Produced as part of the Grainger Town urban development project, a video made with the assistance of Swingbridge Video that askes people who live and work in the Grainger Town area of Newcastle what they think of the work that has been done and what they would like to see in the future. Intercut with these vox pops are views of construction work taking place around the area including that of Grey’s Monument with restoration work taking place on the statue of Lord Grey itself. Many of these...

Produced as part of the Grainger Town urban development project, a video made with the assistance of Swingbridge Video that askes people who live and work in the Grainger Town area of Newcastle what they think of the work that has been done and what they would like to see in the future. Intercut with these vox pops are views of construction work taking place around the area including that of Grey’s Monument with restoration work taking place on the statue of Lord Grey itself. Many of these sequences are filmed in timelapse. A vox pop with people around Grey’s Monument and Grainger Market about the changes taking place around Grainger Town. Traders inside Grainger Market talk about what they would like to see happen to improve their business. Pedestrians and shoppers walk past Grey’s Monument near to Grainger and Grey Street, some stop to chat with friends or colleagues. From the top of the monument traffic moving along both streets Title: Grainger Town Video Project Filmed in time-lapse traffic moving around a roundabout on Newgate Steet across from two empty plots of land which will become The Gate retail and leisure complex. Title: Documenting the Changes Another time-lapse of people passing a ‘Coffee Republic’ on the corner of Grainger and Nelson Street. A fruit and veg barrow arrives with the owner selling his wares. At normal speed a busker plays a flute. Local people coming and going from Grainger Market are asked about the changes that are taking place around Granger Town. An older couple see the area being modernised, another woman has noticed less traffic and buildings being done up. One man has noticed new cafes opening. Inside Grainger Market itself people wondering past various selling everything from socks to local meats. Beside A. Kettlewells, a traditional butchers, the owner gives a history of the stall which has been there since the market opened and talks about the kind of meats and eggs he sells. A vox pop with people shopping in the market, one man says he comes every Thursday because the prices are reasonable, two teenage girls say they can find everything they want here. Another man comes to the market for the cheap fruit and vegetables. Another time-lapse sequence this time of the Bigg Market filmed over two nights with a stage being built, musicians perform to a crowd, and it being taken down again. On Grainger Street two young women are interviews, one says the area is ‘doing alright’ while the other thinks pubs should be allowed to open longer. Inside Grainger Market the older couple seen previously says that shops are changing for a younger generation, they would like to go out more to the theatre if there was more secure parking. The Grey’s Monument surrounded by scaffolding. People walk by some looking up at the men working on the monument. As work continue a vox pop with some of those passing by with comments such as that it is a landmark of the city or is a symbol of Newcastle as well as being a popular place to meet. Another man gives a little history of the figure on the column, Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey. Another time-lapse sequence filmed over several days of a building site and construction work taking place on it. Inside the Thistle Hotel on Neville Street a crowd look over a model of the Grainger Town development speaking with a representative of the company providing details. One man at the event is looking for ‘fair quality of life’ from the development, a woman sees it as exciting and vibrant. Two men chat with the developer about some plan which have been pinned to boards around the room. Back inside Grainger Market shoppers walking past or buy goods from stalls. At a butcher shop the butcher chats with a woman, another member of staff. A young man working on a fruit and vegetable stall talks about how cheap the produce in the market is and how friendly the environment is. He is asked what changes he would like to see; the roof is his only main suggestion. Other people are asked what they would like to see change. One young man who’d never been before describes it as dirty and with a lack of variety of stalls. The older couple seen earlier think more place to eat will encourage people to visit. A man buys half-dozen eggs from A. Kettlewells, the owner wanting to encourage more young people to shop here with more places to eat, such as a McDonald’s, and coffee shops and make the market warmer. Looking along Grainger Street the Grey’s Monument wrapped in plastic. A point-of-view shots heading into the construction site and then up the stairs to the top of the monument. From the top a 360-degree view of Lord Grey’s statue. On Grainger Street the two young women interviewed earlier hope the statue will be turned into a Chinese dragon, while back at the monument a worker is repairing and conserving the column with cement. At the top of the column again beside Lord Grey’s statue a man draws a picture. He leaves and two construction works discuss the condition and conservation of the statue needed to be done. One of them talks to camera about the importance of the work. Inside the cloister area of Blackfriars a jazz band group performs a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s ‘Just One of Those Thing’s for a crowd of onlookers. As the music plays on another time lapse of construction work taking place on a building site and scaffolding and plastic covering the Newgate Shopping Centre on the corner of Newgate and Clayton Street. A workman stands in the entranceway of the site watching the world go by. Back around Grey’s Monument people walk past with some stopping to admire the restored monument or watch workmen taking down the scaffolding. The film ends inside an apartment overlooking Grainger Town with another time-lapse sequence of a couple sitting on a sofa reading a newspaper. On the floor in front of them a small 14” television, the images flashing across the screen. Title: If you want to become a video documenter please contact: Hugh Kelly at Swingbridge Video Tel: 0191 232 3762. Ned Buick at Grainger Town Project Tel: 0191 269 9111