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Title: THESE WALLS

Reference number: 6234

Date: 1974

Director: [filmed by Margaret Tait]

Sound: silent

Original format: 16mm

Colour: bwcol

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 6.16 mins

Description: Margaret Tait's impression of the interior of her studio premises in Rose Street, Edinburgh. The film consists of slow pans around her studio focussing on the walls and artwork there - presuambly as she is about to leave. There is also some footage of construction work on flats on Rose Street.

See also ref. 3702.

Believes Margaret Tait had originally intended to incorporate it in ON THE MOUNTAIN but then decided against it [information from Alex Pirie, May 2004]. The film has been described as 'silent' rather than 'mute' on the basis of above information.

See also Additional Information file at 11/1/455. Paper Archives 4/5/119, 4/11/651, 4/5/92.

The Tait papers are deposited in Orkney Archives. Currently being catalogued. For any enquiries please contact Principal Archivist.

The British Artist's Film and Video Study Collection at http://www.bftv.ac.uk/avantgarde based at Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design holds an artist's file on Margaret Tait.

The British Film Institute National Library http://www.bfi.org.uk holds many of the published articles on her and her work.

In 1979 Margaret Tait was the subject of a BBC Scotland 'Spectrum' arts programme.

Shotlist: Ah These Walls! Ah Those Walls! (0.35) ints wall, pan along, an empty suitcase, peeling paint and newspapers are in view (0.43) moving to table with various objects upon it, including string, books, film (0.57) exts tenement doorway with sign for 'Ancona Films' (this being Margaret Tait's studio on Rose Street, Edinburgh) (1.06) title (1.08) gvs wall covered in old black and white or sepia photographs, mainly depicting sporting events (1.33) ints walls of room, including paintings and metal craftings on wall (2.21) Ah - These Walls more gvs same [some taken from wider angle and with faster editing] (3.46) staircase and looking out of window on stair (4.42) But That Was Long Ago ints stairs, view looking out over scaffolding for new flats under construction on Rose Street (5.27) workmen silhouetted against dusky sky as they work on high building (5.29) gvs wall covered in old black and white or sepia photographs, mainly depicting sporting events (6.06) shot of the moon in the night sky, lowering down to reveal exts Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street (6.19) [handpainted lettering - indistinguishable?] (6.24)