Pitches wanted (outdoor stories, nature, silence) | $550 to $1,100 per piece

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: OUT THERE

Deadline: 30 September 2023

Out There seeks pitches for Spring 2024 season.

The season theme is SILENCE — and we’re looking for outdoor stories from diverse voices that explore how we find stillness amidst the noise.

FOR EXAMPLE:

• Has the outdoors offered a reprieve from the metaphorical “noise” you experience as a result of racism?
• Are vision quests a common rite of passage in your culture? Tell us about your own experience undertaking this ritual. What did you learn about yourself?
• Were you a refugee who developed a connection with nature, as your family migrated to safety? What role did silence play in that journey?
• What was the quietest moment in your life (either literal or figurative)? How did you reach this place of stillness, and why was it significant?

These are just a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing; we’re eager to hear about your own personal journeys, emotions and experiences.

ABOUT US:

Out There is an award-winning show that explores big questions through intimate outdoor stories. Each episode tells a deeply personal narrative, using nature as a lens to understand ourselves and humanity.

For example:

• “Indoor Kid” explores what happens when the person you want to be doesn’t mesh with the person you are
• “Moonlight” is about getting lost — both literally and figuratively — and about the importance of family stories in helping us find our way
• “America’s Best Idea?” examines how national parks could help us right historical wrongs

What does “outdoors” mean? Anything outside your door! The outdoors is for all, regardless of where you were raised, the color of your skin or anything else about you. We work hard to make Out There an environment in which all perspectives are heard and valued, and to celebrate the myriad ways in which humans engage with nature.

Our stories center voices that are often silenced, and we prioritize pitches that reflect the experiences of QTBIPOC and people with disabilities. We are particularly interested in “happens to be” stories: stories that feature people who happen to belong to one of these communities, but where the story is not explicitly or solely about their identity, marginalization, or victimization.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

Out There specializes in idea-driven narratives. Your story should:

• relate to the theme “Silence”
• be deeply personal
• have a clear narrative arc, with a compelling plot, vivid scenes, and surprising moments of introspection
• explore a broader question (eg. your story might be about fishing, but on a deeper level, maybe it’s about how we move on after a big loss)

The piece needs to have a connection to the outdoors, but it doesn’t have to be about wilderness adventures or feats of strength; some of our best stories involve the urban outdoors.

Length: Approx. 15 minutes for the raw story (the finished piece will end up being longer, once we incorporate sound design).

HOW TO PITCH:

E-mail Out There host Willow Belden at willow[at]outtherepodcast.com, with "Out There Pitch" in the subject line.

Please make sure your pitch includes:

• what your story is about — i.e. the basic storyline, character(s), stakes, obstacles, outcome
• the big idea/question the piece will explore
• how the story ties into the theme “silence”
• the overall takeaway; and
• how your story amplifies under-represented voices/perspectives

In addition, please include some info about yourself, point us to an example or two of your work, and if you’re on social media, let us know where we can find you.

Pitch deadline: Sept. 30, 2023

PAY:

$550 - $1,100 depending on the complexity of the story and whether you’re doing your own sound design and mixing.

We strongly believe storytellers deserve to be compensated fairly, and we wish we could pay more, but we are an independent show on a shoestring budget. While we don’t have big coffers, we pay as much as we possibly can, and we are working hard to grow the show so that we can offer higher rates in the future.

In addition, it’s important to us that the experience is valuable to you as a storyteller and that it helps further your career goals. Willow works hard to be a fun, supportive editor, and she looks forward to helping you make your story the best it can be. Several newbie storytellers we’ve worked with have won major awards for the stories they produced for Out There, and we would love for yours to be next in line.

CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):

Questions/submissions: willow@outtherepodcast.com

Website: https://www.outtherepodcast.com

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