The Shetland Moving Image Archive, Shetland Arts Development Agency and the Shetland Heritage Association are delighted to be taking part in the cultural programme surrounding the Commonwealth Games. The three organisations are working together to commission a series of films to be screened from 19th to 25th July on the Tall Ship “Glenlee”, at Riverside in Glasgow. This approach will tie in with the connections between Shetland, Glasgow and the Commonwealth countries.
Glasgow was once the seat of shipbuilding, and many of the ships built on the Clyde took Shetlanders all over the world, many to Commonwealth Countries. Men returned to Shetland with exciting tales and wondrous artefacts and some of these artefacts are held by heritage groups around Shetland. The Ebb Tide project, which has attracted £31k from the organisers of the Commonwealth Games, will bring contemporary films on a selection of stories and artefacts back to Glasgow.
The project sets out to use old stories of far travelled folk to inspire new film making. A commissioning brief for local film makers will be developed by Shetland Arts to create a number of contemporary short film; these will be creative pieces of film-making, inspired by stories, journeys, imagery and artefacts. Get involved and read the full Project Brief here.
During the Commonwealth Games, the films will be shown on board The Tall Ship, which is berthed next to the Riverside Museum in Glasgow. The short films will be shown in between live broadcasts of sporting events, on big screens throughout Glasgow.
The opportunity to create a contemporary piece of moving image artwork for an international audience is a rare professional opportunity to be offered to local film makers. It is hoped that the films they make will inspire new film makers of the future. No-one could disagree that Shetland punches its above its weight in the music stakes. Recent evidence suggests that our film makers have similarly lofty ambitions, which is exciting and should be encouraged and supported.
The project is already gaining media attention and according to the Scotsman, is one of the top ten of Cultural Must-Sees of the Commonwealth Games
Joanne Jamieson of the Shetland Moving Image Archive Group said: "The Commonwealth Games 2014 Cultural Programme has a high-quality and wide ranging programme of world-class events scheduled across Glasgow and Scotland. The opportunity for local film makers to be included in that programme is testament to the developing creative and digital talents evident here in Shetland."
Pat Christie, Chair of the Shetland Heritage Association said: “Shetland Heritage Association is delighted that the Shetland Moving Image Archive have gained this award of funds towards what is a very exciting and unique project. We are also delighted to be involved in linking and pointing other members of our organisation towards the Shetland Moving Image Archive in order that they can contribute by finding stories and memorabilia of travellers to far flung places who inevitably brought back souvenirs of all sorts. We would encourage folk to think of any stories they know of as they could well be adapted to make new short films that will in turn become the archives of the future.”
Clair Aldington, Visual Arts Development Officer at Shetland Arts said: "Shetland Arts is proud to be part of this exciting project commissioning, promoting and supporting local film makers, and building on the local talent that is evident in events such as the annual Screen Play film festival. The Ebb Tide project provides an excellent professional opportunity for the work of Shetland based film makers to be showcased at an international event and seen by tens of thousands of people.”
