Nocturnal Worlds
Journeys through nature for sleep and relaxation. This podcast weaves together a symphony of nature sounds and captivating storytelling in an audio experience that highlights Australia’s unique nocturnal ecosystems.
“Really loved learning a bit about the local animals around Sydney, the voice was so soothing that as soon as it moves into the soothing lush sounds of the bush / ocean I straight away started nodding off. What a way to go to sleep! I hope you guys make more episodes - I’d love some more water based stories!”
— listener review
SYNOPSIS
Nocturnal Worlds: journeys through nature for sleep and relaxation weaves together a symphony of nature sounds and captivating storytelling in an audio experience that highlights Australia’s unique nocturnal ecosystems.
Drawing upon the scientific expertise of the Australian Museum, and the audio expertise of Audiocraft, Nocturnal Worlds goes beyond storytelling: it creates an immersive experience that lulls listeners into a state of wonder and relaxation.
Each episode delves into the hidden lives of three iconic Australian animals - the Powerful Owl, the Red-Crowned Toadlet, and the Long-finned Eel - unveiling their captivating night life.
WHAT WE DID
Nocturnal Worlds was developed by the Audiocraft team with the intention of creating an immersive audio experience with the sounds of wildlife that exist in pockets of nature within urban environments. Excited by the rising demand for nature sounds and sleep and relaxation content in the podcast medium, we saw an opportunity to create something unique and immersive for this audience. We wanted to make captivating bedtime content that also subtly educates our listener about Australia's extraordinary native wildlife. Our underlying goal was to reconnect listeners with the wonder of nature and hopefully inspire them to invest in its preservation.
The key to producing such an intimate and immersive project lay in finding the perfect creative partner. When the Australian Museum came on board, it felt like a match made in heaven. By combining the expertise of scientists from the Australian Museum with Audiocraft's audio expertise, Nocturnal Worlds transcends mere narration; it crafts a sonic experience that gently lulls listeners into a state of awe and relaxation, blending conservation with storytelling, magical realism with factual information.
The making of this podcast was an immersive endeavour, quite literally. We used an underwater microphone to record; this required Sound Engineer Laura to don a wetsuit and venture into the winter ocean, capturing ethereal underwater sounds, including the melody of whale song. Producer Olivia wrote the scripts with research provided by the Australian Museum, and Senior Producer Marcus wrangled these creative explosions into clear journeys.
Launching with National Science Week 2023 and hosting a ‘Meet the Markers’ live discussion at the Australian Museum was a great way to celebrate the work and build an audience.
AWARDS
Silver winner in the Sustainability, Environment & Climate category in The 3rd Annual The Anthem Awards
CREDITS
Publisher: Audiocraft / Australian Museum
Narrator: Olivia O’Flynn
Producers: Olivia O’Flynn, Marcus Costello, Kate Montague, Selena Shannon, Laura Brierley Newton
Sound Designer and Mix: Laura Brierley Newton
Art: Evi O Studios
Executive Producer (Audiocraft): Kate Montague
Executive Producer (Australian Museum): Megan Lawrence