It’s available at last! “Making Poldark” as an audio book…

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It’s available at last! “Making Poldark” as an audio book…

July 6, 2015 by Robin Ellis

AT LAST!

Yesterday the audio version of Making Poldark became available for download via Audible, Amazon or iTunes.

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_mn_mt_ano_tseft__galileo?advsearchKeywords=Making+Poldark&x=0&y=0

Below, I’m re-posting my account of recording it way back in January.

Just back from UK where I recorded my memoir of Poldark as an audio book–with an extra chapter about taking part in the new BBC/Mammoth version–40 years after doing the original!

Two days in a small, soundproof booth in a basement recording studio in Hove in Sussex, while the wind and the rain raged above ground.

I was fortunate to have three helpmates in the studio running the show–and keeping my nose to the microphone.

Chris Daniels, sound engineer, owns the studio and is a member of that fraternity of calm console operators who are never flustered.

They have seen it all before–and behave as though they read the first verse of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, IF, before sitting down to work:

If you can keep your head when all about you

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And you’ll be make a Sound Engineer, my son!

(With apologies to Mr. Kipling.)

My old friend, Constantine de Goguel Toulouse-Lautrec–his grandmother was in St. Petersburg in the October Revolution of 1917 and survived–sat in the producer’s seat and guided a rusty performer through the sessions with grace and years of experience.

He’s a fine actor and an experienced dialogue coach for movies.

He also runs Spoken Ink–subtitled “The Home of Short Audio“–well worth checking out.

Meredith made up the triumvirate as back-up producer keeping a beady eye on the script and an ear out for things that could be better (like the American pronunciation of “Potomac”!).

Her occasional ripple of involuntary laughter was a morale boost for The Man in the Sound Proof Booth!

The project is in post production now. When complete, we’ll announce it here.

Posted in Poldark, Robin Ellis | Tagged audio book, IF, Making Poldark, Poldark, robin ellis, rudyard kipling, spoken ink, winston graham | 39 Comments

39 Responses

on January 18, 2015 at 1:56 pm | Reply mrsplumpudding

This was perfect! Thank you, Robin, for sharing! 🙂
on January 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm | Reply Chantal

Hove i know that erea good is next to Brighton.Keep up the good work Robin & enjoy!
on January 18, 2015 at 2:01 pm | Reply ellenandjim

Why not record the Graham novels? Make a fresh dramatic reading available on CDs, MP3s, and downloads. It’d be a real hit and reach lots of readers. Just a thought. Is there some copyright preventing this? I hope not.
- on January 18, 2015 at 2:15 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  It’s already been done, Ellen.
  - on January 21, 2015 at 2:04 am ellenandjim
    
    The sites I have looked at show only the audio cassettes, no reading on CDs, MP3s or downloads. I’d be grateful if you could tell me if the old audio cassettes have been transferred. Like many people my audiocassette players broke several years ago. I find that replacing the older audiocassette readings means a new reader. Who better than you. No one on this earth.
  - on January 21, 2015 at 6:23 am Robin Ellis
    
    I don’t know what you are referring to when you say “old audio cassettes”.
on January 18, 2015 at 2:10 pm | Reply Constantine

Tee hee! I’ve forwarded the blog to Chris. Just for the record – it’s “de Goguel” Constantine Gregory is my stage name Constantine de Goguel is my legal name… Pip! Pip!

May I have a high -res copy of the cover of the book? I’ll embed it in the audio tracks. Love to both, Constantine

35 Belsize Road Worthing West Sussex BN11 4RE mob: +44 (0)7970 908 208 land: +44 (0)20 3239 8939
- on January 18, 2015 at 2:14 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Sorry I’ll change it now.
  M says she’ll give you the dropbox reference.
  rxx
on January 18, 2015 at 2:27 pm | Reply shawdiane

WoW Robin – This is GREAT NEWS – I have a huge collection of Audible & so pleased I will be able to Add you to my collection. Will this be available on Audible.UK ? Thank you for a lovely collection of pictures. May I put some of these & your story on my Facebook page ?

🍀Shawdiane

>
on January 18, 2015 at 2:32 pm | Reply shawdiane

Have put on my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/gbs.shaw which is my George Bernard Shaw page. Hope this OK.

