160. It Takes a Village: Shona Thomson

The creator of Launch! - a film about Scotland’s RNLI lifeboat crews - on why sound was key to portraying what lifeboat stations mean to local communities

Film-maker Shona Thomson knows that it takes a whole community to launch a lifeboat. To underline the deep connection that locals have with their lifeboat station, Shona wanted an immersive score that would do justice to the archive footage she was unearthing for her film: Launch! On The Sea With Scotland’s Lifeboats.

Acclaimed musicians - Jason Singh, Arun Ghosh, Jenny Sturgeon, and John Ellis - answered the call, taking inspiration from the power of the sea and the sounds and stories discovered in the RNLI’s collection. The resulting score is a 5.1 surround soundtrack designed specifically to be experienced at the cinema. And the resulting film - co-produced by Screen Argyll - has toured communities across Scotland. 

In this episode, Shona explains how the film - featuring footage that dates back as far as the 1920s - came together.

Watch the Launch! trailer

Or visit: https://www.akindofseeing.co.uk/projectsblog/launch

Listen to the full-length soundtrack on Spotify

Or search Spotify or Apple Music using: 'Launch! On The Sea'

Launch! will be showing at the Oban Phoenix Cinema on 9 March 2024.

To learn more about Shona’s work and contact her about screening Launch! in your community, visit:

www.akindofseeing.co.uk

Find out more about Screen Argyll at www.screenargyll.co.uk

200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   

Interview by Adventurous Audio

Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls   

The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200