Where the Leaves Fall Purple, the first audio drama series in the Okanagan, is a mystery/thriller with strong ties to West B次元官网网址 that is gaining international attention.聽
West B次元官网网址B次元官网网址 Kimberly Billinton, 25, is the showB次元官网网址 creator, writer and director, as well as the voice of Janie Melnyk.
Billinton wanted to be a writer for television, but said itB次元官网网址 difficult when you鈥檙e from a small area.聽
She completed her bachelorB次元官网网址 degree in business management from UBC Okanagan; however, because of the pandemic she lost many opportunities. She made it her goal to make new ones.
At an acting course, Billinton met Jamela Joie De Jesus, who connected her with Beautiful Happy Productions, which invested enough money to get her audio drama started.聽
Billinton estimated about 50% of the showB次元官网网址 30-member cast and crew is from West B次元官网网址, including producer Ashleigh Burns, who voices Veronica Barrow, and Godfrey Cooke, who plays Wyatt Perth. Billinton also uses her family for additional voices.
For Billinton, itB次元官网网址 exciting to be able to do something with West B次元官网网址 talent.
Where the Leaves Fall Purple was recorded in BillintonB次元官网网址 West B次元官网网址 basement using a makeshift audio booth designed by West B次元官网网址B次元官网网址 Tyler Gilles of Aftertouch Audio and Matt Brown and built with PVC pipe, moving blankets and big clamps.
One of the challenges to getting people to listen to Where the Leaves Fall Purple is that many don鈥檛 know what audio drama is.聽
鈥淚 always tell people itB次元官网网址 either like a more intense version of the old radio play, or itB次元官网网址 like watching TV without the pictures so you鈥檙e just listening to it,鈥 Billinton said.聽
Where the Leaves Fall Purple is about Ben Miller, a university student who runs a failing true crime podcast. To increase listenership, he asks his best friend, Janie Melnyk, if she will stage her own disappearance so he can document finding her on his show. Ben gets more than he bargained for when Janie actually goes missing under mysterious circumstances.聽
The show offers a mystery-within-a-mystery element as an anonymous caller to a true crime radio show serves as a narrator of sorts.
The show is based around a true crime podcast, which Billinton chose because it is the fastest-growing genre of podcasts.聽
While the show goes through many of the true crime tropes, Billinton said at its heart it is about the people.聽
The first episode of Where the Leaves Fall Purple began streaming in July and a new episode is released every two weeks.聽
The show has attracted listeners from around the world, making the Top 200 charts in fiction and drama on Apple Podcasts not only in Canada, but also the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Belgium.
Billinton is enjoying seeing the reaction to the show, especially online with people following the mystery.聽
鈥淚tB次元官网网址 been incredible just seeing how something from our area which is relatively small can have such a wide reach, 鈥渟he said.
Where the Leaves Fall Purple is one of the nominees at the international Audio Verse Awards, which were created to honour the greatest works of audio fiction.聽
Although only eight episodes of the 11-part series have been released so far, the cast has already recorded the finale.
鈥淚 think I cried half the time writing it, 鈥淏illinton admitted. 鈥淚 was partly sad that it was over and partly the content of the last episode.鈥
Whether there is a second season depends on several factors, including getting more funding.
鈥淭he main thing is, we鈥檙e super excited to do what we鈥檙e doing and showcasing the talent in the Okanagan and we can鈥檛 do it without listeners like you,鈥 said Billinton.
You can listen to Where the Leaves Fall Purple for free wherever you get your podcasts.聽
For more information, check out the website at .
