Swap cine film and memories for cake!
Open Day with Vintage Tea Rooms and Free Cake
10th May 1.30 – 4.30pm Jubilee House, Madeley
Past Lives Project wants your cine film and memories of Ironbridge, Madeley and surrounding areas. Films of weddings, birthdays, families, anything that reflects everyday life in the region from the 20th century, is needed to help to create a new film that captures and shares this rich heritage. You are invited to bring along your films, photos and memories to Jubilee House in Madeley on Saturday, 10th May between 1.30 and 4.30pm and swap them for free cake in the pop-up Vintage Reminiscence Café.
During the event FreeFall Arts (the team behind Past Lives Project) will offer the opportunity to scan local old photographs, share memories and view cine film on a vintage device called a Moviscop. The Moviscop allows cine film to be viewed without damaging the footage, as recommended by the Media Archive for Central England (MACE).
Cine footage, if stored in warm conditions like lofts or cupboards, will deteriorate rapidly and archivists estimate that if not digitised soon, much of this footage will be unviewable and completely ruined within 10 years.
Past Lives Project is a touring project partnered with archives across the Midlands to ensure that digitised local movies, photos and oral history gathered through the project will stay publicly accessible and preserved for future generations, and to encourage people interested in heritage to connect to their local, regional and national archives.
The cine film, photos and memories gathered throughout the project are leading up to a grand finale later in the year, when a new film will be edited from the home movies, with a new soundtrack, to be performed live, created by international musicians working with the local community. Past Lives Project are working with Ironbridge Gorge Museums and will be running events and activities over the coming months to get local residents involved in sharing heritage.
Last weekend the project took part in a Madeley History Group event. Debbie Cooper one of the project coordinators says, “It was wonderful to be part of the event, so many people in the region are really excited and proud of their local heritage, we learnt so much about Madeley and surrounding areas and everyone has been really supportive of the project. We’ve also got some exciting leads on local cine film footage we’re hoping to be able to share some of this at the open day.”
With funding from the Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project is able to offer free digitisation to donated cine films showing everyday lives and interesting moments of Ironbridge, Telford and surrounding areas.
There will be film workshops over the summer run by Anthony Hatton the editor behind the original Past Lives Film and music workshops run by Dave Sturt, one of the musicians and composers behind the live soundtrack.
Join in by attending the free Reminiscence Vintage Cafe Open Day on 10th May, 1.30-4.30pm Jubilee House, Madeley.
If you have cine films, photos, memories or music relating to the region or you would like to get involved you can contact them on info@pastlivesproject.com or fill out the form on their website Click Here
