Scottish Filmmaking Hall of Fame
From The Archives...April 2016
As we are all aware, Scotland's film-making contributions and film industry are usually discussed in the press in fairly lacklustre terms. And usually with a high dose of negativity, anger and despondence. This post is not intended to start a discussion on the current state or very much needed changes required for growth - these conversations are currently happening elsewhere. Instead we just wanted to take a rare moment to shine a light on the very significant contributions that have been made to film and TV by those born or based here. Perhaps acknowledging these contributions from time to time will help inspire us all.
It should also be pointed out that this list is not intended to be like The Scottish Wall of Fame in 'So I Married an Axe Murderer' or purposely parochial. Every region, city or country throughout the world is full of creative people waiting to be given a chance. TF's intentions are to work with people like that in our own area, who are looking to develop things on their own; do things differently or are just tired of waiting and just want to 'do'. And we want to engage with similar people in their own areas too, wherever that is. Don't be afraid to trust a hippie. Here's the list, in no particular order and with likely many important people missed: William Kennedy Dickson – Invented the movie camera for Edison James Williamson – Pioneer of the 'close-up' and temporal continuity between scenes Margaret Turnbull – Pioneering feature film screenwriter John Logie Baird – Famously one of the independent co-inventors of Television (albeit a deranged mechanical form), the video recorder, colour TV and the first ever television broadcast John Grierson – Coined the term 'documentary' as well as being very important in the development of documentary James Clerk Maxwell – Inventor of colour photography, as well as 3D (in the photographic sense, obviously. If he invented the 3D world that would be an incredible achievement) Norman McLaren – Important figure in the development of Experimental Filmmaking John Maxwell – Producer and founder of British International Pictures., one of the first major studios outside of the US. Jessie Mann – World's first female photographer. David Brewster – Father of modern lens optics. William Thomson – The Kelvin Unit, used to measure colour temperature in film and photography. Robin Crichton – The Scottish Film Industry.
