MA Evaluation of the Practical Project Jan 2012

REPRESENTING RESISTANCE: PERFORMING RESISTANCE
REALWORLD CONTEXT & Relevance:

Whilst working on evaluation of the practical research, part of the over arching theme of representing resistance: performing resistance, I have also been updating and developing the documentary production. So this written evaluation is in 3 parts, a written report, an updated work in progress of the documentary and part of the Q & A after a screening.

The subject of political representation, which the 47 projects re-raise, and what are the potential alternatives to capitalism, is very current. Last week the General Sec of Unite, challenged the labour leadership over its over move to the right and acceptance of the need for ‘austerity’. Unite’s national policy is against all cuts and is one of the largest funders of the Labour Party.

Returning to the Liverpool location, with labour council cuts of £141 million over two years, a raging debate on what the council is doing and what impact that is having continues. "If Labour is saying it will continue with the same policies [as the coalition], why would you vote for them?

This weekend sees a newly formed coalition of Trade Unisons and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) meet in London to discuss standing in elections with trades unions such as the RMT and POA seriously considering fielding candidates.

The timely nature of this project does add more pressure on its development and completion. Overall this practical project is behind, in terms of deadlines, behind in terms of gathering and analyzing the research and the necessary academic process that could take the bridge from the practical project to a dissertation, whatever form that is. Question to self: Step up or Step back in the coming weeks?

PROJECT Method & Practice:
This MA has been an important step to develop a layered audiovisual project on the relevance of the 'Liverpool 47', surcharged councilors in local government office between 1983- 1987. It is a joint project with a long-term collaborator, Lisa Lonsdale, who had suggested it back in 2006. Her main role has been as editor.

This whole project challenges the idea any created medium is objective and that objectively and fair distribution representing a variety of perspectives and stories is balanced across the media. I will refer to this more in terms of how I tried get screening I Liverpool and also marketing support.

The overall methodological process fits within the Action Research model as described by Whisker (256: 2001) “ an opportunity to try out an idea...to assess and evaluate effects. then move to apply it further” it also fits a collaborative & reflective method of working which requires “working with other people to discuss, plan, test, retry, ensure validity”. (Whisker: 256: 2001).

The methods and process are part of a multi-layered approach that is hugely time consuming but for me, each medium with which I work, or process, another overlaps, expands, develops and contributes. No one idea, or process is sufficient. This is continually expressed in how I am marked within this MA. In May 2011 I gave in 3 pieces as my practical production, including a 40-minute documentary style project - skeleton verbal narrative, a 2000 word document to explore where the project was, aesthetics, collaborative challenges and debates, plus a recording of an hour presentation and feedback event for Cultural Memory students. Each part of the process is important to the work, methods, my learning style and project development.

However, looking back I spent several weeks in the digital gallery on two occasions and had not requested I be marked on that as part of the practical manifestation of the research, nor images I had created in the period of the MA which I had used & continue to use. Why? Perhaps my ongoing self-consciousness about being some kind of 'artist' meant that I didn't feel I could or should be marked in that way.

Almost to challenge this I will reflect on a picture which I think expresses this project and themes and still speaks to others and me one year after it was taken (Front Cover of this evaluation). A question arises, maybe one image, was all that was needed? And it was a lack of confidence and editing ability to strip down the essence of the work, which alone was able to open up a discussion, engage in debate around the struggles against cuts that have been ongoing.

The picture has been read as a reflection to the student occupations, as mass mediated images of the taking over Millbank by those attending the gallery and in discussions. It can, and has been, read externally by others as referring to the riots and the damage to property, which was again the main focus of mass media representation and discussion. The image, for me, also speaks of the internal and external crisis of capitalism, and the shattering of illusions that over and over again exposed themselves in small and larger scale ways. It is now placed inside the film as one interviewee talks about what made her get involved and the shame of being unemployed, being broken.

In a book written about the Liverpool 47 campaign, ‘The City that dared to fight’, refers to Trotsky writings, on the Russian Revolution and 'great months of slander'. As a reference to the way in which the mainstream and local media represented the campaign. "When it comes to a threat against their material interests, the educated classes set in motion all the prejudices and confusions which humanity is dragging in its wagon train behind it. " (Trotsky: 322: 1988). With this practice model of creating a project, which also had a Trotskiest political leadership within the 47 councilors, how much of this is applicable now? And particularly with new technologies which I heavy rely upon for research, production and research.

Between May and December last year, in the evaluation period the documentary project was further reviewed using some of the feedback we had gained. We needed more relevance of today, more archives of the mainstream press, evidence, local cutaways and general ‘movement’. All of which most mainstream campaign or campaign documentaries include but without them, it could easily be read as 6 individuals looking back a small event. The mainstream media archive material added credibility to the arguments that the tools of the state, as Marxists and Trotsky refers to, were used against a Labour council challenging the ideas of Capitalism.

I returned to Liverpool in August, to access some archives around the project that had been provided to Liverpool Libraries by a group of the Liverpool 47 councilors and supporters several years ago. These archives were still not publicly accessible or had been categorized and I had been in touch for over a year to request access. This again expressed questions around who puts this material in the public domain.

