Recent News: KISS awarded a partial scholarship to the Rocaberti Writers’ Retreat in Italy →

Crystal Judkins

XPERIENCE
J

Writer · Director · Sound Architect

Award-Winning Creator · Shhh! Jus' Listen Media · BADE Co-Founder

Stage 32 Semifinalist LA WebFest Nominated Webby Honoree Communicator Award Winner Rocaberti Scholarship Recipient

Explore Story Worlds Work With Me

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AWARD
WINNING
CREATOR

About

MEET
CRYSTAL "XPERIENCE J" JUDKINS

Crystal Judkins is a lifelong storyteller who has always worked in multiple dimensions — writer, creative director, audio drama producer, and award-winning sound designer. She writes stories that are fictional by format and true by necessity. Black women are her nucleus: yes, even the complex, dark, imperfect ones the screen has never known what to do with.

As founder of Shhh! Jus' Listen Media and co-founder of Black Audio Dramas Exist (BADE), she has spent nearly a decade crafting original audio dramas, directing premium full-cast productions, and developing genre-defining narrative IP that centers Black voices and refuses to be ordinary.

A former Creative Director at GraphicAudio, she led productions including The Book of Azrael — the #1 Fantasy Dramatization on Audible. Her original series KISS has been streamed more than 52,000 times in 141 countries. Her work has earned a Webby Award Honoree distinction, two Communicator Awards, Best Sound Mix at Miami Web Fest, and Best Audio Fiction Standalone at Sydney Web Fest 2026 for Moitreyee: A Faceless Film, along with four NJ Web Fest 2026 nominations and LA WebFest nominations.

Whether she's writing psychological thrillers, designing soundscapes, or directing voice talent — she always bets on Black.

52K+ Kiss Streams

141 Countries Reached

#1 Audible Fantasy

10+ Years Creating

Webby Honoree

2× Communicator Awards

∞ Story Worlds

Original IP

STORY WORLDS

Featured Project

KISS

TV Series · Psychological Noir

Stage 32 Semifinalist In Development

PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR

BARREN

Based on The Yellow Wallpaper

ISOLATION · OBSESSION · UNRAVELING

BARREN

Psychological Horror Feature

A woman slowly loses her grip on reality inside the walls of a house that doesn't want her to leave. Adapting The Yellow Wallpaper.

Final Draft Big Break Submission

Request Deck Inquire

SUPERNATURAL THRILLER

HAAKON

Some monsters are invited in

SUPERNATURAL · THRILLER · DARKNESS

HAAKON

Supernatural Thriller Feature

A supernatural thriller feature that blurs the line between faith, obsession, and the unseen forces that shape destiny.

Request Deck Inquire

AFROFUTURIST ANTHOLOGY

REALM OF OBSIDIAN

The Twilight Zone — through a Black woman's lens

AFROFUTURISM · ANTHOLOGY · PSYCHOLOGICAL

REALM OF OBSIDIAN

Afrofuturist Anthology Series

The Twilight Zone, told through the lens of a Black woman. Psychological thriller anthology exploring power, identity, and the unseen.

Request Deck Inquire

PRESTIGE FAMILY DRAMA

DADDY'S GIRL

Three sisters. One R&B legend. Everything he built — and buried

FAMILY · LEGACY · TRUTH

DADDY'S GIRL

Prestige Drama TV Pilot

Three sisters navigate legacy, identity, and unfinished business when their R&B legend father's world begins to fracture.

In Development

Inquire

DRAMEDY SERIES

PAST DUE

Between Insecure and I May Destroy You

BLACK JOY · RECLAIMING · REAL LIFE

PAST DUE

Dramedy · Audio Series → TV Adaptation

A 30-year-old writer's messy, honest, hilarious reckoning with ambition, love, and the life she was supposed to have by now.

Listen TV Inquiry

EXPERIMENTAL AUDIO FILM

MOITREYEE

A Faceless Film

IDENTITY · MYSTERY · EXPERIMENTAL

MOITREYEE

Faceless Film · Festival Circuit

A faceless audio drama experience that challenges the audience to see without seeing. LA WebFest nominated.

LA WebFest 3 Nominations

Listen Inquire

Request Decks / Industry Inquiry

Project Support

BRING KISS
TO ITALY

My television pilot KISS was awarded a partial scholarship to attend the Rocaberti Writers' Retreat in Italy — an international development opportunity designed to connect writers with industry professionals, mentorship, and meaningful next steps.

After nearly a decade of building this project from an original audio series into a fully developed television pilot, this invitation is a chance to move KISS into the room it deserves.

