Heikedine Körting: The Queen of Audio Dramas
Inquiry about the identity of the unknown individual nearby.
Hamburg (dpa) - With a career spanning decades, Heikedine Körting has immortalized countless canines through her work on classic audio series like "The Three Investigators," "TKKG," and "The Five Friends" under the Europa label. Among fans and peers, the director and producer is affectionately known as the "Queen of Audio Dramas."
Take "Timmy, the Dog" from "The Five Friends," which first aired in 1978. Körting remembers the German Shepherd named George. "He did everything. He ate, he howled, you could cuddle with him," she recalls. It's harder to get a dog to make specific sounds than one might think, Körting shares, who celebrates her 80th birthday on June 18. "I can definitely create paw tapping sounds with any dog, but getting that unique whimper and small bark just right... that's a different story."
When Hella, the series' sound designer and editor, suggested altering "Timmy’s" bark slightly, fans were quick to voice their disapproval. "That's not Timmy anymore," they cried, leading the team to stick with the original. Fans of the TKKG series, in particular, would remember Oskar, the talented Cocker Spaniel of Gaby. Recorded on cassette and vinyl in 1981, Biene – the canine's name – provided the iconic yowls heard in later CD releases and streaming versions.
The nameless dog that barks in the distance across Uncle Titus's junkyard in "The Three Investigators" (since 1979) is another listener favorite. Körting recorded this sound with another dog from a distance, near a farm in Italy. She often carried a microphone and recorder with her on vacation, capturing a vast selection of sounds throughout the years. In total, Europa's sound archives include approximately 100,000 unique sounds, with around 200 distinct door sounds alone. Each sound is carefully selected to fit seamlessly into the episodes' storytelling.
With two days spent on voice recordings for an episode and at least a week dedicated to sound effects, sound design is a central aspect of Europa's production process. After the mixing process, the final product comes together as an immersive audio drama experience—one that has had a lasting impact on German children's entertainment.
Books about Heikedine Körting's life and career in audio dramas could delve into her journey as the "Queen of Audio Dramas" and explore the unique challenges she faced in creating realistic sounds for dogs, such as Timmy from "The Five Friends" or the nameless dog in "The Three Investigators." These stories could also highlight her dedication to capturing sounds on her vacations, adding to the extensive library in Europas' sound archives, serving as a significant portion of entertainment for children in Germany.