I also met several of the participants, one reminded me of the fact this city had a one off event called "CITY OF RADICALS' (CoR) and the Liverpool 47 were not featured or programmed within that. For the ‘Liverpool 47’ and those who supported them, this was another example of how that struggle was not recognized, suppressed or represented. It was an important opportunity to test out the idea of whether the 47 campaigns were being consciously hidden.

From this I contacted CoR via their website and despite several emails over 9 weeks I got no reply. I finally got a reply from the Artistic director of the Bluecoat who were the main organizers of the festival, forwarding one of the first emails and asked how work was programmed and why my email had not been responded to. (APPENDIX 1) I was told it was a self-selecting program and no one was being censored. However I am aware several elements such as the ‘Democratic Promenade’ had artists chosen, funded and marketed – Is this really a democratic model of curation and distribution of ideas?

Over the same period I contacted several organizations including Unity Theatre and FACT to hire or access screening and discussion space. Only Unity got back in touch, and that was in largely to do with a past connection with a member of staff and it was still a paid hire so unlike many of the other CoR events. Representing and Performing Resistance on the 47 was not on a level footing with other projects.

It then took several emails (and conversations) to get the project information onto the CoR website and finally via their social networking sites including twitter. So whatever is said about a democratic, self-selecting project, without the same financial resources as other works had and without significant promotion, representing and exploring controversial working class history was again going to be bubble beneath the surface. For those involved in the 47 that I had been in touch with, they were extremely pleased that something, however small and however late, was on this program, was acknowledging that struggle.

As I had some years online marketing experience, I made some use of the CoR website link via emails, Twitter and Facebook. Through past relationships (which I would argue has assisted throughout this project from participant access through to venues) Sheffield Documentary Festival & the Trade Union & Socialist Campaign re-tweeted information, both with significant followings. Attendance was important but raising the profile of the 47 and the an alternative to cuts was paramount to me. CoR finally did add something to their social networking sites but only in the last 24 hours prior to screening and after emails expressing concern about why this project was not given the profile via project marketing that other pieces had. (APPENDIX 2)

Space and impact (& possibility) I added some props to the space. So visitors could feel and see some more layers to the work. One of the interviewees had a t-pot of Thatcher and was encouraged to allow it out and give it a place on set. Books from other participants and papers were added, a clock with one of the children of an interviewee born in the midst of the campaign was hung up and recent campaign t-shirts. It was commented upon by several attendees that that worked and made sense to them to have them there.

Some FEEDBACK from the screening itself - 49 paid attendees came to the theatre screening, several apologies by text and some people could not get away from work.

1. Discussion recorded at screening after November screening:
This was mainly a discussion about what was happening now and some elements about what happened then and some small film specific feedback. Most of the film participants were on the platform, bar one who was sick and could not attend and another who was the most uncomfortable appearing on screen, though she did contribute from where she was seated twice, developing confidence building and understanding of her role in the struggles past. (Fuller Comments in APPENDIX 3)

Further responses after the work in progress Screening on 17th November 2011 In the pub 10.20-1am - I should have arranged for all those who wanted to go, to go to the same pub, in a city so small we ended up in 4 different pubs and some of the newer people to the event were not at the pub I went to. (APPENDIX 3.2)

2. Emails from audience attendees that I did not know - I have chosen those as that gives some sense of wider audience engagement, this expressed an interest, some critical comments on imagery and also that it had inspired them. (APPENDIX 3.3)

3. More: I also got a text from one of 47 councilors "Thank you for a thoughtful and beautiful film& I am re- inspired', so much so she also offered to bring round some additional material and information the following day. Material from 'not the echo' the local campaign magazine about race and Liverpool, also who else could be interviewed about city council and socialism.

I did email all participants a questionnaire about the project and sadly no one responded to that, to other conversations and stating they were interested in its development. I will need to call or meet them, which seem to be the most effective way to gain feedback and create engagement.

4.Since then I have been challenged by political representatives over who is in it and who interviewed. This will just be the start of a challenging defense of the project, that I also have to prepare for inside and outside of academia.

Project ETHICS specifically representation: Class & Gender
Working class representation has been key within this project, not generally but how have working class people in a period of time taken charge political leadership with a socialist programe and what that meant. The recent examples of demonizing the working class, part manifested through the use of 'chavs' and those deserving and undeserving 'poor' is more than just play, it expresses an ideological intention to show a grouping, however loose, however contested, as incapable of functioning in society properly, least of all taking it over! This was in contrast to bankers taking bonuses and gaining huge pensions despite causing the recent economic crisis. Within this article there is reference to a report within The Telegraph, "Many people have use chav as a smoke screen for their hatred of the working classes' he goes onto to argue this is used to justify inequality (Douglas: 2011: 18).

I consciously and practically ensured that women were within this piece, noting that if I had left it to just those who were keen to speak, that would have mainly been men but is it enough? Does it really make any difference in how women see themselves, working class women and what influence could and does that make on any struggle or campaign? This is still to be fully extracted from the participants.

Even at the post screening discussion it was men who were clearly more confident at speaking publicly so I worked hard to engage those from the floor more quickly so they did not just hear from those who had practice at contributing in a public space.

