Ella Watts is a multi-award winning queer and disabled writer, producer, and director with a career that has been nothing but monumental. After getting a degree in early medieval history and literature from the University of Cambridge, she went on to earn her Master's degree in Radio (for which she received a Distinction!). Now, she’s Head of Production at Six to Start (of Zombies, Run! and Marvel Move fame) where she directs numerous original audio drama series for Marvel Comics including X-Men: Age of Orchis, Daredevil: Terminal Degree, and Dr. Strange and Scarlet Witch: In Dreams.
Dubbed by Guardian as the "Queen of Audio Fiction," Ella is a true advocate of the medium and has harnessed her passion and knowledge of it to become a well-sought-after consultant and creative throughout the UK and US, earning herself a spot on The Radio Academy’s 30 Under 30 list last year. Her insight and skill led her to serve as the co-creator, director, and producer for BBC Sounds’ award-winning Doctor Who: Redacted (2022) as well as director and producer for Crown Network’s multi-award-winning Eliza: A Robot Story (2022). Her CV also features work with BBC Radio 4, BBC Studios, the London Podcast Festival, Audible, and a multitude of independently-produced podcasts. Her oeuvre is a living example of the love and affinity she has for audio drama - and her championship of queer and under-represented voices.
Her latest project, Camlann (Tin Can Audio), is a queer “apocalyptic, epic fantasy Fiction Podcast based on folklore and Arthuriana,” and also happens to be the first audio drama project she’s authored in full. The fun and “hopeful comedy drama” follows Dai, Morgan, Perry, and their dog Gelert as they try to escape the devastation that a multitude of folkloric monsters have wrought across a post-apocalyptic Welsh countryside. Have we mentioned it’s queer?
For this issue of Read The Room, co-editor Alfie Whitby chatted with Ella about what the past year has brought her, what we can expect from her in 2024, and maybe most importantly, how much she loves Baldur’s Gate 3.
Alfie Whitby: 2023 has been quite a year! What have been your personal highlights? Tell us about your achievements! Be as loud and as proud as you like!
Ella: Wow, it really has! It's hard to pick just one thing. My personal highlights of 2023 were probably directing Re: Dracula, a chronological podcast adaptation of the novel Dracula, and launching Marvel Move, an audio drama and fitness app that I make at Six to Start, where I'm Head of Production. I've been lucky to direct several different Marvel adaptations, but it was definitely a bucket list moment to get to cast and direct the X-Men. I was also really touched to be named as one of The Radio Academy's 30 Under 30 this year, which felt like a huge and really moving recognition of my work in the field of audio fiction by our colleagues in the more established sectors of the audio and broadcast industries.
AW: How would you describe 2023 in three words?
Ella: Fast, Vivid, Defiant.
AW: Has there been a standout book, record, film, podcast, concert, etc that you’ve particularly enjoyed this year? We’d love to find out your top picks!
Ella: It's so hard to choose! Books wise - Fat Girl Best Friend by Sarah Grant, the short story anthology Glitter + Ashes: Queer Tales of a World that Wouldn't Die from Neon Hemlock press, and The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K Le Guin. Records - Dance Fever, Unreal Unearth, So Much (for) Stardust, and This is Why. Films - Blue Beetle, and I genuinely loved the DnD movie. But Blue Beetle was so underrated and so fun! Podcasts - you know I'm always going to have a thousand. My love affair with The Silt Verses is still going strong. I also really enjoyed Small Victories, Super Suits, Night Shift: An Urban Fantasy Audio Drama, Hotel Daydream, and Ethics Town this year. Also listen - we need to talk about the masterpiece that is Baldur's Gate 3 in all its messy queer glory. I live in that game now.
Two or three songs: It's Called: Freefall by Paris Paloma, Free by Florence & The Machine, Hold Me Like a Grudge by Fall Out Boy.
AW: What are your plans for 2024? Any exciting projects in the works?
Ella: Actually I've got one big project I'm really excited about: Camlann. It's my new podcast, and it's the first podcast series I've entirely written myself. I wrote and directed it, with scoring and sound design from Amber Devereux at Tin Can Audio. I'm incredibly proud of it. It's a queer, post-apocalyptic urban fantasy inspired by folklore and Arthuriana. Think BBC Merlin meets Teen Wolf? It's a hopeful comedy drama that isn't afraid to get sad or scary when it needs to. We've got an amazing cast, including Robyn Holdaway from Sex Education (wild to me), and they've done an incredible job. I've written on a lot of podcasts - I have a writing credit on more than half of series one of Doctor Who: Redacted, but I'm really excited to be able to show people how I work as an artist and what my creative priorities are. The series starts releasing in January, and episodes will come out every two weeks after that. The trailer is live, and you can subscribe to the feed now wherever you get your podcasts. We're also on Insta, Tumblr and a few other places as @camlannpod if you want to come say hi!
AW: Do you have a message for your future self? Is there anything you’ve learned in 2023 that you should definitely take into 2024 with you?
Ella: Pace yourself! As someone with ADHD and chronic illness, managing my energy levels has become really important over time. I want to say yes to everything all the time, but I need to focus on projects that really inspire me. Right now, my brain is split between Camlann and Marvel Move. Anything else that squeezes in there will have to be pretty special!
The first episode of Camlann is available now wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes will be released fortnightly. You can find out more about Ella at her website www.ella-watts.com and at @gejwatts on Twitter/X and Instagram.
Words and interview: Alfie Whitby (they/them)
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