 |
Press Releases
The City Speaks: a film for Radio 4
|
- Artist film-makers and dramatists combine their talents for the first multiplatform drama via Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio, online and red button television
Ìý
Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4 and Film London present a new and innovative way to "watch" radio drama with The City Speaks – A Film For Radio.
Ìý
The series of six short radio plays has been inspired by a scenario produced by writer Peter Ackroyd.
Ìý
Six artist film-maker and writer teams have collaborated to create the 14-minute films from Ackroyd's narrative, to be heard in Radio 4's Afternoon Play slot between 2.15 and 3.00pm on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 March 2008.
Ìý
On both days, listeners can also watch the stories unfold with a simultaneous "red button" screening of each of the tales, or watch on-demand on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Film Network website. The City Speaks is a visual and narrative feast celebrating London as a great cosmopolitan city.
Ìý
Ackroyd's opening introduces Virgin Day, in which an old parchment is discovered in the ancient church of Saint Mildred in Bread Street. It describes an apparition in the church of the Virgin Mary who had given a promise to appear again in a thousand years if the people of London retain their faith in her and follow the teachings of her son.
Ìý
The stories developed by the creative teams range from humorous to highly emotional, from heart-warming to the frankly bizarre, including a depiction of Canary Wharf which resembles the Emerald City in the Wizard Of Oz, voodoo goddesses who wander the streets of East London casting evil before them as they go, and a tube station that exists beneath the capital, but does not appear on any map.
Ìý
The creative teams who took up the challenge are:
Ìý
- Alnoor Dewshi and Lin Coghlan for Pushing
- Joe King, Rosie Pedlow and Mike Walker for I Am Not You Are Not Me
- Inge Blackman and Mark Norfolk for Broken Chain
- Esther Johnson and Mehrdad Seyf for YALDA
- William Raban and Alison Joseph for Ayshe's Tale
- Sam Brady and Nick Warburton for Make Your Way
Ìý
They were assisted on their projects by composer David Pickvance, Ö÷²¥´óÐã sound designers and Film London's production department.
Ìý
Maggie Ellis, Head of Production at Film London, says: "The City Speaks is a unique co-production which has brought together amazing writing talent with beautiful and imaginative filmmaking.
Ìý
"Radio 4 listeners who press the red button will be delighted and surprised by the look of the two Afternoon Plays and for Film London it has been a real joy to work on a project that pairs one of the oldest technologies with one of the youngest to such great effect."
Ìý
Jeremy Howe, Commissioning Editor for Radio 4, says: "Pairing the best writers working in sound and words with the most visual non-narrative film-makers has sparked a most extraordinary creative synergy.
Ìý
"The City Speaks has been such an exciting collaboration – a partnership that Radio 4 hopes will flourish. It has given the network's drama a unique and original dimension."
Ìý
The works will also be premiered on Monday 10 March in a feature length presentation at the BFI National Film Theatre on London's Southbank.
Ìý
Notes to Editors
Ìý
- To watch the plays through the red button facility, listeners can press red from Ö÷²¥´óÐã One and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Two on digital television, or from Radio 4 on Freeview and Virgin only. The films will be available on demand on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Film Network at bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork.
- Peter Ackroyd's introduction to The City Speaks: "The affair which became known as the Virgin Day began with the discovery of a parchment of great age in the ancient church of Saint Mildred in Bread Street. It described an apparition in the Lady Chapel of the medieval church, no less than a visitation by the Virgin Mary herself. She had not only appeared; she had spoken. 'If the people of London retain their faith in me, and follow the precepts of my sacred Son, then I will appear again in a thousand years'. And so began the fervor of Virgin Day. The day before the promised appearance of the Virgin, people from all over London and beyond made their way towards the little church in Bread Street..."
- Find out more information about this unique collaboration of radio, drama and film on bbc.co.uk/radio4.
- Find out more about how the Ö÷²¥´óÐã collaborates with film-makers across the UK at Ö÷²¥´óÐã Film Network: bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork.
- The Film London Artists' Moving Image Network (FLAMIN) supports London-based artists working in moving image – whether film, digital video, new technologies – for exhibition and distribution across a variety of platforms. The network helps artists engage with and benefit from the wide range of services, resources and opportunities that the capital has to offer.
- Arts Council support for this project: Film London Artists' Moving Image Network was awarded £98,838 in 2007 towards The City Speaks, through Arts Council England's Grants for the Arts scheme. The project development was supported through a research grant from Arts Council England Broadcast Department in 2006.
- Film London is the capital's film and media agency. Film London sustains, promotes and develops London as a major international film-making and film cultural capital. This includes all the screen industries based in London – film, television, video, commercials and new interactive media. Film London is supported by the UK Film Council and the London Development Agency. Film London also receives significant support from Arts Council England London, the European Regional Development Fund, the Mayor of London and Skillset.
Ìý
SD/VW
Ìý
|
Printable version