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Title: JONATHAN MILLER

Reference number: 6149

Date: 1991c

Sponsor: Strathclyde Regional Council and Scottish Film Council

Production company: TV Media Services

Sound: sound

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 47.00 mins

Description: In responses to questions posed by an audience of schoolchildren, Jonathan Miller discusses in detail his career in theatre and television and his recent production of the St. Matthew Passion at the Tramway.

Part of a series called 'The Strathclyde Tapes' designed to inform young people about a career in the media. See also refs. 6134, 6147, 6148, 6150, 6151.

The Strathclyde Tapes series 1990 - 1996 was produced by Strathclyde Regional Council in partnership with Scottish Film Council for Media Education Teaching. They grew out of collaboration between the Scottish Film Council and Strathclyde Regional Council, which were both involved in bringing the European Film Awards to Glasgow in 1990 to round of the celebrations for the city's year as Cultural Capital of Europe. Set of seven interviews with film industry personnel - Bill Forsyth, David Puttnam, Richard Attenborough, Paddy Higson, Jonathan Miller, Peter Brook and Alan Sharp.
For teaching notes and background information see paper archives file at 1/1/334.

Credits: with thanks to Jonathan Miller and members of Strathclyde Theatre for Youth and Opera West's Ayrshire Voices
shot on location at Tramway, Glasgow
educational liaison Ron Mackie, Strathclyde Region and Paula Visocchi, Glasgow Film Theatre
recorded and ed. TVMS

Shotlist: [shotlisted from control track - no timecode]

(0.00) opening credits (0.48) There are three questions on staging of the ST. MATTHEW PASSION at Tramway. In his answers Jonathan Miller talks about his reason for wishing to dramatise the piece and explains the rationale for this particular staging. He also explains his belief in the power of intimate storytelling (8.51) In response to a range of questions on the directions his career has taken, Jonathan Miller explains his reasons for abandoning medicine in favour of the theatre and his feelings about this (11.44) He explains why he has never fulfilled his ambition to direct a feature film. He talks about the excitement of becoming involved in opera as a theatre director with no previous musical experience. He describes his experience of producing and directing the BBC Shakespeare series and talks about the differences between directing for theatre and for television. He also explains why he has spent so much time working abroad in recent years. What motivates him as director. He explains how he approaches a new production and talks about the importance of allowing space to the imagination. He describes the difficulties of restaging old productions and his approach to comedy and tragedy. Explains why he rarely goes to the theatre himself (39.44) upon being asked for advice on career as performer, he maintains that the world of performance is very undemocratic and it is important to be very determined if you want to succeed (46.05) ecs (47.00)