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

Title: TO MORAG

Reference number: 7979

Date: 1995

Director: d. Fiona Pandelus

Sponsor: Scottish Film Council, Scottish Television First Reels 1994, City of Aberdeen

Producer: Fiona Pandelus

Production company: Shiftwork Physical Theatre Company

Sound: sound

Colour: col

Fiction: fiction

Running time: 12.53 mins

Description: Shiftwork Physical Theatre Company present a short film about love and loss expressed through movement. Memories are triggered when an elderly man finds a wedding dress and other personal belongings in a trunk in the attic.

Following background information offered by Niki McCretton, June 2009: "To Morag was originally a 30 min piece created for the stage, as a co-production with the Lemon Tree Arts Centre in Aberdeen, as part of a production called Inside Out. This toured across Scotland as part of the Highlands and Islands touring network and also the piece went to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe through the British Council and the twinning committee in Aberdeen. The piece was inspired by the idea of loss and was named after a young woman that was known by company members, who died in her early thirties - her name was Morag. The piece used physical theatre techniques to tell the story, non-verbally, of a man who is clearing his attic, perhaps due to move house or to downsize. We see him discovering items that trigger powerful and emotional memories for him, with his imagination leading him to actually see his wife in her old wedding dress. He becomes young as he remembers and he re-lives some moments of their lives - the moment they first met, some times alone and the day they marry. At the end of the piece the young couple melt away in his mind and he is left holding the empty dress, which he feels he no longer needs or is able to keep. It poses a question that memories are triggered by objects and items which we should somehow find a way to keep hold of."

First Reels - a joint short film initiative from Scottish Screen (and its predecessor body the Scottish Film Council) and Scottish Television. First Reels was launched during 1991 by Scottish Film Council in response to a perceived need for small grants to help young and first time film-makers to make or complete their first film or video project. Scottish Television came in as co-sponsor at an early stage and as well as contributing to half the funds they have given the scheme a tremendous public relations boost by running three half hour documentaries showing excerpts from the First Reels. Applicants were invited to submit projects in any format and on any subject they chose. All entries were considered by a jury and thirty five projects were given grants varying from £50 to £2000. On show at the GFT are a representative selection of the best of the films and videos supported by the scheme. [Editorial from Scottish Film Council held in paper archives]

Credits: Shiftwork Physical Theatre Company

devised and performed by Wrigg Campbell, Niki McCretton, Claire Osborne
m. Alasdair Fraser, Paul Machlis
excerpts from "The Road North" courtesy of Narada Music © 1989

With special thanks to Eric Johnstone, Grampian Television; Tom Carlin, McMillan Video; Simon Thorgood, Viscom (Aberdeen) Ltd.; Garry Coleman, GHS Motion Picture Services Ltd.; Eric Smith, Micahel Samuelson Lighting; Brief Encounter; City of Aberdeen; Copthorne Hotel (Aberdeen) Ltd.; Northern College of Education; Simon Gane; Brian and Linda Glasser; Sandy and April Ramsay; Melanie Russell; Violet Russell; Nicola Walters; Colin and Susan Watson; Grant Wilson

camera Tom Innes
ass. camera Michael Connell
lighting designer Ewan Munro
lighting ass. Gavin Ramsay
p. designer Bryan Angus
wardrobe Elma Donald, Penny Clark
make-up Jeane Christison
p. ass. Emma Glasser
grip Sadiq Masih
runner David Ness
unit stills Richard White
catering Elna Angus
ed. Bryan Keeley
online ed. Tom Mowat
post production sd. Robert Stephen, Brian Moffat
production funding Scottish Film Council, Scottish Television, First Reels 1994, City of Aberdeen
p. and d. Fiona Pandelus

© 1995