From idea to ear, we make audio an adventure.

our work.

OUR PASSION…

…is storytelling. It’s that simple. We believe that it’s human nature to love a great story told by a great storyteller.

 

WHAT

WE

DO.

 
Pennie and Dan outside chatting in a skate park

PODCASTS

In a nutshell, we take you through the entire creative process, from idea to ear, and produce a professional, highly-crafted podcast for the audience you want to hear it. 

 
 
Mixing desk with headphones and a microphone
 
 

PODCAST TRAINING

We can provide a consultation service or training on every step of the production process, including scripting, interviewing techniques and how to present, record, edit and mix your project to create first class audio. We’re happy to discuss and deliver bespoke training for any aspect of the production process or if you just want to brush up on a particular skill.

Visit Adventurous Audio Training

 

 

WHo

WE

are.

 

The creative partnership behind Adventurous Audio is Pennie Latin Stuart and Dan Holland. We worked together as a team at the BBC for years—45 between us—producing an insane range of content, covering every conceivable topic from comedy to hard-hitting documentaries, food, the arts, science, music, sport and outside broadcasts, for just about every audio corner of the BBC - BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Scotland, Radio 4, Radio 3 and Radio 2. Because we’ve worked so effectively together for so many years, we know that two heads are better than one, so when you work with Adventurous Audio you get to work with both of us. We both have individual strengths and bring different experience to the party—we think that’s a really important part of what makes working with Adventurous Audio quite unique.

 
 
Headshot of Adventurous Audio Podcast Producer Pennie Latin Stuart smiling at the camera
 
 

What Dan says about Pennie…

Pennie is an ideas factory running on overdrive. Inside her head is a constant whirling blur of creativity and audio storytelling. She can hear an idea before its even germinated and can translate it into something that entices and excites commissioners and clients in equal measure, but most importantly, that will captivate audiences. The listener always comes first with Pennie. We’ll often have a conversation that starts along the lines of “Dan, I’ve got this idea, just hear me out, it might be a bit whacky...”. When conversations start like that, I know they’re going to be good. She knows instinctively how to bring a story to life and keep it breathing. Pennie is a wonderful communicator, whether that means chairing a live panel or having a conversation with a contributor who may be experiencing the darkest of times. She can ooze empathy into a story as much as she does excitement. Working alongside each other for over 15 years we’ve developed a relationship that sometimes doesn’t need anything more than a nod or a wink. It’s a partnership that is rooted in a massive amount of trust and mutual respect for each other’s skills, strengths, nuances and foibles, which ultimately enables endless adventures in audio.

Email Pennie

Pennie’s LinkedIn

 
 
Headshot of Adventurous Audio Podcast Producer Dan Holland smiling at the camera

What Pennie says about Dan…

Dan is the ultimate attention-to-detail man. I love how bonkers pedantic he is. He’s beautifully organised and a total perfectionist. Dan will always understand how the engine works—he’ll have read the manual cover-to-cover and taken notes, while I just press things and hit it with a hammer until it hopefully does what I want! Years and years ago he taught me to dive and I always say he saved my life when I got stuck on the bottom of Ullapool harbour. With a face full of sea water and a head full of panic, it was Dan who got me out of there. He’s always the man I’d want beside me in a crisis, he’s a simply brilliant problem-solver and pretty much unflappable. All of that makes him a superb programme and podcast maker—there’s no length he won’t go to, to make a job the best it can be. He also manages to put up with my quirks and slightly leftfield approach to life and work. When it comes to audio production, he’s the ying to my yang, we’ve worked together for so long we pretty much communicate without having to speak, we just know what each other’s thinking. I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to be in business with anyone else!

Email Dan

Dan’s LinkedIn

 

What’s in a name?

Adventurous by name, adventurous by nature. We don’t just make audio in the spare room, we specialise in getting out and about, using the environment as an essential ingredient, and the landscape and location to frame the story. So, while we absolutely can and do hide away making podcasts on our computers with a plug-in mic, we also believe that audio can be an extraordinary adventure. We also believe in being adventurous when it comes to how we use audio to tell stories and are committed to finding the best way to tell the story you want to be heard.

