New cinematic photography technology is helping to bring a classic Tyneside based play to life and reach brand new audiences who are unable to enjoy it in its original theatrical setting.
North Shields based Harriet Ghost and Micky McGregor run Blowin’ a Hooley Theatre and have previously toured Tom Hadaway’s classic play The Filleting Machine to pubs, working man’s clubs, community centers, heritage venues and theatres across Tyneside. Set on North Shields Ridges Estate (now Meadow Well Estate) in the 1980s, the play centers around the Rutter family and the threat to the father’s job as a fish filleter due to the onset of new technology.
The play was originally performed in the round so that audiences could feel more engaged but now, using 360-degree camera technology, it is being filmed with a special camera placed in the center of the set which allows viewers to become totally immersed in the production. Viewed on laptops, tablets, smart phones and VR headsets, the watcher can change viewing angles and watch from different perspectives.
“This is an exciting project for us and will be one of the first examples of theatre meeting 360 film. I think this project will massively benefit audiences who aren’t ready to come into theatres just yet because of COVID and it is free to everyone to view thanks to our funding from Arts Council England,” said Harriet.
Award winning film maker Maria Caruana Galizia from Candle & Bell based in Gateshead took a business decision to invest in the new technology during lockdown and used the time to learn all about how the cameras operated.
“Once we realised how effective the technology was, we looked at who would be a good fit to work with and as Blowin’ a Hooley are a very forward-thinking theatre company, they were the obvious choice. I’m excited to have this opportunity to experiment with this new medium and look forward to reaching a new audience who want to experience film and drama in different ways,” she said.
The play stars Micky and Harriet as Ma and Da and following Blowin’ a Hooley’s pledge to champion North East artists, they have cast two talented actors from the region, Virginia Johnson and William Wyn Davies.
The 360-degree film of the Filleting Machine will be available in the Spring.
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Photo shows: l to r
Harriet Ghost, Micky McGregor, Virginia Johnson, William Wyn Davies from Blowin’ a Hooley and Jack Davidson and Maria Caruana Galizia from Candle and Bell.
Media Info from Keith Newman Highlights PR 07814 397951