Films

We worked with 5 filmmakers to create this set of wonderful short films exploring different aspects of the Living Memory Project.

Holly Wilkinson takes a look back at the Living Memory Project. The film asks participants and collection holders to share their experiences of participating on the project while taking a peek at some of our activities over the last 3 years.

Lauren Hatchard and Olivia James made two beautifully crafted films, their first is the magical Love By Chance which beautifully captures part of the life story of Gary and Dorothy Watton alongside some of their photographs. Their second is Raised by Canals is a rich story of the Will King photography collection as told by his daughter Ruth. Lauren then went on to produce They Said I Was a Muslim which combines animation, sound and still images to tell the powerful story of Emaan Syed.

Keith Bloomfield from Reel Access worked with poet Brendan Hawthorne to make the fabulous From Blue Bricks to Blue Plaque with staff and pupils from Joseph Turner Primary School, Tipton.

Our own team also produced two short vignettes with Keith Hodgkins and Ruth Collins in conversation about their own collections.

The Living Memory Project Fiilm

This new film by Holly Wilkinson takes a look back at the Living Memory Project. The film asks participants and collection holders to share their experiences of participating on the project while taking a peek at some of our activities over the last 3 years.

They Said I Was A Muslim

A beautifully illustrated retelling of Emaan Syed's fascinating journey of self-discovery, looking back at old family photos and mapping out the path from childhood that lead to finding her identity as the strong Muslim woman she is today.
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A film by Lauren Hatchard commissioned by the Living Memory Project.

Raised by Canals

Raised by Canals chronicles the life and memories of Ruth Collins, who was born in a toll house in 1939. Her story is intertwined with the iconic black and white images of canals from the photography collection created by her father Will King between 1930 and 1960.  Read more..

A film by Lauren Hatchard and Olivia James commissioned by the Living Memory Project.

Love By Chance

Love by Chance tells the endearing story of Gary and Dorothy Watton who met at Chances Bros Ltd in Smethwick in 1956. Read more..

A film by Lauren Hatchard and Olivia James commissioned by the Living Memory Project.

Blue Bricks to Blue Plaque

Blue Bricks to Blue Plaque is s a school-based project led by local poet and performer Brendan Hawthorne and filmmaker Keith Bloomfield, to creatively explore and respond to a selection of photographs from the Keith Hodgkins archive. 

Ruth Collins

Ruth is the keeper of her father's extensive canal photographs that he made while working as Lock Keeper from 1936 to 1960. We will be sharing a wide selection of his work in the collections section, and also making a special film with Ruth talking about photographs from her own life.  In this vignette Ruth talks about her father and why he made his collection. She also talks about her wedding day which involved a trip along the canal in her full wedding dress.

Keith Hodgkins

In this vignette Keith talks about one of his favourite photographs and takes the opportunity to reflect upon some important changes to the industrial and urban landscape of the Black Country. You can see more material from Keith’s archive in the collections section.

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