Please read Understanding catalogue records for help interpreting this information and Using footage for more information about accessing this film.

Title: THREE PORTRAIT SKETCHES

Reference number: 6235

Date: 1951

Director: [filmed by Peter Hollander]

Sound: silent

Original format: 16mm

Colour: bw

Fiction: fiction

Running time: 5.56 mins

Description: The three portrait sketches of the title are called 'Claudia', 'Fernando Birri' and 'Saulat Rahman'. [Presumably made when Margaret Tait was a student at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematographia, Rome]

See also refs. 6229 and 8551.

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.

Credits: [screenplay Margaret Tait
camera Peter Hollander
continuity Fernando Birri
leading players Sergio Rusconi, Carmen Papio
ed. Fernando Birri, Peter Hollander, Margaret Tait]

Shotlist: opening titles [Claudia] set in Italy, this portrait sketch follows the exploits of a girl called Claudia. She is seen writing in her notebook, playing in woods and near water fountain (1.23) man laughing and acting over-dramatically beside statue, animated stones are built up in a square, writing with stone in dirt, feather floats along, balancing along wall (4.57) Indian woman walking and running along, down staircase etc [some slow motion] (7.57)