Short Cuts

How do we talk to people we disagree with? How do we learn to listen? Josie Long presents short documentaries and stories about communicating across the divide. From the holocaust survivor who's dedicated her life to talking to those who hurt her to the musician who believes the world can be understood through the medium of counterpoint.Counterpoint Featuring Giovanni Dettori Produced by Rachel SimpsonIsolated Incidents Featuring Nikesh Shukla A version of this story was first published on Burnt Roti. http://www.burntroti.com/blog/isolated-incidentsForgiveness Featuring Eva Kor Produced by Claire CroftonSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in March 2017.

Josie Long hears stories of courage, fresh hope and pinball wizardry - from two lawyers who pursue a sudden courageous career change in middle age to the pursuit of new love after loss.The items in the programme are:Go For It! Featuring Rev. Zenji Nio Produced by Just Be CuzGeis and Geis: Pinball Machine Distributors Featuring Ruth and Jim Geis Produced by Sarah GeisLeap Featuring Laura BartonThe Understudy Produced by Sophie Townsend with Mira Burt-Wintonick and Cristal Duhaime Originally made for the CBC podcast series Love Me http://www.cbc.ca/radio/loveme/episode-7-make-believe-1.3681206Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in March 2017.

Josie Long presents documentaries about time and timing. From losing your grasp on the passing hours to a childhood fear of Sundays - how our experience of time gets under our skin.The features in this programme are:Tick Tick Tick Produced by Steve UrquhartEscaping the Present Featuring Sarah Shourd Produced by Andrea RangecroftThe Cymbal Crash Featuring Jim Gordon Produced by Maartje DuinSundays Produced by Shanida ScotlandSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in March 2017..

Josie Long presents stories of those who have pretended to be someone they're not. From an undercover cop to stars of the art world caught in an elaborate fiction.The features in this programme are:The Connor Brothers Featuring James Golding, Mike Snelle and Marion Harris Produced by Jodie TaylorWife of a Terrorist Featuring Miss L A version of this story first appeared in the essay collection, The Good Immigrant.Undercover Featuring Ron Stallworth Produced by Claire CroftonSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2017. .

Josie Long hears stories of hope found amidst the darkness - tales of love letters, hope on the water and the man who has steered 28,000 people safely to shore across treacherous waters from the end of a phone line."I must admit I'm deeply impressed by people who step out and do something and say something... whatever dreaming they would do it. A Mexican farm worker Jessie De La Cruz said, 'we have a saying in Spanish, when things look bleak, esperanzas mueren al ultimo. Hope dies last.'" - Studs TerkelThe features in this programme are:Dear John Produced by Andrea RangecroftBird in the Breath and Other Hopeful Cargo Produced by Stephanie Rowden and Jennifer MetskerSend Me Your Location Produced by Andrea RangecroftSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2017.

Josie Long presents stories on things drawing to a close - from stories captured, bottled and buried over time, to reflections at the end of a life well-lived.The Kajakman Produced by Rikke HoudToo Many Miles Originally produced for the Third Coast International Audio Festival Produced by Stephanie Rowden and Jennifer MetskerHarold Featuring Harold Stevenson Produced by Sarah GeisSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in December 2016.

Josie Long hears stories of dreamers - from the search for utopia to striving to transform into the writer Barbara Cartland.Becoming Barbara Produced by Natalie KestecherUtopia Featuring Michaela Vieser Produced by Tim Hinman and Michaela VieserDear Face at Deer Lake with Deer People Originally made for Third Coast International Audio Festival Produced by Dear Deer Face CollectiveSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2016.

Josie Long presents stories about brushes with the unknown.Finding your voice, life or death conversations and seeking anonymity. Josie Long explores the power of the human voice. From losing yourself in a crowd of others to the medium who finds herself conversing with a murderer.Cards on the Table Produced by Andrea RangecroftFrantumaglia Produced by Phil SmithPower and Freedom Produced by Sarah BoothroydSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2016.

Josie Long explores uncertain territory - from a micronation to the porous borders between dreams and reality.We hear from Prince Michael of Sealand, the head of state in an unrecognised micronation that sits in the North Sea, and the doctor who's documenting the dreams of the dying.Sealand Feat. Prince Michael of Sealand Interviewed by Deborah CoughlinSquatting the Embassy Producer: Olivia HumphreysDreams Producer: Ed LawrensonSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2016.

