On Friday 14 March 2003, Niki participated in the official opening of The Engine Room, a new community-based film and creative media centre operated by Somerset Film & Video Ltd. (SFV), and located at 52 High Street in Niki's then-home community of Bridgwater, Somerset, U.K. Niki performed live in a piece entitled Bridgwater On Bridgwater - in collaboration with film-maker Tor Webster of Glastonbury, Somerset - in which she performed movement in front of a screen on which was projected Webster's film.
"We had never met before and worked on the piece together as it was a good opportunity to create something," Niki explained. "We filmed people in the streets and shops of Bridgwater, and Tor edited this together with shots of my hands and my feet dancing. I then constructed movement to sequence with the movements on the screen so I was effectively dancing the dance of the Bridgwater people - from children to shopkeepers, security guards to local characters. Hopefully, the effect was a sweetly humourous piece which seemed a good start to The Engine Room's opening celebration."
Other artists who performed for the launch were Tymon Dogg, Violinist for the late Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros; Andy MacKay, Saxophonist for Roxy Music; The Visitors; and, The Chris Jagger Band. Speeches were made by Film Director Julian Temple; Jules Channer, Director of Education & Skills for South West Screen; film-makers Robert Richards & Phil Shepherd of SFV; and Councillor Neville Jones, Chairman of Sedgemoor District Council. The pilot preview of Glastonbury Festival - The Movie was screened alongside Steam and a showreel of SFV work.
Somerset Film & Video Ltd. is funded by the six local authorities in County Somerset to promote moving-image production in the region. It also receives funding from South West Screen, Arts Council England's Regional Lottery Programme, UK Online and The New Opportunities Fund. Now based at The Engine Room, SFV continues to initiate and produce a wide range of projects from supporting "grass-roots" community work to commissioned programmes for broadcast. It also offers an extensive range of courses and opportunities for new film-makers.
SFV's website includes a Noticeboard page which is updated weekly and lists everything related to film-and-video production and exhibition in the region; a Funding page which lists all the latest opportunities for potential funding for your project and the various organisations that you might want to approach; a Network section which holds a regularly updated listing of local film, video and multimedia practitioners aimed at both amateurs and professionals; a Showreel page which contains a showcase of extracts of films made by Somerset film-makers; and, a Links page which provides an invaluable shortcut to useful regional and national media agencies, funding bodies and broadcast companies.
SFV has been running moving-image projects in-and-around Somerset since 1995. Its stated aim is "to introduce the exciting world of film-making to as many people as possible - both through outreach and at The Engine Room. The aim is to provide you with the knowledge and technology to make your own films and much more besides. We look forward to working with local organisations including Bridgwater Arts Centre and Bridgwater College."
Through The Engine Room, SFV offers courses and instruction in Animation, Film-Making, Graphic Design, Music Production, Video Editing and Web Design. In addition, it holds Cinema Screenings and hosts free Drop-In Sessions if you wish to practise a skill, chat about an idea, require assistance with a project or just want to learn more about SFV and its facilities. The Engine Room also has a Cafe - a bright, colourful place in which to relax, meet friends and have brunch, lunch or tea.
(Posted March 2003 by Archive Editor Robin Chase)
Images/Some Text Courtesy SFV