There is an ongoing need I have, to understand some basic and more complex concepts of editing and spatial montage, and though the project has a few moments where it could be said that the work displays this, the exhibition format manifested this more strongly. The updated version shown in Liverpool in Nov 2011, had more split screen work, much of it was more of the show and tell, based visualization of the story but using archive material such as legal documents and media articles to evidence and express the factors that were within this debate and have also influenced why this project has been created - to re- raise a invisible struggle against thatcher ideology. There is also some shots just allowing music and some words and names of those involved there, to give space and time for work to be considered so its not a bombardment of idea and argument after argument. There is huge amounts of work and consideration needed on the graphics and sound too.

As it was decided to use documentary as more accessible than a gallery project for audience access and diversity what was missing by not providing actual objects re-assembled, collected and added to day by day? Installation allowed for evolving, engaging, developing conversations and tactile layers.

WHAT NEXT? Documentary or MA dissertation or can one be both?

The Documentary needs more moving image material past and present, Archives from mainstream TV which have a huge cost implication if to be distributed, distribution strategy and marketing support, another editor, sound mix, fundraising strategy such as what is used in the trade union and campaign movement, which Mclibel – Spanner films now call ‘crowd funding’. This is almost a full time project, if I move forward with it but it will be limited, rushed and basic. So perhaps it’s a chapter, and other could be around housing and the current housing crisis and the 47.

The question also is what will take for me to complete this MA? How to critically analyze the use of social networks to debate and develop discussions around the Liverpool 47, and more wider discussions around a new workers party and socialist ideas. Or what difference can a film make? Can a film make a difference?


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Douglas: K 'Writing off the working class?' (2011) In Socialism Today Issue 153 : Socialist Party: London
‘How Ed Miliband's cuts policy is dividing Labour's heartlands’

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/20/miliband-labour-cuts-liverpool-reaction?newsfeed=true (Booth, R) 20.1.2012
‘Labour’s embrace of austerity fails working people and their party’

http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/labour_s_embrace_of_austerity.aspx Unite Press Release (16.1.2012)

Taafe, P & Mulhern T (1988) 'The months of great slander' in 'Liverpool City that dared to fight' Fortress books, London
The Postgraduate Research Handbook, G Whisker Macmillan 2011

‘What can Grounded Theorists and action researchers learn from each other?’ Bob Dick in ‘The sage book of grounded theory’ A Bryant, K Charmaz (SAGE)

Thain, M (2011) Art Mass Production’ Manny Thain in 'Socialism Today' Issue No. 153 Socialist Party, London
Williams, G (2011) Shafted: The Media, The miners Strike & the aftermath () Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
ORAL - in Person, observations and discussions. Ongoing process of attending meetings of trade unionists, anti cuts campaigners, socialists 2-6 times a week that are part of the huge and ongoing oral process of exchanging ideas and develop process. I could not begin to name and note which ones have influenced this work but the combination of them all and the ongoing need for collective discussions and actions to make change. There have also been huge amounts of industrial actions from picket lines through to wildcat strikes and roadblocks instigated. All of these actively feed into this, here and now. 





APPENDIX 1.
Correspondence with City of Radicals Director







APPENDIX 2

Another Email Request for City of Radicals to market the film


APPENDIX 3
Summary Feedback at he Q & A (recorded)

One young woman whose parents were involved said it inspired her, but that she also would be willing to help in whatever what that was to develop and distribute the project.

Another representative of the Free University in Liverpool - said it was moving - they could do to assist in it being screened and distributed.

Several remarked on the role of the media in not presenting the struggle audience member asked how we were dealing with the media.

One person asked for more moving image and images of the achievements.

2. Conversations as feedback
One woman said it had inspired her as much as seeing a Michael Moores film - she had no time but was willing to contribute money.

- Another Felt that the work did not go into the controversial side about the redundancy notices, Sam bond and role of militant in the leadership. Felt it was propaganda for the Socialist party (formerly militant). Wanted to collaborate on project but on the basis of those elements being at the fore. This person is a well-established photographer who has profile and standing and could do this alone.

- Several reflected on the timely nature of the project and getting it screened in more places.
Requested watching the project and how to share this was by 3 under 25's via Twitter, noting the use of social networks to engage a new generation. One other who also had an interest but wasn't able to attend.

3. Emails feedback from unknown audience
" are you planning to interview any more of the 47?á … would have liked to have seen some of the houses that were built …to hear from people who live or lived in them, or were involved in the planning meetings. A One (very minor) where there was a lot of text I found that I was trying to read it and to listen at the same time, so I missed both.á But that's very minor.á Other than that I thought it was great..Do you plan to do any more screenings any time soon? " (GW by email 18.11.2011)

"I was thinking about financing support for completing the film … Heritage Lottery Fund as they are quite into supporting oral history projects which this film definitely could fall under& Obviously the film has a great relevance for our time, but that is another plus in terms of what they might support. " (B from TT 21.11.2011)

"Thanks a lot for sharing your fantastic project last night. I really enjoyed watching your film. It is informative, passionate and humorous. And it inspires me with hope."

