in the community

We take an active role in promoting life story work and documentary best practice in the local community. We are members of the Bristol Media Group, part of the South West Screen initiative to boost the film and television industry in the area. We have worked closely with the Commonwealth and Empire Museum and the Bristol City Museum, encouraging the collection and display of the life stories of local people. We created the main video history display at the Commonwealth and Empire Museum featuring stories from Britain’s post-war ethnic communities. We give lectures and tutorials to media students at the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol. We support the UWE best student documentary of the year award. We provide work experience for local students and recruit from talent in the area. Steve Humphries is honorary vice president of the British Oral History Society and gives talks on best practice in video history.

Amongst the books we have written promoting the collection of life stories in Bristol and the South West is Hope and Glory by Melissa Blackburn, Nick Maddocks, Steve Humphries and Clair Titley (Sutton 2004) We have close relationships with individual filmmakers and small independent companies, helping to get their ideas commissioned
with the national broadcasters.