🍀Shawdiane

>
on January 18, 2015 at 2:49 pm | Reply Deborah Hogan

Wow can’t wait
on January 18, 2015 at 2:53 pm | Reply Denise plested

….and you will let us know when and where (in Yankee-land) it is available?..please…?
- on January 18, 2015 at 3:35 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  We will…
on January 18, 2015 at 3:10 pm | Reply Joy

Waiting to hear…well, when I will be able to hear it!
on January 18, 2015 at 3:19 pm | Reply Dianne P

Hey, Robin, sounds like a fun time in the studio. At least you didn’t have any worries about learning or forgetting your lines, haha! 🙂
- on January 18, 2015 at 3:34 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Too true!
on January 18, 2015 at 3:24 pm | Reply Judy Heilich

Robin, that Kipling quote describes Ross poldark and your excellent portrayal. Ross was that man!
on January 18, 2015 at 3:31 pm | Reply Sally z

How wonderful, cannot wait 🙂
on January 18, 2015 at 4:25 pm | Reply Julie Snow

What a wonderfully majestic name Constantine has ….he should have lackeys strewing rose petals in his path !
- on January 18, 2015 at 5:12 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  He’d like that!
on January 18, 2015 at 4:26 pm | Reply juliettaylor444@btinternet.com

Well done Robin. Looking forward to seeing the remake!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
on January 18, 2015 at 8:42 pm | Reply alaskaandy54

Thanks so much for doing this! Like other Yanks, I can’t wait to hear when & how we can access the audio book.

Also looking forward to remake of Poldark. I loved the original, you & the cast were the best.–but I’m very hopeful for the remake. I’m betting it’s another triumph.
on January 18, 2015 at 10:34 pm | Reply Janet

Wind and rain above you say…fair bit of that at Nampara forty years ago….just setting the mood!
on January 19, 2015 at 6:19 am | Reply Megan Davey

Hi Robin
Hope this all goes well for you. I am looking forward to seeing your encore performance in the new Poldark!! no pressure!
cheers
on January 19, 2015 at 5:39 pm | Reply Karin

Best of Success — Yet Another Feather in Your Cap:) Thank you for giving me and so many others the gift of sharing your stellar gifts, talents & passions. You are a brilliant role model and inspiration for everyone – especially to those over 50!
on January 28, 2015 at 11:21 pm | Reply Sheila M. England

Cannot wait to hear it!
on March 4, 2015 at 9:40 am | Reply Nicola Williams

Is there a date for the release of this I keep looking on Amazon, I have the paperback
- on March 4, 2015 at 10:06 am | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  End of March we hope, Nicola. It’s being sorted as we speak but takes time.
- on March 4, 2015 at 9:49 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  We hope it will come out later in March, Nicola. I’ll announce it when it goes out!
on March 27, 2015 at 2:29 am | Reply Wired for Wisdom

will this be available thru audible.com? I will certainly get my version but then I’m going to be jonsing for the 2nd Poldark installment on audiobook too.
- on March 27, 2015 at 7:12 am | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Yes, via Audible–sometime in April we hope.
on April 6, 2015 at 4:58 pm | Reply Wired for Wisdom

hi Robin, Do you have any idea why this series is being withheld from the US version of audible?
on April 6, 2015 at 5:00 pm | Reply Wired for Wisdom

Hi Robin, do you know why this series is not available through any source in the United States? 😦 I belong to audible.com, but it’s only available to audible.uk or audible.au
- on April 6, 2015 at 10:23 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  It will come out in the USA soon!
on June 29, 2015 at 2:05 pm | Reply Nadine in Upstate New York

I tend to fall out-of-the-loop every few months and then search through old posts to follow through — but I am lost regarding the audio book. Any news for USA fans?

We’re enjoying the new production of POLDARK finally having come to the US, so happy to see it continue but cannot wait to see Robin as the Reverend Halse!
- on June 29, 2015 at 2:13 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Audio book approved last week and should be available in days! Famous last words but watch this space.
  - on June 29, 2015 at 2:43 pm Nadine in Upstate New York
    
    Wonderful! Will stay tuned —
on July 1, 2015 at 11:53 pm | Reply Catherine Kohman

Yeay! I was just looking for the audiobook in the USA. Can’t wait!
- on July 2, 2015 at 6:36 am | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Watch this space! UPDATE: It’s available now as a download (not CD) on Amazon, iTunes and Audible.