Quayside (1979)
Amber Films
Film and Video
A short film by Amber Films that documents Newcastle's Quayside at a time when it faced the threat of redevelopment.
Six to Midnight (1974)
Amber Films
Six to Midnight (1974)
Amber Films
A day in the life of Newcastle upon Tyne, with the Grainger Market at its heart. Commissioned by Newcastle City Council to showcase activity in the city during the 1970s.
- Film and Video
- Communities
- UK Documentary
- Urban Landscapes
- Work & Unemployment
- Place
- Northern Documentary
- 1968 – 1979
- Newcastle upon Tyne
Amber Films, 25 mins, 1974
Six to Midnight captures a day in the life of Newcastle upon Tyne, with the Grainger Market at its heart. Commissioned by Newcastle City Council to showcase activity in the city, Amber took the opportunity to focus on the market, reflecting their interest in documenting everyday life. The result was a film that presented Newcastle as it was, rather than the polished image the council had hoped for.
The documentary highlights the reality of the city at the time, which left the council unimpressed, with one councillor dismissing it as “all right for the Straw Dogs generation.” The film was rejected, and Amber, unwilling to be drawn into a PR exercise, chose to leave it on the shelf rather than compromise their approach.
Viewed years later, Six to Midnight stands as an atmospheric and revealing portrait of Newcastle during a time of economic and social change. It reflects Amber’s commitment to honest, observational filmmaking, offering a valuable snapshot of a city in transition.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND)
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© Amber Films
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