Where Are We Going?
Amber Films (Current Affairs Unit) 1983
Where Are We Going? examines the issues raised by News from Durham in more detail. It chronicles the 1983 miners’ weekend school in Durham, when 160 miners from a range of coalfields met to discuss the future of the industry and the union. The programme opens with an illustrated account by organiser Huw Beynon of the crisis facing the industry. This is followed by an examination of the National Coal Board’s pit closure programme through the speeches of Arthur Scargill, Peter Heathfield, South Wales NUM researcher Kim Howells (later a Labour MP and minister in various departments) and a number of lodge officials. The programme concludes with a look at the problems of union organisation. The associated video, News from Durham, used the same footage to create a ten minute 'trigger tape' to initiate debate in union and community groups.
Location
Durham Cit
Credits
Amber Current Affairs Unit: Elaine Drainville, Richard Grassick
Camera: Peter Roberts, Peter Woodhouse
Sound: Elaine Drainville, Murray Martin
Video Editor: Richard Grassick
Produced: Huw Beynon, Elaine Drainville, Richard Grassick, Murray Martin, Peter Roberts, Peter Woodhouse
Made under the auspices of the ACTT Workshop Declaration
Financial assistance from Northern Arts and Channel Four Television
Keywords
Coal Board, Durham, Industry, Kim Howells, Miners' Strike, North East, NUM, Peter Heathfield, Post-Industrial, Scargill, Thatcher, Union
Associated Work
For a monthly changing selection of films and videos by Amber and its friends, visit www.sidetv.net.
For more information about Amber and its film and photographic work, visit www.amber-online.com