A five minute report for the Channel 4 series "Free for All". Independents were requested to submit their stories from all over the UK. This short uses image, text, music and atmospheres to investigate the potential pollution problems of the former chemical weapons plant at Nancekuke Common, high above the cliffs between Portreath and Porthtowan in Cornwall. Its transmission resulted in many letters of concern from the audience, especially holidaymakers and surfers who use the nearby beaches. Subsequently a longer thirty minute version was produced by a local production company A38 films for the BBC South-West series "Close-Up", directed by Mick Catmull and Phil Shingler was credited as researcher.
A co-production with The Helford Voluntary Marine Conservation Area and the Lizard Peninsula Countryside Service with facilities from Cornwall Media Resource in Redruth. The 30 minute programme covers the onshore and underwater life of the Helford estuary in Cornwall. Visits to the Duchy Oyster farm show some of the working life and a group of children rockpooling are featured to interest a school age audience. The programme sold hundreds of copies at Trelowarren visitor centre and a ten minute highlight reel was also edited for screening at the visitor centre.
The Solomon Islands Video Training Project was supported by Television for the Environment (TVE http://www.tve.org.uk). The outcome was a 23 minute non-broadcast educational video focusing on the issue of coral reef conservation. The people of the Solomon Islands are on the verge of losing their richest marine resource- the coral reefs. The reefs provide communities with sustenance, a livelihood and protection from the elements. Rif Blong Yumi assesses the devastating impact or population pressure, overfishing and tourism on the delicate reef ecosystem. In frank interviews with local people and government officials, traditional forms of marine conservation practiced by the fishermen from Marou Lagoon are considered and possible solution to the crisis are examined.
Some Advice for Community Video Training in Small Island States
In 1992 Producer Phil Shingler and Director David Halliday were invited to the Solomon Islands to work with islanders on the production Of "Rif Blong Yumi". Here are some vital tips from the production trainers for would be trainers embarking on similar projects:-
"A Nuclear Free Pacific" - a fifty two minute documentary co-production for Channel 4 (UK), Television New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission. The programme tells the story of the formation of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone from the point of view of community activists and politicians. Shot in New Zealand, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji,Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea the documentary was produced by Pacific Stories Partnership, established by producers Alister Barry (Vanguard Films, Wellington, NZ) and Phil Shingler(UK). Screened on both Channel 4 and TVNZ the programme was also acquired by SBS(Australia), NHK(Japan) and Jordanian Television.
Two non-broadcast educational programmes produced for Cornwall Deaf Children's Society, funded by National Lottery and Lloyds/TSB Foundation. The process of production with Cornwall Media Resource in Redruth involved training a group of deaf teenagers in video production techniques.
The group called themselves "Very Real Productions" and helped with storyboarding, camerawork and editing the final programmes. Launched in 2002 at the Eden Project by producers Phillomena Clifford and Phil Shingler the programmes have been used in schools, colleges and with parents to help trigger discussion around deaf education and the transition from college to the world of work.