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Title: SHAPE OF A TOWN

Reference number: 6212

Date: 1974

Director: filmed by Margaret Tait

Production company: Ancona Films

Sound: sound

Original format: 16mm

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 7.49 mins

Description: Second in the series 'Aspects of Kirkwall' of films about the changing face of Kirkwall over the years. Filmed in 1974, it features the primary school, various shops, St. Magnus Cathedral under scaffolding and general views of the area including land fill in the 'Peedie Sea'.

See also refs 3704, 3705, 6225 and 6238 for other titles in the series.

Originally dated as 1977 but I wonder if this is the release date rather than the date of filming (?) Margaret Tait says on the soundtrack "This picture is of Kirkwall in 1974" hence the date noted.

See also Additional Information file at 11/1/455. Paper Archives 4/5/119, 4/11/651, 4/5/92.

The Tait papers are deposited in Orkney Archives. Currently being catalogued. For any enquiries please contact Principal Archivist.

The British Artist's Film and Video Study Collection at http://www.bftv.ac.uk/avantgarde based at Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design holds an artist's file on Margaret Tait.

The British Film Institute National Library http://www.bfi.org.uk holds many of the published articles on her and her work.

In 1979 Margaret Tait was the subject of a BBC Scotland 'Spectrum' arts programme.

Shotlist: title and opening credits (0.16) [Margaret Tait voiceover comments "Shaping of a town it should be"] exts Kirkwall Primary School, including playing fields with bright red Royal Mail post van in foreground; [small boy voiceover features quote from Shakespeare "All the world's a stage..."] young boy walking towards school gates (0.36) gvs children chatting and playing in school playground, some are on swings in background, one little girl sports a satchel (0.47) ints children in swimming pool (0.53) [Margaret Tait voiceover comments "This picture is of Kirkwall in 1974"] wider angle exts Kirkwall Primary School where children run enter and exit (1.07) exts shop 'Lipton', children are seen to right pouring out of lane and onto street outside (1.22) c/u various shop windows and ints, including ironmonger with tools, fishmonger, butcher, wines and spirits, lingerie and clothing, shoes, grocer with fresh fruit and vegetables (1.53) ints sheep and cattle at auction (2.02) continued gvs shops, featuring bakery, alcohol bottles, electronics such as television and radio (2.30) brief shot puddles on pavement (2.34) ints shop where lady on stool deals with tobacco and newspaper stock (2.47) exts St. Magnus Cathedral entrance under scaffolding, various c/u stonework, people are seen entering by side door (3.46) group of people dressed in gowns and robes exit side door (4.17) exts secondary school (4.33) various gvs empty streets and lanes, Kirkwall (5.21) toddler in buggy sits outside house (5.27) small boys playing in garden with wooden logs, one wee boy eats a sweet (5.34) view over housing estate and to landscape beyond, exts houses, there is a washing line with linen billowing in wind (5.52) pan right to reveal view over Kirkwall and harbour (6.21) wind rippling and blowing shallow water, 'NO DUMPING' sign, gvs development work filling in Peedie Sea (?), sand piles and digger (7.02) model yachts at sail (7.46) END (7.49)