At its heart are the words of the late Jack Davitt, a shipyard worker and poet, and the paintings of his friend Peter Burns, both of whom worked in the yards. The photofilm weaves together their creative responses with the broader visual archive, honouring the skills, camaraderie and endurance of Tyneside’s shipbuilding communities. It is as much about labour as it is about memory, capturing the artistry inherent in industrial work and the pride that accompanied it.

In its layered storytelling, The Art of Shipbuilding continues Amber’s long-standing approach to collaborative, community-rooted filmmaking. It stands as a tribute to the disappearing world of the shipyards, to those who built the ships and those who gave shape to their experience through art and language.