Audiobook Adventure for Luke

One of the best things about the internet – and no doubt something that world wide web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee is probably proud of – is that you can teach yourself to do something new.  Such is the case for SERC student, Luke Dowling, who had an idea for an audio book, and rather than waiting for someone to teach him how to put something together, he just got on with it.

Luke (17) from Bangor, has just launched the fourth instalment in his audio drama called Paradox: Tales from Hell, (Paradox) available on YouTube, which has involved Luke working with people from all over the world.   Luke said, “I have been working on the audiobook for about a year now. It’s entirely unfunded and all the people who are involved – illustrators, voice actors, composers – work on it solely for the experience.”

Explaining how the audio book came about Luke said, “I had the idea of doing something like this since I was 14 years old.  I had two previous attempts of pulling it together, but it never quite worked out, so there has been a bit of trial and error.

“I used a website called Casting Call Club and put my idea up as a project. About 700 people from across the world applied to take part and after hosting auditions for the different roles (yes, 700), we have ended up with a 70-strong team – people from New Zealand, Tokyo, United States and Australia – involved in the production.  Our production meetings are at 8pm or 5am to accommodate time differences.

“I wrote the audiobook and so far, we have released four episodes on YouTube with visual illustrations – the very latest just today, 28 November – with a projected completion date, for the first season of 1 May 2026.   Once episode eight completes, Paradox will be released on all major audio platforms i.e. Audible and Spotify.”

Paradox is opening doors for Luke.   He said, “I was invited to Glasgow Anime and Gaming Con to present a panel on Independent Production and Getting Started in Voice Acting, and we premiered episode two in front of a live audience in Belfast Anime and Gaming Con.   It is amazing to have this experience and to meet and network with the people from the industry.”

Luke progressed to SERC following his GCSEs at Bangor Grammar School.   He said, “I initially planned to do A-Levels but changed my mind when I read about the Level 3 Extended Diploma in IT at SERC.   I am now in my second year.   It is great course, and the camaraderie in class is amazing – so different from school.  

“I am thinking about progressing into a Performing Arts course to develop my acting and voice acting skills. I love computers, music, prop-making, comic con – I just love being creative. I was able to communicate my vision for the illustrations for Paradox through 3D models.

“My ambition is to work in the entertainment industry – live action or animation – and what I am doing now is taking me into that field.   Qualifications are important, but in the entertainment industry, your calling card is experience and I am making that work for me now, through research, learning and making connections.   It is like my own work placement.   I have a portfolio to show already.”

You can catch Luke at the Christmas Market at Bangor Campus where you can purchase Paradox merchandise.  

Synopsis: “Banished to Earth after the Eighth Sin’s betrayal, the Seven Deadly Sins live hidden lives. But as the universe fractures, memories return, enemies rise, and the Sins must reunite to confront the monster they once called king.”