Retrospective

Hi Folks —  just arrived home an hour ago (4pm Monday) so I thought I’d do a quick blog before getting settled. 

Well, on the way back I couldn’t help but recall the journey over the last 5 weeks.  From a Cemetery in Kilwinning to the White House.  The schemes in Salcoats to the Houses of Parliament.  Barlinnie to Prison Row in the States.  From a sleepy village in Kent called Snodland to the notorious North Avenue in East Baltimore.  Yes, a journey indeed.  I managed to view the filming (the visuals) after each session and the guys have captured this wide geographical journey of enquiry in a stunning manner.  It won’t fail to impress. I have also conducted some 20 interviews over the last 5 weeks, again reflecting a diverse range of voices ranging from a homeless person here in Ayrshire to the Head of the National Institute for Justice in America.  

This, for me, was a fascinating experience and I’m confident that this will be edited to ensure that the viewer is able to share this experience.   Once the theme and nature of the narrative is agreed this will then pull the whole thing together and I think this is a really exciting prospect.  The unfortunate side perhaps is that it is impossible to include the range and depth of the dialogue in the film and I must also say at this point that every single interviewee (yes even Stephen Farrell) was remarkably patient, open and honest and it’s worth saying again here that the success of this part of the Project is definitely down to them (as well as Eamonn and Gerard of course, our film guys).

PS – We managed to get up early yesterday and capture some of the North Avenue neighbourhood which I felt was necessary for the States/Baltmore context.  Now going to bed as I have to get back to my real job tomorrow.

Allan