Audio, Podcast, Radio
In The Escort by Jill Korn, Alex is The Escort. She believes an unscrupulous entrepreneur ordered unspeakable violence that shattered her family. Will she succeed in exacting the revenge she is planning? The Escort is Jill Korn’s murder mystery and I’m delighted to be able to publish it because I created the sound design. I think we’ve produced an audio drama that stands comparison with anything you’ll hear.
James “Purlie” Wilson, the Strathaven Weaver, was a local leader of the Radical Movement seeking social reform in early 19th century Scotland. He was tried on trumped-up charges of treason and executed on Glasgow Green on 30 August, 1820. His ghost returns 40 years later to confront a doctor with his own demons.
The watercolour above is of the Boo-backit Brig, which features in The Strathaven Weaver. The watercolour was painted in the 1960s by local teacher and artist, Stewart Frame.
Chris Tait is a unique writer, poet and storyteller from the Shetland Isles. Chris tells the story her journey from her island home to poetry and storytelling performances across Scotland and beyond, and of how Asperger’s Syndrome influences her life and her writing.
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Jill Korn writes audio drama and I add sound design whiffle dust to make her words 3D. Since our first contact in August 2020, we’ve made some excellent audio drama through Tweets, emails and Zooms. When we met for the first time in real life we recorded part of our chat about writing, audio drama and sound design. Eavesdrop now on how it went.
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The Selkie is a mythical sea creature of Scottish folklore. In the sea a Selkie is a seal, but when they occasionally come onshore they take the form of a beautiful woman. Men should be wary in case they are beguiled and end broken-hearted when a Selkie they’ve met returns to the sea. What surprise awaits my Selkie when she falls for a special man she meets on land?
It’s a challenge to record audio with other contributors in these plague straightened times. I hung my story on the Selkie legend and produced a solo drama combining faerie tale and love story.
I collaborated with Jill Korn to produce Galore! an audio drama inspired by the events in Compton Mackenzie’s 1947 book, “Whisky Galore” and the film made two years later.
Galore! is an audio drama. Jill Korn wrote and performed the words, which is challenge enough. I am her “partner in crime” and provided the sound design. It’s been a sustained project to build immersive soundscapes that transport our listener to the hotels, shores and hillsides of the Isle of Donan.
Socially distanced working has been a challenge. Even so we’ve achieved an audio drama that just works. I’ve had such a great time making this audio drama there will be more.
The delight of hearing hundreds of wee speugs feasting, squabbling, socialising or whatever it was they were doing in the middle of a buddleia bush at the side of the River Ericht lifted my heart. I hope yours too.
I’m proud to claim Don Roberto among my relations. Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham founded the Scottish National Party. He was a passionate advocate of independence for Scotland. His memorial at Gartmore is carved with the words “Famous author, traveller and horseman. Patriotic Scot and citizen of the world. He was a master of life – a king among men.” I really wish I’d met him.
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Continue reading “Don Roberto and the Four Fathers.”
They say the pictures are better on radio. That’s why I’m making noises for sound effects. I’m putting more sounds into By The Way stories. It’s all about helping to create the environment where the dialogue takes place and to immerse my listener in the story. I know it’s an indulgence, but here’s how I put together 14 seconds of audio to convey the horror of a gas attack during the Great War. The attack recounted took place at Reningelst on 18 April 1918.
The image is of a Gas Rattle similar to the one used to warn soldiers that a gas attack was underway. No one could blow a whistle while wearing a gas helmet.
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Here’s a bit of Extra Information about Hill 60 on the Western Front near Ypres. Hugh, the 20 year old Gunner Graham, was a Scottish soldier in the Royal Garrison Artillery who was awarded the Military Medal in 1918. This bit of his story is too good to bin. I’ve been able to include more of the fascinating research than would have fitted in the original script, which is why I dropped the scene. Here it is as an Extra Information short.
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Continue reading “Hill 60 on the Western Front.”