C13Features, the division launched by the podcast studio Cadence13 last June with a mission to create what it calls “movie for the ears,” has launched its first slate of shows. It marks Cadence13’s initial entry into the scripted podcast space, with the objective of not just finding an audience but also finding Hollywood producers interested in translating that intellectual property to TV or film screens.
To that end, C13Features is referencing the podcasts as “audio movies” with a format that is somewhat different than many shows. While the podcast space has traditionally used the serialized multi-episode approach, C13Features aims to tighten the storytelling experience. Rather than force listeners to have to wait for more episodes to find out what happens, C13Features will tell a story in a single, feature-length 90-minute episode.
Chris Corcoran, Chief Content Officer and founding partner of Cadence13, created and developed the concept for C13Features. He is also serving as Executive Producer for all features and he leads the new studio.
“We’ve been disciplined and strategic, finding the right stories, writing, and characters that we feel meet our ambitious creative expectations," said Corcoran. “This is an opportunity to bring storytelling to the world in a brand-new, easily digestible experience, to create ‘movies for your ears.’ I can’t wait to bring these first three original audio features to life in this fashion."
Entercom-owned Cadence13 has partnered with Endeavor Content to develop and produce the features, leveraging the media conglomerate and talent agency’s experience in movie making and television production.
“In today’s growing content landscape, this is yet another unique opportunity to bring compelling storytelling to audiences worldwide,” said Lorenzo De Maio, Executive Vice President, TV Advisory and Audio at Endeavor Content. He said podcasts offer the company “new and exciting way to launch film franchises.”
C13Features and Endeavor hope the next big television or film hit is in the first crop of genre-spanning podcasts, which it notes are helmed by Hollywood writers, directors, actors, and composers, and feature cinematic sound design and high-end production.
The slate includes a horror podcast called Treat, which was written by Nathan Ballingrud, with Babak Anvari and Lucan Toh of Two & Two Pictures. The show is set in a small town on Halloween.
Another show is called Ghostwriter, which is described as a cross between Silence of the Lambs and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It was written by Alix Sobler from Best Case Studios.
There is also the thriller called The Followers. Written by Brett Neichin, the podcast follows a newly married pair of 20-something social-media influencers traveling the world on their honeymoon who end up in a mystery that is a cautionary tale about social media, and the reverse effect of influence.
Cadence13 has not announced a premiere date for the three series.
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