Produced by Jesse Lawson and Arlie Adlington
Originally created for KCRW's 24 Hour Radio Race
Nic O Las
Produced by Suzie McCarthy
The Juicy Part
Produced by Jess Shane
Sweat
Feat. Laura Barton
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
29 min
June 21, 2022 Numbers
From a rhythm that weaves itself through memory to our relationship with deep time, Josie Long presents a countdown of numerically-inspired short documentaries.
The Everywhen
Featuring Dave Johnston-Pitt and Sam Juparulla Wickman
Produced by Jaye Kranz
The Yelling Birds of the Presidio
Featuring Jenny Phillips, who also shared the field recordings used to create this piece
Produced by Kalli Anderson and Kaija Siirala
Counting to Six
Accordion played by Kaveh Ghaffari, Tonbak by Farhad Asadi and Pedal Steel by Michael Eckert
Produced by Arif Mirbaghi
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
29 min
June 14, 2022 Detectives
Josie Long, P.I. investigates a series of mysterious audio adventures and short documentaries including The Young Detective, The Case of the Disappearing Turtle and The Big Sleep (at 73).
The Missing Turtle
Featuring Diana and Oliva
Produced by Maria Dønvang
The Young Detective
Featuring Hilde Lysiak
You Will Die at 73
Featuring Hugh Clegg and Jamie Robinson
Directed by Hugh Clegg
Music composed by Mathilde Koechlin and Jamie Robinson
Sound Design by Carlos San Juan Juanchi
Producer: Andrea Rangecroft
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min
June 07, 2022 Devotion
Josie Long presents audio adventures and short documentaries dedicated to our love for those around us - an invocation for creating new life, finding meaning in being stood up and decades spent hearing about, and helping, Britain's LGBTQ+ life.
Alone
Produced by Noam Osband
Thank you for being here
Featuring Switchboard volunteers past and present
Produced by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith
Originally from The Log Books podcast, produced by Tash, Adam and Shivani Dave
An Invocation for All Fertility Treatments
Accessing the Powers of the Universe: An Invocation for All Fertility Treatments is written and performed by Erica Gillingham
Co-produced by Erica Gillingham and Andrea Rangecroft
Producer: Andrea Rangecroft
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min
May 31, 2022 Sound Effects
Listening to the melodies in auctioneer school, reimagining the sound in your ears and a twilight audio-experience which takes you back in time. Josie Long presents short documentaries and audio adventures inspired by unusual sound worlds.
The Auctioneer (Excerpt)
Originally produced by Ned Sublette for New American Radio
somewhere.org
Accompaniment for Ever-Present Sounds
Composed by Sami El-Enany
Flying Fox
Featuring Lawrence Pope
Produced by Thomas Phillips
Photo credit: Doug Gimesy
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
31 min
May 24, 2022 I Will Wait For You
A wait of 33 years between a marriage proposal and a response, a skittish piano tries to avoid the stage and a young boy looks out to sea waiting for his father. Josie Long presents short documentaries and works of sound art about waiting, yearning and anxiously anticipating.
Skittish Piano
Produced by Eleanor McDowall
Isabel and Alf
Featuring Isabel Bader
Produced by Kalli Anderson
Thank you to Isabel Bader, Ruth Clarke and Olivia Richardson.
The Voice of the Sea
Feat.uring Abel Coentrão
Produced by Rebecca Nolan
Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
30 min