 

What People are saying.

  • Lee Craigie, Active Nations Commissioner, Scottish Government

    “I have worked with Pennie and Dan on co-devised projects for more than 5 years now, firstly as a presenter on BBC Radio Scotland’s Lifecycle which was based on interviews with interesting people conducted on the move. The second was on a podcast series funded by the Scottish Government, Everyday Active. 

    When I first began working with Pennie and Dan presenting Lifecycle I had no radio experience but from the beginning, they included me in the visioning of the series, gently coached me on interview technique, devised creative ways for us to capture the audio in challenging locations and set up countless interesting people for me to elicit engaging stories from. Their patience, professionalism and care made this steep learning curve hugely enjoyable but it was their experience and craftsmanship in the edit and production that turned these conversations into a successful radio series that was then recommissioned. 

    I cannot recommend the services of Adventurous Audio highly enough. In working with them I have always felt in extremely safe hands.”

  • Christo Hudson – The Black Box Approach

    “Whilst recording the "Speaking of Suicide" podcast series Dan asked if I would be willing to talk about my own personal journey with my mental health and my career change to suicide prevention. He put me at ease from the outset and took the time to explain the process of the recording and that it was more of a conversation than an interview. I felt immediately at ease in Dan's presence and it was clear from the outset that he wanted to let me tell my story in my way. To that end, Dan let me choose the venue (a local hill where I regularly go and feel comfortable) and despite the weather not being ideal, he was still able to get our conversation recorded.

    Whilst we walked, Dan made me feel safe and his open questions created an atmosphere that encouraged me to speak openly and honestly about my experiences. He effortlessly created trust and rapport which led to me talking about deep-rooted emotions and memories of a traumatic time. I have not met many people that have that innate ability and I knew that Dan would treat my story with the respect that I believe it deserved.

    Dan's ability to connect with me and the empathy he has shown for my journey has genuinely had a profound effect on my life. After the recording, he has encouraged me to continue telling my story to those that might want to hear it and I am so glad that our paths have and continue to cross.”

  • Professor Niamh nic Daeid, Director of the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science at the University of Dundee

    “We commissioned Adventurous Audio to work with us on a new podcast series called Inside Forensic Science.  This was our first podcast series and we wanted to work with a team that would bring the right skills, experience and knowledge together with very high standards of quality.  We also wanted a team that we could work with collaboratively and explore the boundaries and possibilities of weaving a compelling narrative into the podcast series while ensuring that our key messages were accessible, understandable and engaging.  With Pennie and Dan we knew immediately that we could trust their expertise, judgement and professional competence. They worked closely with our team and provided tremendous insight into what would help and what would hinder our audience's understanding and engagement and they provided compelling interviews with a wide range of senior practitioners expertly woven together to create the narrative that brought our story to life.  The Inside Forensic Science podcast was delivered on time and with excellent production quality.  I have no hesitation in giving Adventurous Audio my highest possible recommendation.”

  • Kirsty Adamson, Deputy Head of the Centre for Open Learning, University of Edinburgh

    “Pennie Latin is in an incredibly talented communicator. Whatever the complex topic, Pennie can find an element that resonates with people and she can weave this element into a story that the listener or audience can't help but be drawn to. I didn't ever think that I would be listening with rapt attention to a radio programme on "fracking" or "algorithms", but somehow Pennie makes everything so intensely interesting and I find myself utterly absorbed. As an educator myself, I recognise something quite special in Pennie and I greatly admire her knack for finding the right story to tell.

    Pennie has such a wonderful way with people and immediately puts everyone at ease. Within minutes, Pennie can get a group of diverse strangers to open up and talk about intimate and emotive topics. Pennie finds common ground, creates a sense of safety and provides some sort of magical social lubricant to encourage people to share. Pennie's ability to rapidly create a group dynamic enables her to expertly conduct group interviews as well as creating a cosy environment for an interviewee in front of an audience.”

