Short Cuts

Latest Episodes:

Role Models Sep 26, 2017

Show notes

What can we learn from the humanity of others? From seeing ourselves reflected in someone else? Josie Long presents stories of role models.

"You know, vampires have no reflections in a mirror? There's this idea that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. And what I've always thought isn't that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. It's that if you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves... Part of what inspired me, was this deep desire that before I died, I would make a couple of mirrors. That I would make some mirrors so that kids like me might see themselves reflected back and might not feel so monstrous for it." - Junot Diaz

Water Fleas Featuring Akira Sakata Produced by Phil Smith

Mirrors Featuring Nikesh Shukla

Nadia Produced by Sophie Townsend

Intolerants Not Welcome Featuring Mark Thompson Produced by Alan Hall

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in September 2017.

Lost in Translation Sep 19, 2017

Show notes

Secret languages, loving acts of translation and musical instruments with an unrecognised power - Josie Long presents new documentaries about translation.

From the man who introduced a poet to Iran through a tender act of love for his father, to a debate about breaching the peace.

The Stash Featuring Lou Savelli Music by the Cabinet of Living Cinema Produced by Sarah Cuddon

Be Myself Featuring Joe Benjamin Produced by Tayo Popoola

Days of Razors, Nights Full of Rats Featuring Sahand and Ali Sahebdivani Produced by Maartje Duin

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in September 2017.

In Motion Sep 12, 2017

Show notes

Escape artists, losing control of your body and losing yourself in water - Josie Long takes a twilight stroll across Hampstead Heath while she presents stories of movement.

Pond Featuring Jessica J Lee

Movement Featuring Ian Waterman Produced by Rachel Simpson Original interview recorded for the Empathy Museum

Lake Featuring Jessica J Lee

Einstein Produced by Rikke Houd

Sea Featuring Jessica J Lee

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in September 2017.

Machines Sep 05, 2017

Show notes

A disembodied voice, digital ghosts and the contraptions we build that alter our humanity - Josie Long presents new short documentaries about machines.

We hear from the voice of Siri in the UK about losing control of what you say. Also - the story of a digital version of yourself outliving you and our relationship to the tools we build and the scars they leave.

Daniel Produced by Andrea Rangecroft

Replika Produced by Charles Maynes and Mika Golubovsky

15 Years Produced by Shereen Ashman, Michelle Macklem and Daniel Guillemette

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in September 2017.

Tough Love Aug 29, 2017

Show notes

Josie Long hears stories of heartbreak. Difficult love, women encoded in music and rebuilding yourself after you've been broken.

Laura Barton offers a tender exploration of complex, enduring love, Natalie Kestecher rebuilds herself after a sudden shock and we dive into the sound of heartache.

Tough Love Featuring Laura Barton

Twenty-Three Produced by Alan Hall

Kintsugi Dog Produced by Natalie Kestecher Mix by Steven Tilley

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

Duet Aug 22, 2017

Show notes

Josie Long hears stories of duets, the perfect conversational dance and gatecrashing honeymoons. She also talks to the other half of her long-running comedy partnership - Robin Ince.

The poet John Osborne delves into late night radio phone in conversations, the artist Duncan Speakman invites the listener to engage in a duet and Phil Smith intrudes on a romantic moment.

Towards Produced by Phil Smith

A Duet for Here and There Written and produced by Duncan Speakman With conceptual development by Tineke De Meyer

Late Night Radio Phone In Written by John Osborne

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in August 2017.

Afterimage Aug 15, 2017

Show notes

A memory caught in a childhood drawing and a repeat encounter which offers hope at a point of despair - Josie Long explores the afterimage left by moments that touch us.

We hear from Sion Jair who climbs mountains as a way to cope with disappearing memories. Sophie Townsend finds an image from her daughter's childhood, which captures a difficult moment from their past. And Dylan Park, five years after his first deployment to Iraq, finds an unexpected reminder of his first tour in Arizona.

Brahim Featuring Dylan Park

Mr Fix-It Produced by Sophie Townsend

Mountains Featuring Sion Jair Produced by Andrea Rangecroft

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in August 2017.

Witness Jun 20, 2017

Show notes

Josie Long hears stories of bearing witness - from glimpsing the moment a parent changes to escaping a violent storm.

Witness Featuring Lois Gibson Produced by Andrea Rangecroft

Tornado Featuring David Walker, Lindsay Martindale and Tobey Walker Produced by Ibby Caputo Music SFX from theming, digifishmusic, wjoojoo, davethetech, fridobeck, InspectorJ and Robinhood76

Scaffold Featuring Mark Thomas Produced by Sarah Cuddon

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in June 2017.

Pause Jun 13, 2017

Show notes

Josie Long hears stories of our desire to pause - from dismantling a house which seems stopped in time to the difficulties of watching your child grow up.

The House by the Creek Produced by Sophie Townsend

Pony Produced by Ibby Caputo

Private Black Motherhood and Public White Protest Originally made for the Hope Chest podcast https://stacialbrown.com/tag/hope-chest-podcast/ Produced by Stacia Brown

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in June 2017.

Radio with Pictures Jun 06, 2017

Show notes

Defiantly staring down neo-Nazis, unwanted family portraits and a photographer searching for his subject years later - Josie Long presents new short documentaries inspired by images.

Woman in the Photo Produced by Andrea Rangecroft

Resistance Featuring Tess Asplund Produced by Andrea Rangecroft

Family Portrait Featuring Chimene Suleyman and Recep Süleyman Şehitoğlu

Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in June 2017.

(Photo credit: Nathan Edwards/News Corp Australia)