ALL PRODUCED BY OR WITH PETE GREGSON
SEE THEM TOGETHER ON PETE’S YOU-TUBE VIDEO CHANNEL AT www.youtube.com/c/PeterGregsonX
Radical Reekie – the rise of Labour in Edinburgh
A chronicle of social and political developments in Edinburgh from 1900 to 1940, looking at the rise of Labour and the city’s many protest movements. Using photos from Edinburgh People’s Story and National museums, it also reviews the temperance movement, women’s suffrage, World War I, the General Strike, hunger marches, the rise of fascism, the Spanish Civil War and “Protestant Action”, a sectarian party which took 9 seats on the city council before the war.
It dispels the myth of Edinburgh as a staid tourist resort, reflecting on national and world events and looking at Edinburgh’s contribution. The Rt Hon Eric Milligan observed in 1997 “As Edinburgh’s Lord Provost I would urge citizens to view and discuss this video that charts the radical movements that have taken place here. People sometimes forget that Edinburgh has not always been a political city.”
Scottish Labour History advised on the script; there are no talking heads. Made in 1990 and produced by Pete Gregson with Slide Workshop and the Video Access Centre, it lasts 23 mins.
View it at tinyurl.com/aradicalreekie
also at Radical Reekie Two
IN HISTORICAL ORDER
Another Kitchen Sink Drama (funded by £50 from South West Arts. Super-8; 1978) 10 mins [18 mins in/ 3rd video in ] Soundtrack to be fixed
With Edinburgh Film Workshop Trust:
It’s Changed Days now, Right enough (1981) 23 mins
A multi-projector slide-tape onto video, photographed and directed by David Halliday and with sound production by Pete. This film chronicles the changes in East Lothian brought about by farming, fishing and coal-mining over the 100 years previous. A beautiful and moving documentary of lives past and present. Based on research by Stella Elsdale and Pat Fitzgerald.
The Boston White.. and how the Wester Hailes Mob got Licked (1981) 33 mins
A comedy made with Theatre Workshop director Andi Ross, scripted by Mick McMcormack and featuring many well-known community workers and activists, with all the summer playschemes and the local YTS providing acting talent. Featuring Mick as Ironsides with chum Kojak assisting.
Just another Tuesday.. Living on the Dole (1982) 18 mins
A youth group from Whitburn visit Craigmillar to see community arts and meet convicted murderer Jimmy Boyle, now a reformed character working as an artist, in a community centre in Wester Hailes; it has quite an impact on them. Made with Theatre Workshop input.
Benmore – An Introduction to Adventure (LRC, 1982) 36 mins
A Documentary about Benmore outdoor education centre, used in schools to encourage young people to go there for sailing, gorge-walking, bouldering, caving, abseiling; young people tell of the impact the trip had on their confidence
As Commedia
Home Sweet Home (with Wardieburn Women’s Group, 1985) 24.5 mins
Slide-tape onto video, about poor housing in Pilton and the unwillingness of the Council’s Housing Dept to take the resident’s concerns seriously – dampness, overcrowding, maintenance and repairs, etc
An Asian Family in Edinburgh (1985, self-funded. Slide-tape onto video) 20 mins.
Akbal Singh’s dad came to Scotland from the Punjab and started out as a door-to-door salesman; Aki was 7 when he came to Edinburgh and this is the story of his family…. “It is 1984. Akbal Singh runs a shop in Edinburgh. He used to work on the buses. He is a proud Sikh; he is from Edinburgh – his wife is from Leeds; they have 2 boys and 2 girls. His father came to Britain from Pakistan because the UK wanted help. This is their story” [NB Some tracking lines on this video]
WITH MEDICA (Mayfield & Easthouses Drop-in Centre Association):
Look Back at Newbattle High School (LRC; 1985) 22 min
This school takes its catchment from Mayfield, Easthouses and Newtongrange, where for many years mining was the major source of employment. After the Lady Vic colliery closed in 1981, the area suffered badly from unemployment. The other mines nearby were caught up in the 84-85 miners strike and later closed. Young people were caught up in hopeless times. The video was made with young people, mostly suspended or expelled from school. Their criticisms of the education system (“Teachers treat you like rubbish”, “I was a dumbo”) are counterpointed with filmed interviews with their old teachers, combined with roleplays of classroom schenes. The young people chose all the sinject matter and one, Ian Barr, did all the filming. Pete and the youth worker who led the project, Alasdair Mathers, did the editing. Those involved were Paul Bryson, Graeme Essen, David McKimmie, James McKimmie, Ryan McPherson, Stewart Duncan, Johnny Walker, John Lawrie, John MacIntyre, Robert Groundwater, Scott Adams, Derek Barr, Colin Wylie, Brian McCabe (Hauns) and teachers Sandy Crichton and Mr Ramsay.
