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Glottal stops and rolling Rs, a masterclass in the Scottish accent

A wee preview of our upcoming documentary on the Scottish accent on screen. Alex Norton joins an actors' class in London as they prepare to master the Scottish accent. 

Dream Me Up Scotty: The Scottish Accent on Screen broadcasts on Monday 23rd December 9pm. See the BBC website for more details. 

Alex sing yer heart out!

Here's Alex Norton having a wee sing song in the famous Britannia Panopticon. He's following the footsteps of many a Scots actor who started their career in the music halls before making it onto the silver screen. Director John MacLaverty filmed Alex singing 'Cead Mile Failte' during a break from shooting Dream Me Up Scotty: The Scottish Accent on Screen. The documentary will screen on BBC1 Scotland on December 23rd at 9pm so make sure to tune in!

Scotsman preview Alasdair Gray: A Life in Progress

The Kelvingrove has announced its plans to exhibit a retrospective of Alasdair Gray's work, marking the artist's 80th birthday next year.

(Source article)

Meanwhile Brian Fergusson has commended Kevin Cameron's film Life in Progress in the Scotsman...

"If I needed any further convincing about my new-found affection for documentaries, I found it at the CCA in Glasgow when BAFTA hosted a screening of a recently completed documentary about Alasdair Gray.

Kevin Cameron has spent well over a decade with Glasgow’s best-known artist – and has produced a remarkable profile of him at work on some of his best-known murals in the city, as well as tracing his hugely varied career from his days studying at art school.

Many of Gray’s supporters feel he was unfairly maligned after the publication of his “settlers and colonists” essay last December.

The film, A Life in Progress, should help to redress the balance if and when it is released, thanks to the insight it offers into Gray’s entertaining, complex and quirky characteristics, as well as the contributions from the likes of Ian Rankin and Liz Lochhead. It is no exaggeration to say it could completely redefine how Gray is perceived as he prepares to turn 80 next year."

(Source article)

 

 

Hagar by Clara Glynn and Sally Beamish

In celebration of Benjamin Britten’s centenary year, Nova Music Opera present an intriguing operatic double-bill exploring the themes of loss, redemption and forgiveness.

The Old Testament story of Hagar and Abraham is vividly brought to life by multi award-winning composer Sally Beamish and librettist Clara Glynn in their new chamber opera, Hagar in the Wilderness. The opera’s uncomfortable account of social injustice is particularly pertinent in society today and in many ways echoes similar sentiments conveyed in Curlew River.


It will be performed on Wednesday 21 August, 7.45pm at St Andrew’s Church, Presteigne (details)

Have a look at what Clara and Sally had to say on the project

Hagar Interview from Presteigne Festival, UK on Vimeo.

 

Sheffield Documentary Festival 2013

John Archer will be travelling to Sheffield this week, along with director Iain Scollay, where they have the pleasure of pitching Accidental Birth of an Anarchist at the BFI Film fund meet. Go along on Saturday 15th June and give them your support! (check the website for further details.)

Based on his book The Leaderless Revolution, the documentary follows former diplomat Carne Ross, as he rebels against the system to support the Occupy movement. Watch this exclusive trailer...

 

Accidental Birth of an Anarchist from John Archer on Vimeo.

 

Alasdair Gray: A life in progress trailer

Exclusive look at the trailer for Kevin Cameron's playful and extensive documentary on the great artist and writer Alasdair Gray. The film will be appearing at Dunoon Film Festival, June 16th 4pm, as a work in progress. Kevin will be on hand to answer questions. 

For more information see the Dunoon Film festival website.

We hope to see you there, enjoy the taster!

Alasdair Gray, A Life in Progress, Trailer from Kevin Cameron on Vimeo.

 

Original drama: Behind Closed Doors

Clara Glynn's three part series Behind Closed Doors will be airng on BBC Radio4 next week. Lawyer, Rebecca Nyman takes on a sexual discrimination case in the first episode One of the Lads on Wednesday June 12th, 14:15. Tilting the Odds on Thursday 13th features a vet who might be struck off for doping a racehorse. And Safe House, Friday 15th, is a Closed Material Procedure terrorism case taking place partly in secret.

We are delighted that Tilting the Odds has been selected for Drama of the Week, and will be available to enjoy as a download.

Writer: Clara Glynn, Producer/ Director: David Neville

Starring Claire Rushbrook as Rebecca

Find more details and tune in here.

Coming soon: Enlighten Up!

We've teamed up with Burnistoun stars Robert Florence and Iain Connell to discover what philosophical thinking is all about. Enlighten Up takes some of the major ideas of the Scottish Enlightenment and explores them in comedy sketch form. From the big questions like 'how can we know the world exists?' to moral quandary 'why should I care about you?' Florence and Connell are here to give you the philosophical know-how with the stars of Scottish philosophy; David Hume, Thomas Reid and Adam Smith.

Here are some exclusive pics of the boys in action!

All photographs by Helen Jones

Enlighten Up is a commission for BBC Learning Scotland

Burns Night special 2013

Watching Ourselves celebrates 60 years of Robert Burns on the box this January 25th.The programme looks at the weird and wonderful ways television has celebrated the life and works of our most cherished national hero. From the kitsch to the clever, the far-out to the fabled, Burns has been a staple of Scottish television since the formative years. We see how different genres have embraced Burns. Variety, documentary, comedy, animation and live transmissions have all done their bit to keep the bard on the box, and in the brains of successive generations.

Greg as Burns copy.jpg

Featuring interviews with John Cairney, Kirsteen McCue, Janice Forsyth, Andrew O'Hagan, William McIlvanney