The talk was an interesting experience for me. It was like a volcanic eruption of political passion, inspiring at the same time as intensely overwhelming If you wanted to show at the Occupy Tent City University, just go to their website and sign up or write them an e-mail http://tentcityuniversity.occupylsx.org/?page_id=6 I think, it would be of great interest to them." (BJ; 19.11.2011)

Report handed in June - work in progress

Something I have been up to..

This was the report I handed in with a work in progress of the 47 and audio recording of a presentation to cultural memory students.



INTRODUCTION
In producing and developing my production element of the MA I have continued to tackle issues of form, content, context and audience. The project aims to explore and expose the relevance of the Liverpool 47 surcharged councillors (1983-1987) on today, though other areas of conflict, investigation and interrogation do surface and layered within this. The video is a collaborative effort with Lisa Lonsdale who I met in Liverpool in 1987, a student, activist and then ongoing theatre collaborator. We both work better with at least one other person; it gives ongoing guidance, skills sharing, reflection and energy. Lisa was 8 & half months pregnant when we shot the majority of the interviews.

This report accompanies a 46-minute video work in progress, the first 21 minutes includes some visual work apart from the interviewees, there is much more to do. There is also a full audio recording of a presentation and discussion within the Digital Gallery with Cultural memory students & a 26 second shot of students watching the work. The latter process is part of my desire to engage in discussion and consider feedback around the work. It also pushes me to expose myself, as that is also a personal challenge. I was aware this huge piece of controversial working class history, was going to be an enormous project, and not one that could be completed for this MA. However this MA has given me the opportunity to begin this with an ongoing experimentation of forms, whilst also considering the ideological debates around objectivity, purpose of art, relationships between artefacts, content, context and audiences.


OBJECTIVITY
In a book written at the time ‘Liverpool a city that dared to fight’, Mulhern & Taaffe (1987:Preface) reflect on how and why they have created a book that intended not to narrate the period but bring to the surface the process that were rarely expressed. It does not intend to be what is often referred to as an objective work, which denies editorial construction & commercial context.

In the same spirit, but with different mediums, I too acknowledge there is no attempt to play at balancing arguments. However there are responses to the period and to the mediation of the struggle clearly within the work, if it were not for that mainstream mediation and ban from office for the 47, the subject is unlikely to have been chose and needed to be re-aired in such a way. Several interviewees reflect on the media representations. I have chosen to produce an audio visual work as I better engage and express ideas in those medium as well as playing with written words into sound, images, process.

PURPOSE
In Orwell’s ‘Why I write’ (1984 p21), he argues that he wrote, not to “produce some kind of work of art but, “because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention … but I could not do the work. If it were not an aesthetic experience” (Orwell: 1984:8). He uses ‘Homage to Catalonia’, as an example ‘it contains a long chapter, full of newspaper quotations. Defending trotskyists who were accused of plotting with Franco.” (Orwell: 1984:8) Challenged for this chapter his response was, “I happened to know, what very few people in England know, what very few people were allowed to know…If I had not been angry about that I should have never written the book’. (Orwell:1984:8)

The need to draw attention to a past or lie, also expresses itself within the exhibition, ‘News International Wapping – 25 Years on: The workers story’. It is also within the same period of Liverpool 47 and relates to job cuts and trade union rights but also the concentration of media by one person and the potential impact on public memory and opinion. (APPENDIX 1)

FORM
The form of the project chosen, documentary, was one potential medium that could be more accessible to a wider audience than a nonfiction book or an installation. Though the space, experience of movement, opportunity to converse in the installation environment that I had created was important element of ‘liveness’ and interactivity.

This ‘documentary’ follows some conventions of a traditional documentary, with head and shoulder shots. However they are always on screen, those who narrate are never hidden, showing the constructive nature of the work. There is also the opportunity to look at each of them, their visual expressions and see a little of whom they are. Allowing the viewers time to see them, like the time given on screen to begin to represent and explore their part in the dispute with the Tory government, and later the Leadership of the labour party and others. It has become a repeated motif within the film, boxed, screened, somewhat contained because of the medium, the history, the ongoing challenge of providing an audience with so much information and maintain interest.

The expectations of how a documentary is constructed and delivered is steeped within the development of documentary form which has unhealthy links to observing ‘subjects’ as victims and some voyeurism, despite attempts to develop the form and sub categories within it. If I called this an artist documentary, would the piece then become acceptable as it stands? Why so? What does calling something an’ Artist’ work allow for and why?

Looking through some of the identified categories of documentary, which Nicholas B discusses (2001 pg 121), there are elements of the work and process that could be considered as ‘participative’ with an ongoing engagement in space, interviewees, access & contents. With the use of a formal interview process, to create different accounts of one story & aim to explore ‘our’ history not ‘a’ history. There is a strong intention of ‘expository’ documentary that aims to access memory and representations that are not in the mass media or archives. It also contains a huge amount of the ‘reflexive’ style, drawing ‘our attention to our assumptions and expectations about what documentary form itself…(&) world around us’. (Nichols: 2001:121)

REPRESENTATIONS & IDENTITY
Those taking part are mainly female; this was another key aim to create a project that better reflected those involved. Making the invisible, visible. The characters are mainly working class backgrounds, with none of usual business, academic, paid experts to the subject brought in to comment. I have chosen ‘experts’ as those who took part in the struggle. The intention was to expose how many working class people took control of their lives and began to create a world which could better provide for them and the wider society, one based on need.