Police Versus Youth (LRC; 1985) 16 min
In the aftermath of the miner’s strike, the same young people who made “look back at Newbatlle High School” discuss relationships with the police and interview a police officer in the station where they had previously only ever visited the cells.
The 6 o’clock News from Mayfield (LRC; 1986) 15 mins
A lighter take on local crime, all conceived and filmed by the young people. With John McIntyre, Ryan McPherson, Hauns, Paul Speedman (aka Ryan), Gavin Bolland, Scott Adams and James McKimmie. With the weather forecast and adverts.
As a result of these three video projects, the police declared there had been a slight fall in the crime rate. They provided a letter of support used to help secure £400,000 of urban aid funding to establish Young People Speak Out (YPSO) in 1993 and cover its first 4 years’ costs. YPSO continued to work with young people until 2006 when it closed due to funding shortages. It worked with around 500 young people each year who made around 7o videos each year; the project only worked with young people living in areas of disadvantage. See the 2004 annual report here.
OTHER INDEPENDENT PRODUCTIONS
57 Varieties (1986) 15mins
A tape about education, deprivation and disability – dealt with in a revealing and entertaining manner. Made with a mixed group of adults with learning and physical disabilities and able-bodied young people. The project, based at a special school near Easterhouse in Glasgow, involved drama, roleplay, interviews, music, revelations to camera plus a few street interviews. The tape was so successful that the Scottish Film Council took a copy for their library. It won a Barry award at the community video festival. It’s easily consumed and very revealing – about how people feel about disability and education and about how disabled people feel about themselves.
Fooled (funded by Edinburgh District Council, WEA; 1985) [2nd video in]
Murrayfield – What Kind of Future? 1985, 26 min
A documentary on housing conditions in Murrayfield, West Lothian where the housing at the time was way below standard. The tenants explain their concerns and dreams for the future. Made with the Urban Aid project led by Carol Duncan
The Murrayfield Strategy 1987, 20 min
A follow up film made two years later, with the group having secured the investment needed to regenerate their community. A massive input of cash from a Tory Government surprised locals who wanted this film made just in case the politicians changed their minds before the work was complete. An uplifting tale. This film was selected by the Scottish Film Archive as a a chronicle of a significant moment in scottish housing history; it is stored in their library for posterity.
Tackling the Issues (Funded by C4, EOC, EDC; 1988) – girls and football with Hailes United; short version, 24 min
[Please note – I seek the longer 56minute version that I made at the same time. This has loads of Hailes United footage. Does anyone out there have a copy? The Coach was Jim Brown. Team players were Susan Meikle and Gillian Simpson (I think she was captain). The community newspaper, the Wester Hailes Sentinel has been archived- and has lots of info on Hailes United, cuttings and so on, of the team. There are photos and info on the players here: http://hailesmatters.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/wester-hailes-women-kept-on-winning/The photo at the top is the team I remember. Recognise anybody? One of the news cuttings I have downloaded from the sites is here– prompt any memories? If you can find any players or the coach, please email me at postmaster@roseburn32.plus.com )]
Radical Reekie (with Slide Workshop, 1990) 23.5 mins – see above
Art in Public Places (AIP 1990) 11 mins
Slide-tape onto video, this looks at environmental and public art around the world
With EVTC
acid crisps1989 2 mins, spoof advert. ACID CRISPS, an EVTC production 1989. Made by and starring Elspeth Gray and Keith Bradley
With Young People Speak Out
(Pete Gregson set up and ran YPSO, an outreach youth work video project, from 1993 to 2005; it employed 12 people, who worked with, each year, 500 young people disadvantaged young people across Lothian – making around 70 videos a year, each of which were screened locally and at Edinburgh Filmhouse. The project sought to improve confidence, self-esteem and social skills, through video-making in a groupwork setting. Every group got an Oscar for their work, and every young person a certificate of achievement and a copy of their creation. There was a constant waiting list for projects, which were delivered free. Fundraising the £115,000 a year to keep the show on the road was the hardest task – around 14 different funders contributed, many changing on an annual basis)
A good example of the kind of work are these two videos.
