Bamburgh Research Project
The Media Department was established in 2000 to record all aspects of the Project's work. We document the daily archaeological excavations, creating an innovative extra dimension to the archaeological record. The Media Department is responsible for maintaining this video archive and creating productions for the Internet, education, television, and larger film projects. Led by Media Director Gerry Twomey, the department works with students and volunteers, who are encouraged to become involved in every aspect of the production process.
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The BRP Media department began in 2000 as an open experiment. We wanted to explore ways of using digital video to record archaeology. As 2000 was also the first year of major excavations within the Castle walls since the 1970’s, our priority was to record as much as possible, both of the archaeology and the social context of the Project’s development. We are not the first archaeological project to film its excavations, but we have been among the first to apply a holistic approach that aims to make a record of the archaeologists’ thought processes and interpretations of archaeology as it is discovered. For us, the people who contribute to the Project are as important as the physical archaeology. The archaeologists at Bamburgh, both staff and students, are encouraged to present their opinions, interpretations, and experiences of the archaeology on camera in PTCs (“presenting to camera”), video diaries, and candid interviews in the trenches. This works as a method of helping the archaeologists to engage with their discoveries. In addition to this, we try to capture the social side of each season. All our footage is preserved in the video archive and organised in log sheets for future access. Media students are then given the opportunity to edit selections of this footage into short films and documentaries (Our Films link). Through the film and internet technology now available, we are able to use the medium of video to give the general public an inside look into the site and show the excavation processes and discoveries as they happen. This dissemination of information is considered one of the Project’s fundamental responsibilities, given the essentially destructive quality of archaeology. The short films we produce are also important because, given the popular nature of the medium, they are able to reach a wider, non-specialist audience than the scientific archaeological archive. This also allows the Project to make information public on an ongoing basis, rather than waiting for the excavations to be finished and the findings published. Top of page
In addition to our continual recording of the archaeology, the media department this season is focusing on creating a series of Vodcasts (video podcasts) that we aim to make available during the season via this web site and a variety of other sources (Links).
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We welcome students and volunteers of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience. We offer comprehensive training in filming, lighting, sound, and editing equipment. Students are welcome to direct their focus into areas such as camera work, screen writing, or producing. While filming the archaeology remains an absolute priority, we are also keen to produce films utilising our footage, and these films are available to interpretation through a variety of creative visions and techniques. To apply, please use the general application form or contact Paul Gething, Project director (Contacts link). For further information specifically regarding Media, please contact Gerry Twomey, Media director. York St John (link) students are also encouraged to meet Gerry at the Bamburgh Media lecture in the spring and check university notice boards for information regarding the application process. Top of page
Association with York St John University
Since 2003, students from the York St John University Film and Television department have been coming to gain work experience in documentary and location shooting at Bamburgh. BRP Media department gives them valuable instruction in the basics of camera work, use of filming and editing equipment, interview techniques, script-development, and concept development. Most of the student films displayed on this web site are the work of York St John students who developed, scripted, filmed, and edited their films while on site with supervision and direction from the Media staff. Top of page
Gerard Twomey, Media Director. Email: gerry.twomey@bamburghresearchproject.co.uk Telephone: 0774 559 7553 
BRP Media elsewhere on the Internet My Space: www.myspace.com/bamburghresearchproject
You Tube: www.youtube.com/bamburghmedia
Media Galatia Films Reclaiming the Blade www.reclaimingtheblade.com
Archaeology Ad Gefrin
Funding The Local Heritage Initiative (LHi) www.lhi.org.uk
Other www.bamburghcastle.com
www.yorksj.ac.uk
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