News

City students to film Norwich’s outstanding heritage

Friday, 16th May 2008

Film and Video students from the Norwich School of Art and Design (NSAD) will be on the streets of Norwich next week to film the buildings that make up Norwich 12 - the UK's finest collection of individually outstanding heritage buildings spanning the last millennium.

The finished film will promote Norwich's reputation as a premier heritage destination locally, nationally and internationally. It will be available for purchase and highlights will be shown on the Norwich 12 website, due for launch at the end of May.

The students are working in pairs on each building, having had to pitch their ideas to a judging panel consisting of TV professionals, heritage specialists and course staff. They are encouraged to bring their personal styles and techniques to the project and have been allowed open access to each of the buildings by the partners involved in the project: Norwich Castle, Norwich Cathedral, The Great Hospital, St. Andrew's and Blackfriars' Hall, The Guildhall, Dragon Hall, The Assembly House, St James Mill, St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Surrey House, City Hall and The Forum.

The organisation behind the Norwich 12 initiative - Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust - has commissioned EPIC (East of England Production Innovation Centre) to manage the delivery of the film and also shoot additional material to accompany the student's footage. Liam Wells, course leader for the FdA Film and Video degree course run by NSAD at EPIC and award-winning professional BBC and ITV producer and director Phil Johnson will be supervising the students.

Michael Loveday, Chief Executive of Norwich HEART said: "Norwich deserves to be known as one of the premier heritage destinations in Europe and the film will demonstrate why. It will showcase Norwich 12 as a heritage collection of universal value whilst telling the story of each site and recognising their individual significance. HEART is delighted to be able to involve local students and work with local partners to deliver this innovative project."

Mark Wells, Director of EPIC and the film's executive producer said: "Using the creative skills of these young filmmakers will illustrate Norwich 12 in a new and exciting way, enabling the city to be seen through fresh eyes. It's great example of how we work at EPIC - bringing on young talents by encouraging them to work alongside skilled professionals"

Liam Wells, Course Leader of NSAD's FdA Film and Video degree course said: "The project is a wonderful opportunity for these first year students to further develop their creative skills and knowledge on a ‘live' professional production, learning and working alongside industry professionals. The students will also benefit from their work being taken to a wider public through display in the buildings themselves and on various websites linked to the buildings".

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Notes to editors

For more information please contact Christina Lundberg, Communications Manager at Norwich HEART on 01603 599570 or email christinalundberg@heritagecity.org

About Norwich 12

Norwich 12 is the UK's finest collection of individually outstanding heritage buildings spanning the Norman, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras. Charting an extraordinary journey through the history of one of England's great cities, Norwich 12 offers a unique visitor experience which embraces the legacy of these iconic buildings, the pivotal roles they continue to play today and the remarkable cityscape which weaves them together.

Norwich 12 is an initiative by Norwich HEART, which has secured £1 million from the Treasury's Invest to Save budget for the project.

About Norwich HEART

Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) is a private, charitable trust set up to act as an umbrella organisation for all of the heritage on offer in Norwich and to be a best practice exemplar internationally for heritage as a social and economic regeneration vehicle.

About ISB

The Invest to Save Budget (ISB) is a joint Treasury/Cabinet Office initiative with an aim to create sustainable improvements in the capacity to deliver public services in a more joined up manner. A key principle of the ISB programme is that investment is provided in return for reform.