Children at “The Venchie” in Craigmillar, one of Edinburgh’s poorest housing estates, get together to plot a brighter future, with good housing, great play facilities, etc Made with Susan Semple, Young People Speak Out video youth worker:
Over the Rainbow (YPSO, 2002, 20 min)
Pot of Gold (YPSO, 2004, 9 min)
Other productions were more ambitious on the technical front…
Cry Wolf Da Volf! (YPSO, 2003)
Made by Keith Bradley with David Bain – winner of First Light Best Horror Film Award London Feb 2004
Download the YPSO Annual Report here
With City of Edinburgh Council
New Craigmillar (CEC, 2005)
Promo for CEC on Craigmillar Regeneration. With Trevor Davies
Communal Courtyards (CEC, 2005)
MORE RECENTLY:
Dick Dog the Carphobic Dachsund 1995 10 mins.
Dick Dog is a mental puppy that just doesn’t like being in a car. Made as a submission to Barking Mad TV Series, kindly rejected.
May C Jenkins – A Scottish Poet (2011) “Happy Birthday May Mackay“
May C Jenkins- a Scottish poet, celebrated her birthday in 2011 and brought together everyone who loved her. She was Pete Gregson’s adopted auntie; this was her birthday present from him- a brief tale of her life
Echoes – Castlebrae High school (2012) Castlebrae High School: Dec 2012.
The Council plan to close the school, in this, the most deprived area in the city. Labour run the show; their mantra of Education, Education, Education is wearing thin. The school is a credit to the education system; pupils protest viciferously about the threatened closure. This production by local activists is an astounding piece of political theatre…. Save the Brae won their battle. The Council agreed in April 2013 to keep it open, until a new one is opened in 2020. Lots more about this here. SAVE THE BRAE. For copies of this video, email to postmaster@roseburn32.plus.com
Blueprint for Free Speech – Awards for Whistleblowing May 2016 Complete Event 1 hr 10mins
Blueprint Awards (May 2016) – Chelsea Manning Award 7 mins
US Consulate Edinburgh – Delivering first tranche of signatures for petition to Hillary Clinton seeking pardon for Chelsea Manning (June 2016) 5min 40
These two videos were to promote the campaign and petition that KnS was running for Chelsea – see more info here
CCWEL Campaign
City Chambers Protest (3 Feb 2016) Anti-Cycle Track 20mins
Mile of Cars (Dec 2016) 10min
These videos were to promote the campaign that KnS was running against the CCWEL – see more info here
IHRA Campaign
On the IHRA Definition of anti-Semitism, Gregson’s suspension from GMB.
STUC Anti-Racist Demo Nov 2018, 2.5 min
A few weeks later, Rabbi Ahron Cohen travelled from Manchester to be a witness at Pete Gregson’s hearing. The GMB refused to wait 30 minutes to allow Rabbi Cohen to speak. Pete had given them the speech in written form, but the Rabbi deserved to be heard. So here he delivers his speech from the hotel steps, outside the hearing. To help get rid of the IHRA, ask your union branch to pass the model motion which can be downloaded at tinyurl.com/unionihra 20 mins More here
Rabbi Cohen Speech not taken at GMB Hearing Dec 2018, 20 min,
This was re-edited with extra footage (from Sewage Sunday) and spanish subtitles added to make:
GMB IHRA Ban – Rabbi Cohen Speaks Out Jan 2019, 20 min.
Ken Loach liked this video. He said “Your case is made very clearly and is unanswerable. Pete, your position is justified and has to be defended”
The Loss of Freedom of Speech on Israel, thanks to bogus anti-Semitism claims Mar 2019 117 min
Pete’s talk in Kentish Town to the Keep Talking group after GMB appeal in 2-hour “Keep Talking” video with slideshow illustrations – also at tinyurl.com/ihratalk
See lots more of Pete’s videos about the loss of our freedom of speech on Israel at the post on this website www.kidsnotsuits.com/ihravideos
BY OTHERS
Glasgow Cable TV
“What are Film & Video workshops?“,1987
Filmed at GFT on Scottish Association of Film & Video workshops open day 1987 [first video in]. See poster for sister 3rdF&VwshopEventEIFF1988
And by STV/BBC
Kids not Suits Launch – BBC Reporting Scotland, 10 Sept 2010, 2 min 15 secs
With Alaistair McNish, explaining why Scotland can’t afford to have more local authority workers flying desks than anywhere else in Europe. KnS wants to see education delivered on a regional basis, as it was under the Regions before 1997; resources should be redirected from the back office into the front line, with many more teachers and much smaller class sizes, especially in poorer areas
