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Title: DOVECOT TAPESTRY

Reference number: 3851

Date: 1972

Director: d. W. Gordon Smith

Sponsor: Scottish Arts Council, Educational Films of Scotland and BBC Scotland co-production

Production company: W. Gordon Smith

Sound: sound

Original format: 16mm

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 24.45

Description: Dovecot Workshop, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, which is the heart of tapestry weaving in Scotland, was opened in 1912 by the then Marquis of Bute. In this film, Archie Brennan, Director of Weaving, shows the tapestry commissioned by the Scottish Arts Council to hang in their committee room. The weavers are seen working on the tapestry which, measuring 18 1/2 ft by 12ft, is the largest so far woven. [synopsis from SCFL catalogue]

The weavers featured in this film are:- Douglas Grierson, Maureen Hodge, Fred Mann, Harry Wright, Archie Brennan (director of weaving).

Please note the viewing copy available is not broadcast standard and may display some visible defects such as flicker.

Credits: ed. Robin Chalmers
ph. Norward Inglis

Shotlist: Credits and title (0.24) Archie Brennan, director of weaving at the Dovecot workshop in Corstorphine, walks into workshop, a dovecot is in background (0.51) talking head of Archie Brennan against backdrop of tapestry (1.51) shots of weavers preparing a large loom followed by talking head of Archie Brennan as he demonstrates weaving on a smaller loom (4.24) large loom being prepared for a Scottish Arts Council commissioned tapestry, followed by shots of weaver working on design sketches, shots of design books (6.30) weavers prepare large loom (7.49) talking head of Archie Brennan, shots of examples of cloth, floor rug, and wall hanging weaving throughout history (10.30) gvs weavers working at the large loom on the S.A.C. commission, including c/us and full shots of the tapestry developing (15.13) examples of other tapestry produced by the workshop (16.47) further shots of weavers working on the large S.A.C. tapestry (20.07) shots of a tapestry produced by the workshop based on a painting by John Maxwell, followed by other examples of the workshop's output (22.23) talking head of Archie Brennan against backdrop of finished S.A.C. tapestry (24.03) end credits (24.45)