Woodward K (1997 pg14) suggests that, ‘Representations produce meanings through which we can make sense of our experiences…and create possibilities of what we are and what we become”. Though I agree with the first part, I could not say that this work, or several cultural products alone could be the sole influencing factor on believing a set of ideas or a media product. It could be how their pensions are being cut or the proposed NHS cuts. Often material conditions or changes have the biggest influence, though not solely.

Woodward further suggests ‘representation’ as a key area of study and consideration, came to the fore after ‘ideologies’ were moved away from in the late 1970’s; a question arises, is that due the Tories winning the election under Thatcher at the same time the collapse of Communism (Stalinism) in East Germany and the move rightwards of the Labour Party? Did academics, along with huge swathes of the population and particularly politicians feel that socialism was not a solution? Or that economic determinism, which was often preached without a dialectical relationship to complex ideas and experiences by some Marxists, was thus an insufficient theoretical tools to analyse and make use of in these circumstances? Perhaps.

COLLABERATION
To add further visual layers, we requested photographs from Dave Sinclair who was one of the few photographers of the time who had access to most of the events and people. Dave is a paid photographer but has given us access to a huge archive of photographs and his personal memories around them, for no cost. It would have cost around £80 per shot for 5-second usage (£1000 approximately for us). I have offered to do work in lieu for him but he has declined, for him and his beliefs this collection need to be shared more widely. His online collection assisted in us accessing his work and making choices as well as displaying this in the installations. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_sinclair_liverpool_photos/sets/72157603820320816/)

The texture, layers and composition of his work add hugely to the piece both in terms of aesthetics but also integrity of someone there. They are black and white and that feature very much encourages the audience into looking back. They also begin to show who else was involved at the time, which was a much wider grouping of people than those interviewed, or those who were councillors and that is hugely important as it is also about the representation of the participation and democratisation of the city & wider movement in that period.

In addition to the photographs from Dave Sinclair, I approached Suzanne Muna, a housing trade unionist & socialist, who was also suspended by Unison nationally for a cartoon leaflet she created for a conference which was challenging the leadership for not allowing some resolutions onto the agenda for conference to hear and debate. Suzanne is also an artist, though decided many years ago not to be paid for any of her work, as she told me that would compromise her. Her work was chosen after seeing it for many years and getting to know some of what she and 3 others went through in that particular union. Photographs of her collection are online which are moving and human collection. Being online made it easier for us to choose the work in advance and discuss how it could fit in as all three of us had competing priorities.
(http://www.squashdonkey.co.uk/artworksalist.htm)

The union theme developed after meeting with her to see the originals and also discuss elements of the installation that some had seen and many had not. One item I had left in the room was a union mug, which had a moulding dirty teabag, obviously important at a point but had now become something that was decaying and not allowing the mug to be used as it could or should be, a critique of several trade unions at the present time most of which have strong financial and affiliations to the Labour Party.

Her work is multimedia, created with low cost materials and includes newspaper quotes, an ongoing critique of the mass media. It is deeply critical of the current capitalist system and the way that operates, whilst also suggesting alternatives. Suzanne's work add a dual purpose and role, aesthetically but also in her as human spirit and fighting actions.

With the aim to provide a more uplifting experience for the subjects and audiences, the final question I asked of interviews, what did you get from being involved? This was in order to end the interviews positively and with some reflection on personal and collective gains to create a layer or possibility of what happens when someone gets involved in a dispute or movement. Most interviewees reflected on the process as uplifting and enjoyable. I did want not want to ‘take from them’, without facilitating some positive reflections to end with.
On a recent visit to the TATE Modern (May 15th 2011) I looked at one photographic exhibition called ‘BURKE & NORFOLK’ in Afghanistan. My initial reaction was distaste at the ‘prettiness’ of the images, the brightness, luscious colours, lack of visual ideas that reflected what was and has gone on. This led me to watch a video accompanying the exhibition where he argued that beauty was a tactic, ‘people are tricked into engaging”. (TATE: May 2011) The conscious tactic he used chills me, not only as something disingenuous and frankly limiting his expectations of an audience. Was I, were we, trying to make pretty something that had within it the huge forces of the state and internal collusion with personalised memories?

REFLEXIVITY & Circle of evaluation & feedback
One part of the ongoing evaluation of the process and production was to work within the AHS Digital gallery, perfectly positioned at the main entrance of one of the largest university buildings. I purposefully stayed in space 4-7 hours a day to explore space, experiment with additional work, continue project, meet collaborators, invite people in and chat. This is an important part of process to be there, observe, engage, discuss, expose self and work. In addition a presentation to cultural memory students supported this process. (APPENDIX 2)

The presentation & discussion process assisted bringing to air the ideas around public and private memory and what that might mean to an individual or society. Silverstone (1999 pg48) argues, ‘with the decline of oral culture we no longer need, ourselves, collectively to remember.” And that, ‘the media have the power to define the past’. (Silverstone: 1999:48).