Contributions help cover the remaining costs of tuition, travel, and accommodations.

Support KISS →

Awarded a Partial Scholarship • Rocaberti Writers' Retreat • Italy

Independent Black Storytelling

HELP FUND THE NEXT STEP

Every contribution helps bridge the gap between being selected and actually being in the room — supporting the continued development of a bold, seductive, Black-led thriller.

Contribute on Ko-fi

SHHH! JUS' LISTEN MEDIA

Invoking Your Imagination Through Sound

Creative direction, audio adaptation, consulting and courses for audiobooks, audio dramas and immersive audio. Afterpay available on select services.

✦ Complimentary

FREE

15-Min Discovery Call

Not sure where to start? Let's talk. A quick intro call to see if we're a good fit and map out what you need.

Book Discovery Call

$125

30-Min Consultation

Focused single session for a specific question, challenge, or direction check on your audio drama project.

Request This Session

$250

60-Min Consultation

A deeper single session to dig into your audio drama concept, script, production plan, or strategy.

Request This Session

✦ Most Comprehensive

$1,650

Concept to Creation Bundle

✦ 6 Weeks of Direct Support

Everything you need, from the first idea to a finished, production-ready audio drama.

Audio Drama Questionnaire
1 × 30-min Intro Consultation
2 × 1-hr Zoom Sessions — script review, editing & production planning
Pre/Post Production Bundle — budgeting, equipment, mic techniques, recording checklist
1-hr Mock Sound Design Session
2 × 60-min Work Sessions — critical insight & creative solutions
Audio Drama Bundle — worksheets, naming guide, cover art guide, hosting options, publishing schedule
1 × 90-min Strategic Meeting — full audit of concept, script, casting & budget
Complete analysis of 3 comparable audio dramas/shows
Professionally written logline
Direct email access

Request This Bundle

I step into your project and lead the creative side, alongside your engineers, editors and sound designers. Every engagement starts with a free discovery call. Tell me about your project, and I'll map out what you need.

For Publishers & Production Companies For Authors & Independent Creators

Casting & Performance Direction

By Quote

Character breakdowns, auditions, casting picks, and directing actors in session. Works for any multi-voice title.

Book a Discovery Call

Audio Adaptation

By Quote

Turning prose into performance-ready scripts for full-cast, dramatized and immersive titles.

Book a Discovery Call

Creative Direction & Production Oversight

By Quote

The vision, production plan, performance continuity and quality review, at the title or series level.

Book a Discovery Call

Also available: audiobook narration, voice over, dialogue editing, audio mixing & mastering, podcast editing & sound design (limited availability), and cover art. Tell me what you need →

Shhh! Jus' Listen Studios

Boutique, premium immersive productions, by application only.

Learn More

✦ Afterpay available on select services

Send me your details first. Once I've reviewed them, I'll confirm the best fit and send a secure payment link. Nothing is charged up front.

Six-week virtual courses for writers, creators, and voice artists. Starting at $350. Don't see what you need? Reach out about a custom 1-on-1 mentorship.

For inquiries: shhhjuslisten@gmail.com · Afterpay available · No refunds.

6-Week Virtual Course

Writing for Audio / Sound

$875

Week 1Introduction to Audio Writing

Week 2Structuring Audio Narratives

Week 3Characterization and Emotion in Audio Writing

Week 4Week 1 & 2 Review

Week 5Week 3 Review

Week 6Production and Final Projects

6-Week Virtual Intensive

Voice Reel Creation

$875

Week 1Intro to Voice Reels + Script Selection

Week 2Script Analysis, Recording Techniques, and Performance

Week 3Recording, Editing, and Post-Production (Pt. 1)

Week 4Recording, Editing, and Post-Production (Pt. 2)

Week 5Finalizing Your Voice Reel + Industry Insights

Week 6Final Project Review

Single Session

Mock Sound Design Session

$350

IncludesIntroduction to dialogue editing fundamentals

Sound design basics for immersive storytelling

Hands-on mock scene construction

Practical workflow insight for audio drama creators

Shhh! Jus’ Listen Studios

Stories deserve to be heard, not just read.

Some stories belong on the page. Others demand breath, tension, performance, atmosphere, and sound. Shhh! Jus’ Listen Studios transforms compelling books and original IP into premium immersive audio experiences audiences don’t just hear, they feel.

Apply to Work Together Explore Services

Where voice becomes performance.

Where silence becomes tension.

Where sound becomes worldbuilding.

