Dream On (1991)
Amber Films
Film and Video
A feature film which grew out of Amber's work in North Shields, which blends magic, fantasy, dreams and realism in its exploration of women's lives.
Shields Stories (1988)
Amber Current Affairs Unit
Shields Stories (1988)
Amber Current Affairs Unit
A ten-part series of short drama films made during Amber’s North Shields residency, Shields Stories explores local lives shaped by economic cuts, social change and resilience.
- Film and Video
- Communities
- Place
- Politics & Struggles
- Popular Cultures
- Work & Unemployment
- 1980 – 1989
- Tyne & Wear
- UK
Amber Films, 10 short films, 1988
Developed during Amber’s five-year residency in North Shields, Shields Stories is a series of ten short drama films, each around ten minutes long, produced in 1988. The stories reflect the lived experiences of communities dealing with the impact of economic change, including cuts to public services, long-term unemployment and social disconnection.
Blending documentary insight with fiction, the series follows seven interlinked characters navigating a town shaped by political decisions beyond their control. It was designed as a local 'soap' with a social purpose: raising awareness, encouraging dialogue and creating a sense of shared voice. The series marked the screen debut of Tyneside actor Robson Green.
Shields Stories developed directly out of the concerns raised through The Privatisation Tapes (1986), and would, in turn, help shape Dream On (1991), Amber’s feature drama made during the same residency. The work sits within the collective’s broader practice of collaborative, issue-driven filmmaking grounded in place and community.
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