This could hold some truth of how the written word is valued, its solidity, fixed, exchangeable, and sellable. The oral process less fixed and but clearly the tradition does continue. Just in terms of political and trade union activity I am involved in weekly meets between once to five times a week. These are important to women, though I regularly observe they are more at ease in a conversation or in the action of doing than the saying, so many men continue to dominate the spaces. I now purposefully try to contribute but in my own style, and with observations and experiences and possible suggestions, to show that it also ok without huge vocabulary or the ability to recall related historical events. I have, though, also continued to use a blog, as an archive and a small memory for me, as I have a very poor working memory, which impacts on an ability to recall information short term and requires multiple approaches to learning and engagement for ideas and facts to imprint themselves. Hand in hand, I attempt to develop a memory but also work without one.

TECHNOLOGY
The opportunity to film, edit and research this project has much been made easier, with the use of lower cost technology. It does not, however, determine the content of the work, or the ability to use the technology that requires critical consideration, technical learning, reflection and practice. The issue of distribution is still commercially restrictive though some models of distributing campaign documentaries have developed such as Mclibel that used a campaign model that could suit this work.

Without us needing or demanding for something, we might not have the technologies or know what to do with them. As Marx is quoted in Lister et Al, ‘They are organs of the brain, created by the human hand’. Lister et Al (2003 pg 191)

Only one piece of quirky, music has been chosen, so far, (royalty free) to have some lighter, warmer, lift for the audience. With the overall intention to express some processes and open up the possibility of ways of participating or leading struggles for democratic and fairer way of living and acting within this world, whilst not leaving them paralysed by the burden of the past.

I’ll be honest and say I am not completely happy with what I have done so far, it’s fighting within forms but it is a work in progress. And on reflection, I rarely like anything I create, though I love the work of those I collaborate with, I just know I need to do it!

So What Next? (In summary)

1. Review structure and missing content with collaborator and also subjects. Share feedback made so far and discuss suggestion. From that decide on cutaways list and shot list to add more moving images to the work and several visual motifs.

2. Look at more music for soundtrack and discuss with others to look for a composer for all. (Mainstream work would generally cost?)

3. Create a distribution strategy and timeline.

4. Review the budget and look at a fundraising model and strategy to resource the project.







BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewis, H (1990) Dada turns Red, Edinborough, Edinborough Press
Benjamin, W (1977) Author as Producer
Nichols, B (2001) “What types of documentaries are there? in An Introduction to Documentary. Boomington Ind, Indiana University Press
Orwell, G. (1984) Why I write, London, Penguin.
Pryluck, C (2005) “Ultimately we are all outsiders: The ethics of documentary filmmaking” in Rosenthal, A & J Corner (eds). New Challenges for Documentary (2nd Edition), Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Rabinger, M (1997) Directing techniques and aesthetics Massachusetts Focal press
Silverstone R (1999) Why study the media? London, Sage
Taaffee, P & Mulhern T. (1988) Liverpool a city that dared to fight, London, Fortress.
Woodward (1997) ‘Concepts of Identity & Difference’, in K Woodward (ed.) Identity & Difference. London Sage
Martin Lister. Jon Dovey, Seth Giddings, Iain Grant & Kieran Kelly (2003) New Media: A Critical Introduction. London. Rutledge
Williams, G (2010) Shafted: The Media, The Miners Strike & the aftermath London, Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom

Films
Vogel, K (2011) Burke and Norfolk, video loop. Tate Modern, London

Exhibition
Tate Modern – Burke & Norfolk: Photographs from the war in Afghanistan May 2011

Websites
Luxonline.org.uk/themes/documentary.html (19.5.2011)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_sinclair_liverpool_photos/sets/72157603820320816/(Last accessed 23.5.2011)
http://www.squashdonkey.co.uk/artworksalist.htm (last accessed 23.5.2011)

ORAL?
In additional I have attended meetings of trade unionists, anti cuts campaigners, socialists 2-6 times a week that are part of the huge and ongoing oral process of exchanging ideas and develop process. I could not begin to name and note which ones have influenced this work but the combination of them all and the ongoing need for collective discussions and actions to make change.

APPENDIX 1: WAPPING
In 1986 Murdoch, the owner of several main stream newspapers planned to secretly change the location of the press to Wapping, over 5,000 jobs were to be lost in this change but it also changed and continued to determinate the potential for a democratic press and important trade union branch … It was London based dispute with a strong trade union membership, though some trade union leaders and unions choose to hold back the dispute with the EEPTU members took the jobs in the new plant. Eric Hammond the then leader of the EEPTU is said to have “boasted in his autobiography of his extensive liaison and collaboration’ (Exhibition programme: 2011:18)

The dispute and the need of those who were involved, several who were at the exhibition on the day I attended, wanted more people to know about what happened, and lots of discussions took place. The venue itself was full to bursting with banners, papers, write-ups, posters and some older merchandise for sale.

