The Listener's Guide to Kris Kaiyala's Dirt: A Conversation With The Creator of The Show

·1 hr 9 min·5 clips

Chris Cayella recalls being a child in Spokane when Mount St. Helens erupted, turning afternoon pitch black with falling ash.

Scott Cowan hosts Chris Cayella, the writer and producer behind the audio drama podcast 'Dirt'. Cayella begins by sharing a childhood memory of the Mount St. Helens eruption in Spokane. He explains that the idea for 'Dirt' emerged during the early pandemic lockdowns, inspired by audio dramas like 'Limetown'. Cayella purchased a Zoom recorder and started writing, drawing on ideas he had harbored for years. His wife supported the project, even taking small roles and providing feedback. The show is recorded with friends and co-workers, most without voice acting experience; Cayella records an actor's entire season worth of lines in one session, reading opposite lines to help them. He uses Adobe Audition for editing, with each episode taking three to five weeks to produce. 'Dirt' is set in lesser-known Washington towns like Wapato, Toppenish, and Pl, places Cayella has personal or family connections to, such as where his father was born. The story follows the first-person narrative of Joseph and includes a character named Carl who polarizes listeners. Cayella launched the show independently via Libsyn, initially seeing minimal downloads, but through grassroots marketing, LinkedIn posts, and connections within the audio drama community, it grew. He later joined the Fable and Folly network, which boosted visibility through feed swaps. The show now ranks in the top 1% of podcasts globally by downloads. Cayella plans for four seasons total and is currently working on the final episodes of season three. The interview also covers Cayella's remote work in tech advertising, his Washington roots spanning both sides of the state, and his coffee preference at Cafe Ladro. He hints at future storytelling projects after 'Dirt' concludes.

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