Where story becomes experience.

Built for stories ready to become worlds.

Every project begins with strategy. From there, we determine the strongest path for your story: proof of concept, audio feature, serialized drama, or immersive audiobook experience.

Story Adaptation Strategy Intensive

FROM $1,500

Required for all full custom productions. Before anything gets produced, we assess your story’s immersive potential, production complexity, and strongest adaptation pathway.

Manuscript or concept review
Adaptation viability assessment
Production format recommendation
Scope, investment, and timeline guidance
Custom Story Adaptation Roadmap

Fully credited toward production if we move forward together.

Cinematic Proof of Concept

FROM $7,500

A premium immersive sample designed to help storytellers pitch, fundraise, validate audience response, or activate their IP. Perfect when you need something undeniable.

Audio Feature Adaptation

FROM $25,000

A fully dramatized cinematic adaptation designed for stories deserving feature-scale emotional impact. Built for projects up to 90 minutes.

Serialized Audio Drama

FROM $40,000+

For stories requiring deeper worldbuilding, episodic tension, and binge-worthy serialized storytelling. Custom by season.

Immersive Audiobook Experience

FROM $50,000+

For authors who want to preserve the spirit of their manuscript while elevating it through performance, atmosphere, and cinematic sound. Not passive narration. A premium listening experience.

How we build story worlds.

01Apply

Tell us about your story, rights status, goals, and readiness.

02Strategy

Qualified applicants are invited into a paid Strategy Intensive.

03Proposal

If aligned, you receive a custom scope, investment, and timeline.

04Production

Casting, direction, adaptation, sound design, mix, and execution.

05Delivery

A polished immersive final product built to captivate audiences.

Collaborative. Never committee-driven.

Clients are invited to share emotional anchors, story priorities, and critical non-negotiables during onboarding. From there, the studio leads adaptation, casting, and production decisions to preserve creative cohesion and execution quality.

Shhh! Jus’ Listen Studios is led by award-winning creative professionals with deep experience in adaptation, immersive audio storytelling, direction, and cinematic sound production. We understand the difference between narration and immersion. That difference is everything.

What serious storytellers usually ask.

Do I keep my rights?

Yes. Unless otherwise negotiated through a separate partnership agreement, clients retain ownership of their original IP.

Can I choose my actors?

Clients may share character insights, tonal preferences, and cultural specificity during onboarding. Final casting decisions remain studio-led.

Is the Strategy Intensive required?

For full custom productions, yes. Premium work deserves intentional planning before scope, budget, and production commitments are made.

What genres do you accept?

We’re open to a wide range of compelling stories across fiction, speculative, thriller, romance, horror, memoir, and beyond. If the story fits immersive audio, we’re listening.

Do you offer launch or distribution support?

Production is our primary focus. Launch support may be available as an add-on depending on project needs.

Your story already has a pulse. Let’s make sure audiences can hear it.

Complete the application below. Submissions are reviewed for creative alignment, production fit, scope, and readiness before next steps are offered.

Full Name

Email Address

Company / Publisher

Website / Social Platform

Project Title

Genre

Manuscript Status

Word Count

Briefly Describe Your Story

Do you own/control the adaptation rights?

Existing Audience?

Audience Details

What are you interested in?

Ideal Timeline

Estimated Production Investment

Why Immersive Audio?

Anything Essential We Should Know?

I understand that Shhh! Jus’ Listen Studios is a premium boutique production studio and that full custom productions begin with a paid Story Adaptation Strategy Intensive.

Applications are reviewed for fit before next steps are offered. Please allow 5–7 business days for review.

Editing · Sound Design · Sonic Worldbuilding

PODCAST EDITING & SOUND DESIGN

Need a professional podcast editor or sound designer for your project? From full audio drama production to documentary series — check out featured work below and let's discuss.

Featured Sound Design Demos

"GROWN WOMAN" ▶ "LAST THURSDAY" ▶ "STEPS TO ENDING YOUR PLAYBOY WAYS" ▶ "ALPHA 8" ▶ "BEFORE THE BULLDOZERS" ▶ "BLACK HIV IN THE SOUTH" ▶

Service

Podcast Editing & Sound Design

Podcasts · Audio drama · Documentary · Branded content. Tell me about your project, and I'll follow up with details and a quote. Sound design availability is limited.