APPENDIX 2:
A selection of the feedback given:
Unsure it was past till part way through
Good to have visuals, helped memory
Good not just to have mainstream archives, ‘This is more powerful, people involved’
Against representation of mad left
Is there something about Liverpool? Community?
Was intention to rep history another way?
Why H&S shots of interviews? Why are you not there?
Consider Neil Kinnock for interview?
Who owns the work and uses it?
Could see a version like Dagenham Girls, mainstreamed
How this has come about – process of production cheaper, social media for marketing?
Begin with mass mediated story,
Liked music – massive attack 1980’s
Is it an installation or film?
It reminds me of that time, I was there..
If not completed soon, it will be out of time, relevance?
I see it as your process, the past and then this wall
Introduction confusing
Like the water in the intro
Emotion elements more engaging – possible hook to start

Hot and sweaty!

Nah none of that! Under some pink lights for a huge part of the day.. and ran round madly when i realised I had not enrolled onto the course so they were NOT going to let me in today... Now I am enrolled and I owe them..

BUT - We are here.

Up at 6am to work on a presentation which will be a good starting point for 2000 words which will accompony this and a DVD of the project.

Anna has been flexible and fair giving me time and space to incorperate this work and test out how my process works.. its an installation.. A messy hodge pode of de-constructed process.

Some things from today and late last night...

Purpose of art
types of documentary and ideas embedded within them..
Why do I want to engage - texture...
Collaberative process
Ideas of objectvtity

Whose memory and what does a mass mediation do to our memory
how do we hold onto them as people are engaged.

What will I do with the ideas
Visual memory helped
Liked Talking heads with images
Aural memory

History or relevance
Not that subliminal
Public memory

Possible onto youtube - these are the ingredients that make up a installation.
Your room, invite people, papers, banner, activist.
Feedback

Human connection..

EMAIL anna - for her group

Parking the words

Watching ‘Can you dance’ with all its glitzy lights, ohh la la, carnival and cheese atmosphere, but still warmth for those who want to show themselves and their possibility. I wondered whether the largest amount of people who came into the DAG last time did so because it was a tad gaudy? (As what’s her name said, ‘an assault on your senses’? It was lots of colour lights, partly cos I didn’t know how to make them just white… and 3 projected screens plus 3 Imacs with still and moving image, moving from one element to another.

Not so understated it feels distant and unlinked or that its prenioius so ‘cerebral’ as Sophie calls me, that there is abstraction within and around it. Can’t touch it, as I can’t see it. (Feeling something of a breeze as I sit on the Downs in hardly clothes in the shade. It’s where there was a free space. I’ll move soon ‘cos I need, want to be warm but outdoors. It’s April and it’s lovely, it’ll be lovely for so long…

OH audience engagement. Flyers and conversations – this is a gallery – where will be if cuts continue? What is its future? AHRC ..Come in before its gone… stolen away again before we really every got it. Even if you think galleries are for them, whoever they are? (The Bourg..)

Our fees, some central government and a Hodge podge of other stuff fund this but ultimately by US! The new undergrad fees will be £8.5k….at LSBU and MA fees? No idea, they are already costly, especially those without virtually any contact time.

NEED TO DO?

1. Basic Flyer

2. More details as to why am I doing this
Evaluation or sign up sheet? Comments?

Oh I love writing and thinking and working out plans with this. You never know, I never know, what do I need to say or show…

· Rough CUT

· Cutaways

· Possible additions

· Students

· TUSC candidates

· Kingsley Abrahams?

· Dave Sinc and photographs

· KM – How you see life now? Biggest let down labour, Under 25 and skirt.

I want to show you how far we’ve come. And how far we have to go.. (Like I know? Like I can really see that?) It’s only a step in, touching upon so much that has happened, just touching but at the same time they gave us that. What else we need to have within it… young people, participation, housing and Lyn, …

Perhaps add the international and women’s element from KM? Or does it feel so flippant? But its light, with layers of what oppression looks like and how people are seen? And that’s important. I can’t tell you the whole story of the 47 but touch upon it and a little about those involved and what they did, how they did it, and wheat they mean to how they are how and live their lives.

I’ll have feedback for Lisa and me and that can be added by 5^th May and then something more by the week of the 16^th MAY. (CHECK ROXY??)

If I show it, even rough-cut version 2 into an academic space what happens…if I put it into an arty space like the Roy what happens? But it will always be a private screening… invited guests only. Already sets the tone I guess? Cllrs? RMT?

This seems like a long time ago but its so not. WAPPING – Marx exhibition (be good to go as a union group? _ link to mayday or another event. That just depends. (Weird when people decide to walk so close by where they have the whole park to wonder… nosey what is she writing, why? Why now? Why here?

In the cold shade, with no virtually no clothes on, she’ll move, but it’s been productive and I’m not scared by what I have to do… alone…or in association with others.

I’ll find a warm spot and sit in the sun, read and maybe call Tina & Karen. It’s nice to chatter. And I have taken my thoughts, my circular worlds down to take me somewhere else. I so need you words; I so needed to be here and there in my everyday writing you for me…. And it lifts and centres me (really am I going to put this shit in my blog… oh god, you do show yourself up?)

What will they mark me on>>>? What do I mark myself on?

