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Our film wins top award

Started by: JR (524)

The short film I helped to make with Bolton Movie Makers has won a top award (best documentary) at this year’s British International Amateur Film Festival. It also won 2 other awards – The Diamond Award and Best Film by an Affiliated Club.
The film was shot at Angel Meadow in Manchester last year and focuses on the area’s dark past through to pending regeneration. I researched, wrote and presented the film, but credit goes to Ian Crowther who is a talented cameraman and filmmaker.

Angel Meadow

Started: 14th Nov 2020 at 16:10

Posted by: Axcroft (236)

JR just watched your documentary and found it most interesting, informative and thought provoking.  Congratulations on the awards.
 
I look forward to your future projects, which you have referred to in previous posts on WW, including your forthcoming book on Wigan history.

Replied: 15th Nov 2020 at 13:46

Posted by: JR (524)

Thanks Axcroft. There have been huge changes at Angel Meadow since we finished filming.
The progress on my book on Wigan’s history has been interrupted due to the fact that I need to spend a lot of time in libraries (reference section) and they are presently closed. I still have a lot of research to carry out, although I’ve written over 30,000 words so far. I’m presently up to the end of the Anglo-Saxon period.
As for filming, there is another fairly local documentary we made a couple of years ago at Rivington. If you type “youtube the ravine rivington” our film should be at the top of the list (there’s a picture of me on it).

Replied: 15th Nov 2020 at 16:29

Posted by: Axcroft (236)

I have seen it, JR, and really enjoyed it, all the more so because it's a place I have been going to for decades (I think it's a top quality production and deserves a bigger audience).  Before lockdown I did the walk to the Pike and had a good chat with a volunteer who was really grafting on restoring a footpath, and she gave me a great insight into what the project entailed. 

Replied: 15th Nov 2020 at 19:05

Posted by: JR (524)

I too have been going to Rivington since I was a youngster Axcroft. It's a magical place. I was privileged to be recommended as consultant on the Ravine plus the Japanese lake with its associated rockwork and grottos. Rivington Gardens Trust commissioned me to carry out a stage 1 assessment. It was very satisfying to work with conservation architects, ecologists, historians and of course the volunteers. Money was sourced from the Heritage Lottery Fund, but without the volunteers and Wigan's Groundwork it would have been a no-goer. It's sad that we lost the rhododendrons though; that was down to phytophthora disease. It doesn't affect the rhododendrons (they are just the carriers) but it spreads to oak trees which it kills. I think some of the character up there has been lost due to their removal, but at least we can now see the original layout of the estate in greater detail.

Replied: 16th Nov 2020 at 10:31

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

"without the volunteers and Wigan's Groundwork it would have been a no-goer."

It's not "Wigan's" groundwork.

Replied: 16th Nov 2020 at 19:23

Posted by: JR (524)

You're right tonker. It's Groundwork North West, the office is in Wigan from where it was organised.

Replied: 16th Nov 2020 at 19:51

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

It's Groundwork Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside, actually!

Replied: 16th Nov 2020 at 20:56

Posted by: JR (524)

Yes indeed tonker, but I refer to it as NW because they have left Gt Manchester out of the title. Unless of course they class Wigan as being in Lancs (as I still do).
I also forgot to mention United Utilities who own the land and were very helpful.

Replied: 17th Nov 2020 at 08:31
Last edited by JR: 17th Nov 2020 at 12:23:56

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

United Utilities don't own the land.

Replied: 17th Nov 2020 at 20:57

Posted by: JR (524)

Tonker, United Utilities do own the land and is confirmed by Groundwork, United Utilities, Rivington Heritage Trust, Visitnorthwest.com, company record check and other sources. Before we began work we all had to be interviewed at the United Utilities offices and submit our risk assessments and method statements to them before we were allowed to work. I still have my permit to work issued by UU.
You may be thinking of the pike tower structure which is still owned by Chorley Council.

Replied: 18th Nov 2020 at 10:49

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

It's government estate.

Replied: 18th Nov 2020 at 13:55

Posted by: Platty (2107)

Tonker - is it leasehold or freehold from the crown? United Utilities is a private company, so presumably you mean leasehold. How long do you think the lease is for?

Replied: 21st Nov 2020 at 18:19

Posted by: JR (524)

I'm solely going off my permit to work on UU land issued by United Utilities. But I accept that there may be some legal terminology that suggests otherwise.

Replied: 21st Nov 2020 at 19:10

 

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