Thoughtful Stories, Deliberate Collaborators, Beautiful Audio

Audacious Machine Creative is an audio fiction studio and production house based in Chicago. Led by Eleanor Hyde and Jeffrey Nils Gardner, we work with a diverse team of professional writers, directors, actors, and sound designers from around the world. Audacious Machine Creative has won awards and critical acclaim for their independent shows, citing their dynamic acting, incisive writing, and high level of production. We have also collaborated with clients like Audible, Echoverse, Encyclopedia Britannica, Vox, Radiotopia, and others.

Jeffrey Nils Gardner (they/them) is a director, audio artist, and sound designer. They have worked in audio fiction since 2009, serving as executive producer on World Gone Wrong, Unwell, and Our Fair City. They’ve designed podcasts for Audible, Vox, Gideon Media, and others, and taught at Northwestern University and Kenyon College. They’re also a team leader for the Illinois Choice Action Team (ICAT), a direct action group defending abortion access at independent clinics in Illinois, and play fiddle and mandolin in the band Olivia & The Lovers. Jeffrey holds a Masters in Sound Arts and Industries at Northwestern University. 

Eleanor Hyde (she/her) is a producer and storyteller. She serves as executive producer on Unwell and World Gone Wrong. She’s worked on audio fiction projects for clients like Audible, Echoverse, and Encyclopedia Britannica. As a game designer, she produced highly narrative games under the moniker Rabbit Hole. In her previous life as a theater producer, she held leadership positions at Chicago Shakespeare, Emerald City Theatre, and New Leaf Theatre. Eleanor holds an MFA in Arts Administration & Leadership from DePaul University.