Request a Quote

Selected Work

PORTFOLIO

✦ 52,000+ Streams · 141 Countries

ORIGINAL AUDIO DRAMA

KISS: The Audio Series

Creator · Writer · Sound Design · Performance

Listen →

ORIGINAL AUDIO DRAMA

Past Due

Creator · Writer · Producing · Sound Design · Starring

Listen →

EXPERIMENTAL AUDIO FILM

Moitreyee: A Faceless Film

Creator · Writer · Director · Sound Design

Listen →

ORIGINAL AUDIO ANTHOLOGY

Realm of Obsidian

Creator · Writer · Producer · Sound Design · Voice Actor

Listen →

SHORT-FORM AUDIO STORIES

In the Meantime: Short Audio Stories

Creator · Writer · Producer · Sound Design · Voice Actor

Listen →

ORIGINAL MINISERIES

Past Due: Hustler's Phone Tap

Writer · Producer

Listen →

WRITING

Santa Baby Audio Drama

Writer · Producer · Shhh! Jus' Listen Media

Listen →

WRITING

Bloom Intimate Audio Stories

Writer — Bloom Stories

Listen →

✦ Miami Web Fest Best Sound Mix

SOUND DESIGN

Alpha 8 Audio Drama

Sound Designer — Miami Web Fest Best Sound Mix

Listen →

✦ Webby Award Honoree

SOUND DESIGN

Before the Bulldozers

Anacostia Community Museum · Smithsonian

Explore →

SOUND DESIGN

Black HIV in the South

Editor · Sound Designer

Listen →

DIALOGUE EDITING

Possession

Mumble Media · Dialogue Editor

Listen →

COLLABORATIVE PRODUCTION

Highway Chile Audio Drama

Observer Pictures × Shhh! Jus' Listen × Mermaid-Lion

Listen →

SOUND DESIGN

Third Eye

Sound Design Assist — Mumble Media · Audible

Listen →

VOICE · PERFORMANCE

Soul Mates

11th Hour Audio — Voice Performance

Listen →

VOICE · PERFORMANCE

Queer News with Anna DeShawn

Editor · Sound Designer · Narration

Listen →

COMMERCIAL VOICE OVER

Afrofuturism Network Ad

Campaign Voice · Afrofuturism Network

Watch →

VOICE · PERFORMANCE

Wildcard

Small Talk is Dead — Starring

Listen →

WRITING · VOICE

Black Widow — "Krave"

Writer — Black Widow Podcast

Listen →

VOICE · SOUND DESIGN

Emerald's Rose

Cashmere & Friends — Starring + Sound Design

Listen →

VOICE OVER NARRATION

Libellule

Write Here Write Now — Narrated by Xperience J

Listen →

SOUND DESIGN

Harlem Queen Season 3

Sound Designer — by Yhane Smith

Listen →

SOUND DESIGN

1972 Audio Drama

Editor · Sound Designer — by Yhane Smith

Listen →

SOUND DESIGN

The Courtship of Mona Mae

Sound Designer — by Yhane Smith

Listen →

SOUND DESIGN SUPPORT

Rebel Girls: Venus + Serena Williams

Sound Design — Mumble Media

Listen →

SOUND DESIGN SUPPORT

Rebel Girls: Esther Okade

Sound Design — Mumble Media

Listen →

SOUND DESIGN SUPPORT

Rebel Girls: Loral & Eishel Quinn

Sound Design — Mumble Media

Listen →

✦ #1 Audible Fantasy

GraphicAudio

The Book of Azrael (Part 1 of 2)

Adaptation + Direction

Explore →

GraphicAudio

The Book of Azrael (Part 2 of 2)

Adaptation + Direction

Explore →

GraphicAudio

The Throne of Broken Gods (Part 1 of 2)

Adaptation + Direction

Explore →

GraphicAudio

The Throne of Broken Gods (Part 2 of 2)

Adaptation + Direction

Explore →

GraphicAudio · Gunnie Rose

Gunnie Rose: All the Dead Shall Weep

Adaptation + Direction

Explore →

GraphicAudio · The Kerrigans

The Kerrigans: The Devil to Pay

Adaptation + Direction

Explore →

GraphicAudio · Amelia Peabody

Amelia Peabody: Crocodile on the Sandbank

Voice Performance

Explore →

GraphicAudio · Dresden Files

Dresden Files: Storm Front

Voice Performance

Explore →

GraphicAudio · The Empyrean

Fourth Wing (Part 2 of 2)

Voice Performance

Explore →

✦ Earphones Award Winner

GraphicAudio · The Lost Fleet

The Lost Fleet: Dauntless

Voice Performance

Explore →

CHILDREN'S BOOK

Onyx McFly Saves the Day!