Josie Long hears stories of what can be found as we lose ourselves - from disappearing into anonymous environments to confronting existential threats.Found Featuring Penny RimbaudLost Featuring Laura Barton Producer: Ibby CaputoSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2016.

* An invitation to wander out into the darkness * An actor who discovers she's been killed off in real life * A late night wander into the Icelandic night Josie Long hears tales of the witching hour as she ventures out for a midnight walk in the woods.The Sudden Walk Produced by Phil SmithLazaretto Produced by The Inner EarThe Witching Hour Feat. Heather Donahue Interviewed by Deborah CoughlinSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2016.

Falling in love, losing yourself and vicious sibling rivalries - Josie Long presents tales of wild youth. We hear the writer Joe Dunthorne and his sister Leah try to unpick old family scars and a story of attempted teen rebellion from Mae Martin.Rivals Featuring Joe and Leah DunthorneWild Youth Featuring Mae MartinJulius and Moses Featuring Julius Matovu and Moses Walumsimbi Producer: Andrea RangecroftSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2016.

Josie Long presents stories about people who have fallen in the deep end.From the man who sets out to scam the con artists trying to exploit him, to the hypnotist who finds himself face to face with Uday Hussein, we hear true tales of falling down the rabbit hole into unsettling situations - including the moment when the poet Ross Sutherland accidentally crossed the boundary between fiction and reality and found himself being dragged into a wrestling match. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2016.

Josie Long ventures outdoors to present stories of how our hearts entwine with the landscape - forests, lakes and skylines of the natural world.The lessons about love and life that we can learn from a fig, a walk in the woods and a connection to a lost love found in the water.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2016.

Josie Long presents stories about rivalry.Fights for territory, standing your ground and petty feudsFrom a bitter battle conducted in a laundrette to an ongoing argument between academics on either side of the world.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2016.

A mysterious character offering to illuminate a course of action, an activist thrust into a glaring spotlight and the dull glow of car tail lights - presenter Josie Long looks for stories featuring illuminations in the darkness.Featuring the actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather walking onstage to collect Marlon Brando's oscar, a singing medium and Laura Barton on driving at night.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2016.

From the man who'll help you disappear to coping with a sudden, shocking loss - Josie Long looks at vanishing points.We hear stories of private investigators, the search for solitude in the dust bowl and a woman's life changing in one devastating second.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2016.

Josie Long presents stories about brushes with the unknown.Flirtations, deceptions and the kindness of strangers.An innocent encounter tips from flirtation to danger, the professional stranger you never want to see on your door step and a partner whose revelation turns him in an instant into a stranger.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2016.

Josie Long presents stories about wordless communication. Reading Russian literature - without a book - in solitary confinement and speaking with someone else's voice and the need to be embraced. From the melody of your speech to the brush of skin on skin, Josie explores body language. We hear about secret codes sent through walls, a sudden bodily change which left a woman feeling like a stranger to herself and the importance of touch.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2016.

From finding your way in a cold, dark sea swim to coping with the isolation at the bottom of the ocean, Josie Long hears stories of wild water. The items featured in the programme are:Mirage Produced by Cicely FellPool Party Produced by Phil SmithDiver Produced by Andrea RangecroftThe Swim Produced by Jodie Taylor with Jenny HorwellSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2015.

From the sounds of the womb to fading memories - Josie Long hears stories of what we inherit from past generations. The items featured in the programme are:George Bernard ShawA Conversation Feat. Walter Murch Produced by Niccolò Castelli The Waves Featuring Sian Phillips Interview recorded for the Empathy MuseumEvery Heart has a Limited Number of Heartbeats Produced by Martin Johnson and Ann Heppermann Originally featured in the Serendipity PodcastSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2015.

Josie Long presents stories of what follows after the main event; how imprisonment revealed an unlikely talent, a musical story of what follows after a dust storm has passed and the unexpected complications of standing still to watch the seasons change.The items featured in this programme are:* John Featuring John McAvoy and Darren Davies Producer: Sophie Black* The Novelist Featuring Lily Kestecher, Noel Debien, Claudia Taranto and Milan Durovic Producer: Natalie Kestecher Sound engineer / sound design: Russell Stapleton* The Man Who Couldn't Stop the Wind from Blowing Producer: Cicely Fell Original music by Smith & WatsonSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2015.