So then today I have to say what will I do for MA. Will that be ?

a) Twenty minute rough cut with Q & A relevance of the 47 and why through film? With rough cut shown at 3 locations relating to the local elections - what else? Process? Distribution?

b) Discussion of role of art in a crisis new manefesto Suz Muna and Tony Garnet and maybe Dave sinclair with his photos too? (the last one that was written mostly by trotsky and breton was whilst he was in Mexico)

c) The walk - a pilot using sound for ipod for a walk from locations with speaches and interviews of the 47 group... indespersed with other sound. Send people on a walk but have them feedback and come back together.

Memory - Test

Was just reading a book - (and tempted to look at my notes for the names) one chapter relates to a postgrad project of several students who worked together and each one would pick a theme and then speak about it. Afterwards they would write up notes about that experience, those who presented and those who didn't. It was expected people write up in an hour, no more, to stop the self censorship. Interesting, like morning pages and also surrealists.. how do we know what we right is how we feel, what we recall.

Made me comfortable and happy to give myself this again as I worried, after reading some of the notes how badly it was written... who might read it and what they would judge from this. Somehow I seem to have had a few more people read this than I have shared an odd page with..Latvia and Isreal are two areas.

That book was one of 3 I scrimmed earlier, another chunky one called the art of memory. Decided not to take that, due to its weight, its heavy, and full of Greek history on what people did and how and examples across history. It draws me but I can't, don't wish to take all my time up there, however interesting. But would it give me ways of reflecting on how mine works in a historical context and what I could learn from that. I learn with you, through you.

What else today?

Doc lecture and film earlier: PT & Second years
Began with SELF REFLEX FILM - THIN BLUE LINE
I still think its got as much poetry and expos and performative elements as Self Reflexive.

Titles incorperate the thin blue line, as many films I have recently seen, the title visualise and incapsulate the aim and intention of the film. I liked this and thought I might fall asleep in the warmth of the room, and general sleeplessness but it was engaging and the reconstructions worked well as well as the delicious images: The clock, the milkshake thats thrown away, the red light (anger, energy, stop the injustice, circular) repeated and well used. I like the frame within frames of one shot that had us looking into the window framed, and with another frame of the building. I loved the use of text and ECU of typing, it looked beautiful and I want that and have that within 47. Past and present, what you have said and what was done.

The work of the filmmaker was to explore the 'truths', examine them with the camera, through converstion and some previous documentation and in the process of developing relationships unravel the injustice. Within a year Adams was released. The truths that people imagine and have been fed that the moving image, that documentary is the whole truth, as opposed to the constructed, pre determined artifact that it is.

Thought about why re-construct? Take us away from H & S shots, visualise the moment, show not tell. The facts of the case exist in writing but thats not enough to speak and explore with others, visualise it. Breathe in and feed upon it.

I drew shots instead of writing mountains of notes that I do, though I did that too. The process of writing as I hear helps me focus, remember, think, even if I have heard about it. Painfully fast and slow at times..

He was also encouraging us to this arty... what else could this film be about beyond the story, beyond your basic subject. It is a film after all.... I like that, it gives me a pit stop in the battle ground of my mind. I have one heavy part of me that knows that working in the way I would like to will limit the audience.. on another would I be dis honest and going against what I see and feel. I perform resistance daily.. in some many groups and moments... do I wish to create a populist piece on this period? Yes and No, it wouldn't make sense.

Meeting - Poll Tax & 47 footage

Inbeween all this or inbetween all that I find here. .. re find.

Last night was at a meeting about ' How we beat the tories last time', it started with some footage of the Liverpool 47 and whether they would set a budget which meant cuts and Derek H. Then of the Poll Tax campaign and Tommy sheriden building the anti poll tax union.. and with Terry Fields talking about whether he would go to Jail or pay the poll tax. He went to jail.

Good footage and a great way to start the meeting.. so if its all already there then what difference or more could I add or share?

Housing - 'London planners from Evening Standard

This got a big plug from people I know on Facebook, Evening Standard particularly this:

The most distinctive feature of the militant Left's rule of Liverpool in the Eighties was its impact on urban renewal. Responding to the local public, the council smashed most of the hated towers to the ground and left neighbourhood groups to plan their replacements. The result was no more decks, stairwells and broken lifts set in windy parks, as dictated by professional architects. Instead people decided to revert to terrace houses, like those taken from them in the Sixties. It was an object lesson in democracy.

Today is interesting.. a few days ago Dave Photographer who has some amazing pictures of Liverpool at key points, including the 47 and dockers emailed. He is thinking of doing 2 slideshows with speakers, recounting memories and stories from that time. One is a docker and another from the 47.... funny how things far and close begin to merge.

Just spoke and he is putting in a proposal to WOW and hoping to get them to arrange the event in Liverpool. It would be good, but also in other key cities.. this is what we did, could do and discuss our worlds.

So easy for me now to think about his project and getting that out there.. but I need to do what I was going to do.. though the two are very interlinked. Standing alone pieces will be some of the same story and add layers with a Q & A. I want more women profiled too, what they say, what they do.. but his work is amazing and my technique and skills are slow and painful. Do you give up on your projects because others are more skilled? Be interesting to see how this flows. Have sent D the updated proposal and see how he responds. Also need to send it to Chris from Uni and maybe Sophie, external influences.. but also I want a Producer, co-producer.. work with me...

Title - which also reflects content...

Photos from Alan Hardman - City that dared to fight