Author · Published 2017

Buy on Amazon →

NOVEL

Tomorrow's Seduction: Kiss of Death

Co-Author · KISS Universe Origin

Buy on Amazon →

JOURNAL

Dear Creative

Author · Prompts, Activities & Affirmations

Visit →

POETRY COLLECTION

Unbarred

Author · Reimagined Edition Coming Soon

Coming Soon

ORIGINAL MUSIC

Xperience J — The Artist

SoundCloud · R&B · Neo-Soul

Listen →

SONGWRITING

Xperience J — The Songwriter

Penizilln Productions

Listen →

NARRATION

Narration Demo

Full-range narrative performance

Listen →

CHARACTER VOICE

Character Demo

Multi-character performance range

Listen →

COMMERCIAL

Commercial Demo

Brand, campaign & ad performance

Listen →

ANIMATION

Animation Demo

Character & animation reel

Listen →

SPOKEN WORD

Xperience J — The Poet

Coming Soon

...

For Creators. By a Creator.

DEAR CREATIVE

Visit Dear Creative Buy on Amazon 🔒 Buy Digital License

Individual · Classroom · Campus licensing available

A CREATIVE JOURNAL FOR NAVIGATING THE WILDERNESS

Dear Creative is a creative wellness journal packed with writing prompts, activities, affirmations, and reflection pages designed to help you reconnect with your purpose and begin again.

Built for artists, writers, and creatives navigating burnout, transition, or the quiet doubt that comes with doing the work.

Available For

📚 Individual Purchase
🏫 High Schools & Colleges
🎨 Creative Organizations & Programs
🎓 Campus Wellness & Writing Centers

Program Includes

Sample lesson · Full program overview · One-sheet for administrators · Bulk ordering options

Inquire About Campus Access

RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS & ADMINISTRATORS

Program One-Sheet

Sample Lesson Plan

"Late Bloomers Still Bloom" — A full 75–90 min facilitated session ready to use in the classroom.

Request Sample Lesson

Program Overview Sheet

For department heads, administrators, and program coordinators exploring campus or district licensing.

Request Overview

Words That Land

POETRY

XPERIENCE J

the poet

"Spoken word. Rhythm. Raw truth wrapped in beat and breath."

The poetry collection is coming — spoken word, written truth, and the kind of language that hits before you understand why.

Stay in the Loop

Start Here

HOW WE CAN BUILD

Story & IP Development

For pilots, pitch decks, bibles, audio dramas, adaptations, and story worlds that need structure without losing their soul.

Sound Design & Direction

Full-cast audio, immersive production, creative direction, casting support, and sonic worldbuilding from script to final mix.

Creative Education

One-on-one creative courses, Dear Creative campus sessions, workshops, and curriculum for artists in transitional seasons.

XPERIENCE
J

MEET
CRYSTAL "XPERIENCE J" JUDKINS

STORY WORLDS

KISS

BRING KISS
TO ITALY

HELP FUND THE NEXT STEP

Built for stories ready to become worlds.

Story Adaptation Strategy Intensive

Cinematic Proof of Concept

Audio Feature Adaptation

Serialized Audio Drama

Immersive Audiobook Experience

How we build story worlds.

Collaborative. Never committee-driven.

What serious storytellers usually ask.

Your story already has a pulse. Let’s make sure audiences can hear it.

PODCAST EDITING & SOUND DESIGN

PORTFOLIO

DEAR CREATIVE

POETRY

HOW WE CAN BUILD

Story & IP Development

Sound Design & Direction

Creative Education

BOOK NOW

About You

Your Project

Project Specifics

XPERIENCEJ

MEETCRYSTAL "XPERIENCE J" JUDKINS

STORY WORLDS

KISS

BRING KISSTO ITALY

HELP FUND THE NEXT STEP

Built for stories ready to become worlds.

Story Adaptation Strategy Intensive

Cinematic Proof of Concept

Audio Feature Adaptation

Serialized Audio Drama

Immersive Audiobook Experience

How we build story worlds.

Collaborative. Never committee-driven.

What serious storytellers usually ask.

Your story already has a pulse. Let’s make sure audiences can hear it.

PODCAST EDITING & SOUND DESIGN

PORTFOLIO

DEAR CREATIVE

POETRY

HOW WE CAN BUILD

Story & IP Development

Sound Design & Direction

Creative Education

BOOK NOW

About You

Your Project

Project Specifics

XPERIENCE
J

MEET
CRYSTAL "XPERIENCE J" JUDKINS

BRING KISS
TO ITALY