The Bamburgh Research Project Media Department

The Media Department was created in 2000 by BRP Media Director, Gerry Twomey, to record all aspects of the project's work. We record video footage of the excavations, creating an innovative extra dimension to the archaeological record. We have created a large digital video archive which we use as a primary resource to make video productions.

Filming the excavation of a test pit within the village.

The principle aims of the Media Department include:

Filming the archaeological excavations and archaeologists at Bamburgh to create an unprecedented digital video archive of archaeological investigation.

Training archaeologists and media students in the use of digital video and media production as a modern archaeological recording tool and communication technique.

Production of an online database of all footage integrated with the archaeological record database, to be made available for public access over the internet, and as an interactive DVD, (replacing microfiche) in the final site report.

Production of media for education and training and to promote the project's research. [CD's, DVD's, CD/DVD-Rom's, VHS Video, Web media].

Community involvement and international communication. Filming is a method of making research work accessible to a wide audience both locally and internationally, maximising the benefit of research.

Maintaining the physical video tape archive and creating copies for public use and training. Investigating the potential for collaboration with national data management bodies such as the Archaeological Data Service and English Heritage.

MEDIA AND ARCHAEOLOGY

In the last five years there has been a revolution in digital film-making. It is now possible to shoot broadcast quality video on digital tape using relatively inexpensive cameras, and edit footage on home computer systems. The internet provides a forum for the display of edited films. Bamburgh Research Project has been one of the first archaeological investigations to embrace this new technology, and since we began filming in 2000, several universities have developed undergraduate and post graduate courses combining media with archaeology. We aim to provide a field school for students and volunteers wishing to learn practical techniques in this expanding area of archaeological investigation. We also hope to encourage students with a media background to develop their practical skills at Bamburgh, as the research project comprises a variety of activities and covers many issues that would make interesting subjects for documentary production.

SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS WORK

2000 Season

The 2000 season began with the philosophy that archaeologists can now use video technology themselves, recording and presenting the investigation of the past in new ways which enrich the archaeological record and provide a plethora of modern ways in which to share information to a wide variety of audiences. From 2000, the camera was operated by archaeologists with the intention of creating an archive of the excavations, the archaeologists, the training and a diary of events. We involved students in the filming process, as sound recordists and camera assistants, and experimented with documentary styles including presenting to camera, interview, candid, and reportage. We recorded the excavations in trench 1, 2 and the Bowl Hole and field trips to local sites. In the post excavation period after the 2000 season, we began logging the footage and editing. By March 2001 we had produced our first promotional C-DVD introducing the project. This was sent out to prospective students, universities and funding organisations.

2001 Season

The pre production for the 2001 season began with purchase of professional sound recording equipment and a new palm sized mini DV camera. The project was continuing to expand, with an extended season and more students. The film unit also expanded, and Katie Nightingale, a previous student who had become involved with the filming in 2000, joined the project as Media Assistant.

The excavations during the summer were filmed with greater intensity. An enormous amount of activity was recorded showing the dynamic and wide scope of the project. We made the cameras available to students and encouraged everyone on the project to contribute video diaries at stages throughout the season. We interviewed every student and archaeologist, the project directors and visiting scholars.

Our coverage of the excavations included trenches 1, 3, and 4, St. Oswald's Gate, the exploration of the well in the Keep and the discovery and investigation of the Hope-Taylor archive in the stores. We recorded a greater number of PTC interpretations from the directors and supervisors, explaining the archaeology in the trenches. We recorded more training sessions, including contexts, stratigraphy, photography, surveying, excavation, drawing.

The discovery of Hope-Taylor's finds was a major surprise, and we examined people's reactions. We also followed the investigation of Hope-Taylor's trench, in Trench 3 and interviewed visiting archaeologists who had been his contemporaries. We augmented our footage of the castle and landscape including the village, and we documented students on field trips to Hexham Cathedral crypt and the Millfield henge reconstruction. Students were given the smaller DV camera to record their own personal diary footage on and off site.

By the end of the 2001 season we had captured over 70 hours of footage. The editing process began again, and by April 2002 a new CD-DVD was produced which explored the archaeology in greater depth. The filming continued after the 2001 season, when the project began its first LHi funded investigation of the village.

2002 Season

To build on the massive resource of digital video from previous seasons it was clear that we needed to train students to use the archive. However with limited resources, we decided to test the viability of training with a small number of dedicated media students to act as a 2nd film crew in 2002. We also planned to manage all press and TV relations and generate publicity and interest in the media, whom we contacted to arrange coverage of our excavations. In April, we returned to the castle to film the cataloguing and re-packaging of Hope Taylor's finds. In the same month we filmed our first meeting with the RCAHMS in Edinburgh. We recorded the mass of Hope Taylor's articles and papers that they had collected, and filmed the project staff as they discovered artefacts and documents relating to Bamburgh, and the life of Hope Taylor.