  • Jack Meegan-Vickers, Head of Podcasts & Video at Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime

    “I’ve produced radio content across the BBC and have had the chance to learn from some fantastic producers. I honestly believe that Pennie is the best producer I have had the pleasure work alongside.

    In 2018, I joined Brainwaves for short time in Inverness and I can honestly say that I learnt more from Pennie than I have from any other producer, techniques that have served me well since that time.

    She has a meticulous approach to editing that I appreciated completely, but what struck me most of all was Pennie’s storytelling. Her work is like going on a profound personal journey but hidden below the surface is complex science. Her ability to communicate these topics in this way is an incredibly rare skill and anybody would be lucky to see Pennie at work.

    My time at Inverness was a time I have never forgotten, Pennie made me welcome and helped me learn. For that I am forever grateful.”

  • Craig Mills, Operations Director, North Coast 500

    “We have been working with Adventurous Audio since February 2022 to produce a series of podcasts around the North Coast 500. My team and I have been very impressed by the high quality of work that has been produced and at the rate it has come through to us. From the very beginning, Dan and Pennie have understood exactly what we were looking to achieve with this content. They have been a fountain of knowledge that have not only produced great content for us but also been on hand to offer guidance and advice throughout the process.”

  • Martin Richards and Chris White, hostage and crisis negotiators

    Martin Richards:  “I have used Dan's expertise to edit and assist in the recording of numerous podcasts and also an online audio training product. I was impressed with his turn around time, advice, flexibility and patience with a novice like myself. The end product sounds ultra professional and I highly recommend you use his company for any audio work that you might require.”

    Chris White: “ Professional, approachable and highly engaging. These qualities on top of excellent delivery make Dan a 'go to' for services in the audio communications field. I have known Dan since his time with the BBC and am delighted he has made the transition to his own business. I absolutely recommend his business to any potential client.”

  • Helen Needham, Senior Producer BBC Scotland

    “I have spent years working with Pennie and Dan at BBC Radio Scotland and have always admired their professionalism and commitment to capturing audio and transforming it into compelling radio.  Their vast experience working on location in a broad range of environments throughout Scotland and beyond means that they are accustomed to adapting their recording techniques to ensure that the sound is of the highest quality – from hanging off the side of mountains, to powering through the high seas, to the tranquillity of a walled garden.  When you listen, you feel instantly transported to that place.  But it’s also their skill and intuition with editing the material which makes them such capable storytellers.  The crafting and layering of location sounds, interviews and music, and the attention to detail which really brings a story to life is what they excel at.   I cannot recommend them enough as the most competent and creative of programme makers as well as thoroughly decent – and fun – people to work with.” 

  • Francis Vaughan, Special Adviser for the International Science Council

    “Creative to the core and bubbling with inspiration, Pennie is an endless source of ambitious, adventurous ideas. Her enthusiasm for extraordinary storytelling, and her relentless attention to details, means Pennie will leave no stone unturned and no problem unsolved in the pursuit of excellent audio. A true force of nature, she's a joy to work with and for. “

  • Susan Morrison, Comedian and Broadcaster

    “Pennie Latin is the woman you need if you want your story heard. She is a brilliant producer of beautiful audio with a strong sense of the story and of the listener. Pennie is fantastic at untangling even the most complex ideas into strong, clear, streamlined narratives with the most gorgeous production values underpinning them. She's also almost completely unflappable. Very valuable! Got a good story? Go on, talk to her - you won't regret it!”

WHO WE WORK WITH.

SUBSCRIBE NOW.

3.5 years ago, when Pen first got diagnosed with breast cancer her impulse was to try and pin down some of the emotional turmoil she was going through. She ended up reaching for a pen (ok a keyboard) and started to write. Once she started, she couldn’t stop, and the words poured out. Angry, scared, shocked, confused but most of all, they were honest. Now, 2 years down the line, we’ve decided to turn the blog into a podcast...

THE BLOG.

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