Teaser Trailer Research
- XIV
- Feb 1, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 6, 2024
Initial Research into 3 local collobarative projects - A Suitcase Full of Eels, Paignton Picture House and the Windrush Project.
A suitcase full of eels - Historical importance and cultural relevance of the critically endangered European Eel, Anguilla Anguilla
Used to smuggle eels in suitcases
SEG identified that about 30 tonnes of eels, half of the declared European catches in seasons 2015/2016 and 2016/2017, equivalent to 100 million and twice the level of eels consumed domestically in Europe through aquaculture, could not be traced and were likely traded to East Asia.
Each eel living in Europe was born in Western Atlantic, crossed ocean as a baby, metamorphosed into a freshwater species, lives for 4-20+ years inland, then swims all the way back to W. Atlantic (!) to reproduce once and die
Millions of fish are killed each year on their natural migration.The majority of 25,000 hydroelectric power plants and the many 10,000’s of pumping stations across Europe are not properly screened. Thousands of them are poorly designed, not even allowing fish to find their way around or through them.
Long-distance migratory species like the European eel, salmon and sturgeon are seriously depleted, or even close to the edge of extinction. Dozens of short-distance migratory species are also in alarming decline.
Like many other migratory fish stocks, European eel and European sturgeon are in serious decline and therefore classified as “Critically Endangered” (CR) by the IUCN. Atlantic salmon, is regionally extinct or seriously depleted in many river systems across Europe.
Paignton Picture House - on the Paignton Picture House Trust and building
The Picture House was designed by the Paignton-based practice Hyams and Hobgen.[1] It was opened on 16 March 1914,[2] and is believed to be the oldest surviving purpose-built cinema in Europe. In its early days it featured a 21-piece orchestra, with each member paid a guinea to perform. There are 375 seats: 271 in the stalls, 104 in the circle, plus three private boxes at the back seating an additional eight.
During the summer (2019) the Picture House played host to the ‘Electric Sound Palace’, a new work by Chris Timpson inspired by the building and its historic orchestra. The installation featured immersive sound technologies, and drew inspiration from the cinema archive held by the Trust. The work formed part of the Eyeview/Wavelength programme across the Bay.
"Drawing on archive materials of Paignton Picture House Trust and local memories, Chris Timpson, working with Carmen Talbot and collaborators have created a new site-specific work, inspired by the original accompanying orchestra, transporting audiences into an Electric Sound Palace. Through this, Chris has been exploring the tension and excitement of a period when silent film worked with live orchestral music….
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“One of the things we are interested in is giving the audience some control over parts of the creative experience. For them to recreate some of that tension that might have existed at the time this orchestra was here. We’ve done this by actually giving the audience some control of the orchestra. What will the audience do? Will they collaborate or will they make a cacophany?”"
Seat 2 Row 2 is Agatha Christie's seat - Agatha Christie often visited the cinema when she was resident at Greenway, and so it was a pleasure for us to welcome her grandson Mathew Prichard to share his memories of Agatha in such a special setting. Later that same week we also welcomed her great grandson James Prichard into the building to learn more about our aims for the regeneration project.
Cinema is slightly below sea level - created lots of drainage to help runoff. Tide goes up and down underneath the building due to this.
Windrush Project - background, history or issues of the HMT Empire Windrush generation, or yearly celebrations held to celebrate and pay respects
The Notting Hill Carnival
Perhaps the most tangible representation of the Windrush Generation’s cultural impact can be witnessed in the annual Notting Hill Carnival. Originating in 1964, this vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture has grown to become the largest street festival in Europe. The carnival was initially conceived as a means to showcase Caribbean music, art, and culture, and to counter racism and discrimination faced by the Windrush Generation. Today, it attracts millions of people from around the world, with its exuberant parade of floats, costumes, and music serving as a testament to the enduring influence of Caribbean culture on British society.
The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual Caribbean Carnival event that has taken place in London since 1966[2] on the streets of the Notting Hill area of Kensington, over the August Bank Holiday weekend.[3]
It is led by members of the British Caribbean community, and attracts around three million people annually, making it one of the world's largest street festivals, and a significant event in British African Caribbean and British Indo-Caribbean culture.[4][5] In 2006, the UK public voted it onto a list of icons of England.[6]
The Windrush Compensation Scheme was established in April 2019. About 15,000 people were thought to be eligible.
But the scheme has been consistently criticised for processing delays, low offers, and unfair rejections reversed on appeal.
In 2021, the Home Affairs Committee of MPs found the scheme had itself become a further trauma for those eligible. It said many of those affected were "still too fearful of the Home Office to apply".
In April 2023, Human Rights Watch said the scheme was "failing" victims, and repeated calls for it to be removed from the Home Office's control.
In response, the Home Office said it was "committed to righting the wrongs of Windrush", and that the scheme had paid or offered more than £68m in compensation to the people affected.
More than half (55%) of White respondents said they trusted something like it would not happen again, while the same percentage of Black respondents said they did not.
Black people are almost twice as likely as White people to say the UK has not done enough to address historical racial injustice. Two out of three (64%) Black people said so, compared to one out of three (35%) White people.
Roughly a quarter (27%) of Black people said the UK had done enough, while more than half (54%) of White people said so. Sharpening the contrast further, Black people are three times as likely as White people to say the UK has “not done anywhere near enough” to address historical racial injustice: A third (33%) of Black people said so, while only one in 10 (11%) White people did.
Campaigner Nova Reid has seen anti-racism protests spark, burn, and fizzle out before. She hopes that is not what will happen this time.
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