Mark Kermode and Jenny Nelson Surround Sound EIBF 2025

 

There has been a hundred year history of movie sound. The Sting, Dune, Jaws, Gladiator…Would these movies be quite as iconic without their incredible scores? 

Journalist, broadcaster and film critic Mark Kermode, along with writer and radio producer Jenny Nelson, explored film scores in their talk at Edinburgh international book festival. They are Co-authors of Surround Sound: The Stories of Movie Music. 

 

Surround Sound is a book of interviews with film composers, on the genres and evolution of film music. They also looked at the context and structure. Jenny and Mark had worked on a film musicradio show together, when it became clear Jenny could help move the book project along.  

 

In this talk they shared their passion for the craft of making music for movies and a composer’s ability to elevate a film from ‘great’ to ‘epic’. There are the connections between composer and director – you want to sound like the film (not yourself) - or sound like the director. Radiohead’s guitarist Johnny Greenwood wrote to the themes and not to the scenes, On films such as there will be blood. Sometimes there is some kind of alchemy that can’t be explained. 

A good film score will make or break a film. In fact most of the greatest films have incredible scores. 

 

WHY do all the best movies have great and distinctive and highly memorable music - 

MY PERSONAL LIST OF BEST FILM SCORES

Scott Joplin’s music for - The Sting.

The Godfather – Nina Rota

Hans Zimmer - Dune

The Graduate – Paul Simon

Blade Runner -  Vangelis

Star Wars – John Williams

Gladiator – Hans Zimmer

Out of Africa – John Barry

Chariots of Fire - Vangelis

In the live score – the slight imperfections of live music made by humans: the mistakes are where creativity happens. There are now many film screenings with a live score. The film Drive my Car breaking new ground through vocals, chorale music. Integrated music birdman

A good film score will make or break a film. In fact most of the greatest films have incredible scores. 

 

 

Jenny Nelson’s website - 

“We cover A LOT, from how a score is made, how composers put the director’s vision into sounds, and the evolution of movie music from the silent era to the present day, to examining specific musical or cinematic genres that hold particular significance for Mark, such as Horror, Electronica and Pop.

We spoke to many talented and inspirational composers who kindly took the time to share their experiences and working methods with us – people like Hildur Gudnadottir, Michael Abels, Isobel Waller-Bridge, Jonny Greenwood, Warren Ellis, Lorne Balfe, Jocelyn Pook and Laura Karpman. Our aim has been to write a book about film music that’s accessible and entertaining and, hopefully, a great read, whether you’re a film score aficionado or you have a general interest in this broad and beautiful world.

The official back cover blurb is: How can a film score make you cheer, shiver, cry or punch the air in exhilaration? How do directors communicate their musical vision to composers? And when does a soundtrack take on a life of its own? 

Award-winning film critic Mark Kermode and radio producer Jenny Nelson embark on a full-throttle trip down the glorious rabbit hole of film composition, exploring the evolution of film scoring from silent films to the present day and examining how what we hear has an impact on what we see.

Including interviews with extraordinary talents from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood to Oscar-winning composers Rachel Portman, Anne Dudley and Howard Shore, and ranging from classics to blockbusters to horrors, Mark Kermode’s Surround Sound is a thrilling take on how great scores are brought to life on the silver screen.

 

Mark Kermode is an English film critic, radio and tv presenter, author and podcaster. He is the co-presenter (with Ellen E. Jones) of the BBC Radio 4 programme Screenshot, and co-presenter (alongside long-time collaborator Simon Mayo) of the film-review podcast Kermode & Mayo's Take. Kermode is a regular contributor to The Observer, for which he was chief film critic between September 2013 and September 2023. He plays bass in a skiffle band, Dodge Brothers – they play accompaniments for silent films.

Black & White festival images

 Black and white festival images from last year. #edfest

Scots & 250 Years of Founding American Independence

 

The general ignorance of Scots history and contributions worldwide. How many Scots have heard of the “Scottish Enlightenment” – or have any idea what it was about? I’d guess only a few Scots have any idea at all. I’d never heard of the Scottish enlightenment until I attended at talk by historian Tom Devine. And I studied for higher History at school – which was all English history. 

 

Ian Houston from Global Scots network - discussed the direct part Scots played in the foundations of American independence. The linkages and the connections. 

 

Many Key Philosophical ideas came from the Scottish Enlightenment from 1740s onward and - " The social contract that government derives its power from the consent of the governed." And from the Declaration of Arbroath 1320.

Declaration of Arbroath 1320

Professor Small was teaching in Virginia, and one of the pupils was Thomas Jefferson, one of America's founding fathers. While Benjamin Franklin visited Scotland and met the Scottish philosophers – David Hume and Adam Smith.

There are many opportunities for modern Scotland – with its progressive universities and social enterprise. To embrace opportunities, to be aspirational. 

Houston said there is lots to be celebrated and all the diversity that exists in Scotland. He also said there ’has also been difficulties over the years in America with – the Bill of Rights, civil war, slavery.

 

https://www.globalscot.com/

 

 

Festivals made in London shipped to Scotland

The Edinburgh Film festival Is the oldest film festival in the world, honouring over 70 years.

However - The Edinburgh Film Festival has become “a festival made in London and then shipped up to Edinburgh Scotland”, according to Siobhan Sinnuck, the BBC media correspondent. She claims that all jobs and 90% of the Submissions are based outside of Scotland – with only one submission from Scotland. 

 

How can this be a stepping stone for Scottish film makers? Or be key to offering young people opportunities. Also these festivals are backed and funded by the tax payer via Creative Scotland funds. Jobs are not available to Scots. 

 

The BBC is also shutting down Scotland’s longest running soap, River City, another stepping stone here in Scotland for aspiring actors and film makers.  

This year the Film Festival 2025 will show the six Sean Connery Bond films, a documentary on Irvine Welsh, plus a premier by new director Renée Zellweger. The EFF website claims the festival is “rooted in local Scots contest whilst embracing the international diversity of creative expression.”

EFF 2025 offers - 

“Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence” – and a world class showcase for independent films.

 To embrace a sense of discovery, experimentation and cross-arts collaborations. 

https://www.edfilmfest.org