Howling like a wolf, stolen identities and poetry composed from borrowed words. Josie Long presents stories of imitation and plagiarism. Featuring: Inspiration Featuring: Tom RobinsonHowling Cameraman Featuring Rolf Steinmann Producer: Rachel SimpsonTurd Ferguson Featuring: Alex Edelman Producer: Sophie BlackNo More Questions Written and produced by Ross SutherlandSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4,first broadcast in October 2015

Josie Long navigates the changing texture of a day - with stories from the rush hour commute through the night until first light.From an afternoon with Dr Clock the horologist through to a serendipitous voice reaching a woman in the darkness of the early hours, we hear stories of time and timing.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2015.

Josie Long presents stories of 'others' and outsiders. John Osborne explores how your identity can become inextricably linked with someone you've never met'Two academics discover how a piece of theatre can push you outside of society.Plus a homicide detective talks about how you communicate with someone whose actions are outside of your understanding. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2015.

Josie Long presents stories of investigations - both amateur and professional. The comedian Alex Edelman describes his search for a missing cult legend,A German historian talks about the trouble of tracking down Hitler's head.Plus, a group of young mothers gather together to solve the mystery of disappearing teething powder. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in May 2015.

Josie Long hears stories of music and memory. From a song that proves your parents right - rock 'n roll really will lead you down a dangerous path - to the symphony that haunted one man's dreams for decades. Featuring: 96 Tears Feat. Anthony Bourdain Produced by Ann Heppermann, Kara Oehler and Rick MoodyPiano Man Feat. Barry Colson Produced by Sindre LegangerThe Stage Feat. Grace Savage Produced by Hana Walker-BrownLullaby Feat. Colin Dexter Produced by Phil SmithDream Symphony Feat. Stuart Sharp Produced by Olivia Humphreys with Jodie TaylorSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in May 2015.

Josie Long presents stories of intimate conversations. A 30-year-long conversation comes to an end, an undercover agent reveals how to flatter someone into prison and we discover the secrets of the 'dual form'. With the Caterpillar Featuring Bostjan Dvorak Produced by Phil Smith Colleagues Featuring Dr Irene Pepperberg Produced by Andrea Rangecroft He Was So Happy to See Me Featuring Ed Follis Produced by Leo Hornak 99 Words http://99words.co.uk/ Featuring Sally Potter Beverly Eckert Produced by Vanara Taing with interviews recorded by StoryCorps, a nonprofit dedicated to recording and collecting stories of everyday people.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallExecutive Producer: Alan HallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in April 2015.

Josie Long hears stories of adaptation. A former ghost writer describes the art of adapting someone else's life for the page, and a woman who left Damascus considers how her city has changed in the last few years.Plus two stories of adapting to extraordinary circumstances - members of the Arctic 30 adjust to their new life inside a Russian prison, and a researcher perched on top of a Hawaiian volcano tests her psychological capacity to live on another planet.Taking part:Mark McCrum Martha Lenio Sarah Dadouch Frank Hewetson Dima LitinovProducers Olivia Humphreys, Tim Hinman, Fiona ClampinSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2015.

From the first touch to the last kiss, Josie Long hears stories of love, loss and finding yourself. An audio diary shines a light on how we rebuild ourselves after the end of a relationship, how a final kiss in a love affair holds us in a moment crackling with tension, and how a first touch offers a moment of tenderness. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2015.

Josie Long hears stories of seeing double.A baby monitor which opens up a terrifying world, an explorer who ventures into the unknown and a woman who longs to disappear into space.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2015.

Josie Long hears stories of seeing double. Tales of dopplegangers, identity theft and a woman who offered a living counterpart to dead composers. Featuring a new 'documentary song' from Gaggle.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2014.

Josie Long presents stories about absence and nothing.A decades long murder mystery about the death of a man who never existed, the story of losing someone you never knew and a first time treasure hunter finds something against the odds but ends up with nothing.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2014.

