Training

Both schools have been busy training in oral history interviewing and recording techniques.

We began with a reminder of what they learnt at the Museum of London Docklands and on the boat trip - which included a role play of being 'on the stones' where they had to attract the attention of the 'Ganger' just to get work for that day and be able to feed their families.

They learnt about the kind of film they were going to make and how oral history differs from traditional history and how documentary films are structured compared to dramas.

Once hands-on they learnt the processes to go through to set up the camera for an interview situation, how to capture good sound using tie-pin mics and a sound recorder as well learning good interview technique and how to direct a film crew through an interview.

Meanwhile, the writers groups were working hard to research the history of dock workers and the docks for their historical and creative writing pieces.

They joined the film makers to develop the questions that will be used in the interviews with dock workers.