Impact Winter with Creator Travis Beacham

In this episode of 'Exploring Humanity Through Sci-Fi,' host delves into the audio drama 'Impact Winter' created by Travis Beacham, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller set in a world darkened by an asteroid impact. The story follows Darcy, a vampire hunter navigating a frozen Earth where vampires thrive in the perpetual darkness, blending gothic horror with speculative science fiction. Beacham discusses the origins of the idea—inspired by the scientific phenomenon of impact winter and the mythos of vampires—how he reimagined vampire lore to emphasize magical, unpredictable powers rather than disease-like contagion. He highlights the female-centric narrative and the creative freedom of writing for audio, where dialogue and sound design take center stage. The production features a stellar British cast, ensemble recordings, and high-fidelity sound design that immerses listeners in the icy world. Co-produced with Skybound and Anonymous Content, the series is designed as a launchpad for a larger universe, with a prequel comic and potential for video games and other media. The episode closes with a personal appeal for support of Purple Stride, a pancreatic cancer walk in memory of the host’s wife’s aunt.