Josie Long presents tales of blackouts, late nights and bedtime stories.Love found after a blackout, telephone counselling for bereaved rock star managers and erotica for the elderly.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2014.

Josie Long peers behind the curtain to reveal stories from behind the scenes.There's secret telephone discos for cold calling salesmen, moral dilemmas which emerge behind the scenes on a reality television show and Joe Dunthorne attempts to gain access to the OULIPO.Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2014.

A message in a bottle, cast into the ocean, reaches a woman who needs it.A lifeboat adrift and isolated in icy waters and a crackling, radio connection offers a lifeline between friends. Josie Long hears tales of making contact. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2014.

Josie Long dives down a rabbit hole in this sequence of short documentaries, true stories and radio adventures.We hear tales of a spam email that alters the course of two people's lives and a mysterious monument made out of shoes at a deserted intersection in rural Indiana.Miranda July leads us into another world with her story of swim coaching an elderly team in a town near no large bodies of water. Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in October 2014.

Josie Long goes on an adventure as she presents a sequence of mini documentaries about exploration. With tales of riding cellos down the mountain side and romantic exploration on the U Bahn. Great Bear Rainforest Produced by Elizabeth Arnold Die Fremde Produced by Phil Smith Out of the Blocks (Extract) Produced by Aaron Henkin and electronic musician Wendel Patrick Everest Glissando Feat. Stephen Venables Produced by Hana Walker-Brown Producer: Eleanor McDowall.A Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in May 2014.

Josie Long investigates small mysteries in this sequence of mini documentaries. Hearing tales of ghost ships, hidden underground kingdoms and the disappointment of discovering the banality of your family's secrets. The items featured in the programme are: Finding Sumo Produced by Bob Carlson First broadcast in 'Family Justice' on UnFictional: Love Letters Feat. Alan Dearn Ryou-Un Maru Produced by Martin Johnson The Underground Kingdom Feat. Ross Sutherland Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2014.

Josie Long presents a sequence of mini documentaries exploring what happens when nobody knows your name. From our transgressions online through to an unusual love affair between two strangers who had never set eyes on each other, Josie hears how anonymity can both ensnare and liberate us. Featuring: Long Distance Feat. Victor LaValle Produced by Katie Burningham Undercover Feat. Fergal Keane The Mollusc and the Peacock Produced by Natalie Kestecher Anonymous Produced by Hana Walker-Brown Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2014.

Josie Long presents a series of mini-documentaries exploring the idea of being in limbo. From the story of a journalist impersonating a journalist in an Afghan village based in Canada to the music of answer machine messages, Josie examines what happens when we are neither here nor there. Between Feat. Jurate Jurkeviciene Produced by Sara Parker The Village Feat. Chris Bowman Produced by Sophie Black The Gallery Feat. Fernando Maquieira Produced by Sarah Cuddon 'Messages' From 'Portraits in Absentia' Composed and Performed by Jocelyn Pook Nine Months Feat. Jane Dolby Produced by Hana Walker-BrownProducer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2014.

Josie Long ventures where she shouldn't with this sequence of brief encounters, true stories and radio adventures about acts of trespass.Stories of stolen waxworks, formal letters severing friendships, and travels into unknown territory.Urban Exploration Feat. Bradley Garrett http://www.bradleygarrett.com/stills/Stealing Snowdon Produced by Olivia Humphreys, Chloe White and Will Davies Crown the King Produced by Adam Kampe Originally produced for the Third Coast International Audio Festival 'ShortDocs' competition http://thirdcoastfestival.org/library/collections/4-shortdocsThe Disavowal Produced by Katie BurninghamMunich Feat. Phillip Bull Bruckner Produced by Hana Walker-BrownSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2014.

Josie Long presents a sequence of brief encounters, true stories and short documentaries in which the boundaries between 'real' life and dreaming blur. From the addictive, perception-altering qualities of romantic love through to a surreal story about recording dreams. We hear from the legendary film editor and director Walter Murch about the dreamlike qualities of cinematic narratives and the psychologist Susan Blackmore's experience of looking down from the ceiling at her own body. The items featured in the programme are: Waking Life Feat. Susan Blackmore Prod. Sara Parker Dreaming Feat. Walter Murch The Man Who Could Record Your Dreams Prod. Bob Carlson Originally broadcast on Unfictional An extended version of this story can he found here: http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/uf/uf110909the_man_who_could_re Last Words Feat. Kester Brewin Love is a Drug Feat. Helen Fisher Prod. Hana Walker Brown Answer Machine Found sound from Tape Findings http://www.sweetthunder.org/tapes/ Series Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in April 2014.