The summer excavation season was recorded in further depth using our first dedicated media students, who were trained on site. Trench 3 was covered in great detail, and we re-visited the RCAHMS, returning with footage and photos of Hope-Taylor's trench, including sections and phasing models. We recorded the process of revealing and understanding Hope-Taylor's trench. Our investigations went further including interviews with Vera Rutherford, who worked with Hope-Taylor and copying her slides of the 1960s and 1970's excavations.

Our coverage of the Bowl Hole site was extensive, experimenting with the use of time lapse techniques and static camera surveillance of individual graves as they were excavated. We continued to record the excavations in Trench 1 and at St.Oswald's Gate. Work began on the creation of a database logging the precise contents of each tape in the archive. We produced promotional leaflets, display panels and press releases throughout the season and created a video display for tourists. We began assembling a history of Bamburgh, and filmed a series of PTC's detailing the events and story of the castle through time. We also recorded life at the campsite in greater detail, utilising new night filming technology. Students learned editing techniques, as they assembled a short film from the LHi footage. On site we managed the visits of several film crews, including Tyne Tees, BBC local news and the CBBC series 'Saxons and Vikings'.

WORK IN PROGRESS

We are currently producing video as part of the LHi and BRP investigation into the archaeology of Bamburgh village. We are also working on short films for display in the castle's new presentation of BRP research. In addition to these smaller productions, we are editing a feature documentary about the project for distribution on VHS and DVD.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY

Each summer, the media department has several places available for students and volunteers who are interested in becoming involved in our work. This training opportunity is open to all, but an interest in archaeology and media is desirable. We offer a broad range of practical media training activities that can be tailored to students needs and experience. Enthusiasm and initiative are the chief attributes we look for in our applicants. Students can expect to be able to get involved in all aspects of filming and post-production, and to get the chance to focus on the areas that are specific to their personal interests.

"All the staff at the Bamburgh Research Project have been really great. They are very accommodating with special interests and they work very hard to give the students important work to carry out"
Rob Gill, Sound Engineering 2002
" Despite the hectic film process the staff always have time to explain things, and to help with any problems. I have really enjoyed my time here with both the film crew and the archaeologists"
Rachel Smith, English 2002

What kind of training can I expect to receive at Bamburgh?

Media training at Bamburgh is a fully hands-on experience, at times very intense, requiring multi-taskers who have the initiative to work with limited resources in extreme conditions. All Media students will get the opportunity to operate camera and sound equipment on a regular basis, including Sennheiser microphones and a range of video cameras from Canon's XL1 miniDV camera to smaller hand held miniDV and Hi8 models.

In 2003 media students will create audio CD's about the project and castle history, recording onto minidisk and editing using Cubase software.

Editing - Students will be required to compose their own film using the digital video archive and new footage they shoot themselves. Students will be shown how to use the editing software, and all projects will be supervised.

Press and PR - The Media Department is responsible for all dealings with the press. Students may be asked to write press releases, make public display panels and assist with the management of broadcast film crews that visit the site.

Filming techniques

Broadly, filming at Bamburgh falls into five categories:

Observational: This category is akin to filming nature documentaries and comprises the majority of our footage. The camera is the silent observer. We film the archaeologists at work and sometimes outside of work, documenting the relationships that form and social dynamics of the dig as well as recording the excitement of new discoveries as they happen.

Interview: Static shots of students, volunteers and project staff responding to the film crew's questions about a particular subject.

PTC: This is where a sequence of shots are contrived to illustrate a certain topic using a presenter (usually one of the supervisors) talking directly to camera.

Environment: General shots of the natural environment and setting of the castle in the landscape.

Scientific: Concentrating on recording the archaeological features in detail, including scientific information such as context numbers and stratigraphic interpretations.

Database: We have set up a database which contains information about every shot on every tape we've recorded. The process of logging tapes into the database is essential in order to make the archive of footage accessible to everyone. However it is laborious work which media students will be expected to undertake from time to time.

We are ideally looking for students that are prepared to come to Bamburgh for 3 weeks or longer. In order to get the most out of the experience students will need this length of time to adjust to the way we work and complete their own compositions. To become involved please use the student/ volunteer application details on this website and remember to specify that you want to do media.

Alternatively e-mail Media Director Gerry Twomey at the following address:

gerrytwomey@bamburghresearchproject.co.uk

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