Josie Long gets scared as she presents a sequence of frightening mini documentaries.From the sound of fear to the feel of terror, we hear the story of a sleepwalking menace stalking through an American summer camp late at night and tales of how the young David O'Doherty was terrorised by his older brother.Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4The items featured in the programme are:Dead Man's Hand Feat. David O'Doherty Prod. Sophie BlackWelcome to the Inn Feat. Wolfgang Georgsdorf Prod. Phil SmithThe Casserole Music by Cabinet of Living Cinema featuring Zac Gvirtzman Prod. Sarah CuddonDie From the podcast Random Tape Prod. David WeinbergWilder Feat. Dave Benson Prod. Sophie Black.

Josie Long goes on a series of unusual journeys as she presents a sequence of mini documentaries about adventurous trips.From searching for teenage misadventure through to finding yourself, we travel from the British seaside to the freezing landscape of Minnesota altering minds and bodies along the way.Frank Education Feat. Philip Bill Bruckner Prod. Hana Walker-BrownSt Audries Feat. Margaret Pepper Prod. Olivia HumphreysMy Father Takes a Vacation Prod. Martin JohnsonCold in Minnesota Originally broadcast on the Unfictional Podcast Prod. Bob CarlsonSeries producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long explores the painful process of growing up in a sequence of mini documentaries.From first steps to last love, we hear tales of controversial haircuts, the search for independence and the need to let go of the past.The items featured in the programme are:Singing Boys Prod. Rikke HoudLike Rude Boys Feat. voices recorded at the creative arts organisation Only Connect Prod. Steve UrquhartDark Eyes Prod. Natalie Kestecher Originally broadcast on ABC Radio NationalScared Prod. John BiewenThe Man in the Picture Prod. Sara ParkerDanny and Annie Prod. StoryCorpsSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long presents a sequence of mini documentaries about small acts of resistance - from bursting into song to crashing a car into a wall. We hear from a woman whose encounter with an underground resistance movement led to tapped phones and aggressive encounters with ice cream salesmen and listen to the power of a collective as individual voices at a protest are woven into music.The items featured in the programme are:La esperanza muere al último Feat. Studs TerkelNicholas Petron Produced by StoryCorpsHeavy Iron Beast Produced by Leo HornakStories from the Underground Feat. Kathy Reina Produced by Will DrysdaleRabble Rousers Produced by Sarah Boothroyd http://sarahboothroyd.comGentle Angry People Feat. the San Ghanny choir Produced by Rose de LarrabeitiSeries producer: Eleanor McDowallA Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long presents a series of short documentaries about keeping quiet, being lost for words and complete silence.From the crushing silence after a musician's mistake to the tense hush that surrounds two teenage boys as they hide inches from their headmaster in an oversized box - tales of attempts to keep quiet and the struggle to raise your voice.The items featured in the programme are:Wilderness Feat. Kate Adie Produced by Sara ParkerHidden Feat. Kester BrewinSailing By Feat. Pete Long and Diana Speed Produced by Leo HornakNobody Else Can Hear It Feat. Jack Davidson Produced by Hana Walker-BrownHearing Voices Feat. Kate Adie Produced by Sara ParkerEl's Story Produced by Natalie Kestecher Originally broadcast in 'Stories of Silence' on ABCSeries Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Josie Long presents a sequence of unbelievable mini documentaries looking at bending the truth, fantasists and outright liars.Josie hears how the writer Ross Sutherland invented a mysterious secret society by accident and looks for secrets scratched into the sidewalks of San Francisco by an enigmatic writer known only as 'Nikko'.The items featured in the programme are:Hearts and Crafts Featuring the voices of Harriet CraftFictions Featuring Raji JamesWash Club Featuring Ross SutherlandNikko Originally broadcast in the episode 'Standouts' on Snap JudgementProducer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4.