Filming Heritage Skills in Education 2014: A North East Documentary Videographer’s Creative Lens

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In 2014 I had the privilege of working as a North East documentary videographer, capturing the remarkable journey of the Heritage Skills in Education (HSed) initiative.

This short heritage documentary film, which premiered at the Awards Ceremony for the 2014 participants, marks the third collaboration between myself and the North of England Civic Trust (NECT). It was a truly inspiring experience that showed me how heritage filmmaking in the North East can preserve not just places but the skills, stories, and communities connected to them.

HSed, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and designed by NECT, is a vibrant programme aiming to safeguard the future of our historic built environment by igniting young people’s interest in traditional skills and conservation careers. My task as a North East documentary videographer has been to translate this diverse and hands-on learning journey into film—a responsibility I’ve approached with care and enthusiasm.

Heritage is People as Much as Place

When I set out to film this documentary, I knew I wanted it to be more than a simple record of activities. As highlighted in the conversations and workshops I filmed, heritage is about people as much as it’s about buildings. One participant said it perfectly:

“It’s the stories behind the buildings. It’s the continuity of our identity as a group of people, and it’s something we should protect and look after for our children and for ourselves.”

This idea guided how I approached heritage filmmaking in the North East—always looking for the human stories behind the brick and stone.


A North East Documentary Videographer’s Creative Lens captures a stonemason teaching heritage skills
A participant learns heritage skills from a stonemason

The film features young people engaging directly with heritage buildings, like the Masonic Hall in Bedlington or Cosins Library in Durham, bringing fresh ideas to their potential future use. From ice rinks to community cafés, the creativity and thoughtfulness of these students was astounding. They weren’t just learning practical skills; they were imagining how old buildings could serve modern communities. As one student said:

“We had to take old historic buildings and make them more modern… to try and update history without trying to take out history.”

Skills Passed Down, Stories Carried Forward

Filming sessions in workshops was one of my favourite aspects of this project as a North East documentary videographer. The footage captures students shaping stone, carving timber, designing stained glass, and mapping out building plans. Many spoke of how they “didn’t realise how difficult it was until they tried it.” As someone focused on heritage filmmaking in the North East, I’ve always been fascinated by craftspeople and how their skills embody living history. In this film, viewers see how traditional techniques coexist with modern technology—like students creating digital models in Google SketchUp to visualise proposed building reuses.

In one particularly moving moment from the film, a craftsman describes the deep connection he feels to the past through his work:

“I take roofs off that have been put on 100, 200, 300 years ago. I see people’s names etched in, and I’m doing the same work, the same way that they did it three, four hundred years ago. It’s just fascinating.”

These scenes resonate deeply because they reveal the passion and patience required to work with heritage materials. Another participant reflects:

“There’s a love that’s gone into old buildings… it creates this soul to a place.”

Real-World Learning and Lasting Impact

The HSed programme is more than an educational exercise; it’s a transformative experience for many participants. The evaluation report commissioned by NECT confirms this, showing how students’ understanding of heritage surged from an average score of 4.1 before the programme to 8.18 afterwards. Teachers and tutors echoed similar enthusiasm, noting how the programme has inspired less academically inclined students and provided new avenues for future careers.

One of the film’s most touching sequences shows a young man who, after taking part in a stonemasonry workshop, secured an apprenticeship with Heritage Consolidation. His journey from tentative beginner to skilled trainee stonemason is a perfect example of how heritage filmmaking in the North East can capture stories that change lives.

Another young participant expressed it beautifully:

“Before I thought that historic buildings were boring, but now I see that they can be very interesting.”

In a world increasingly focused on new builds and disposable architecture, this film—and the HSed programme itself—stands as a reminder that old buildings carry not just historical significance but possibilities for contemporary use. As a North East documentary videographer, being able to capture this “living bridge” between past and present has been one of the most satisfying aspects of my career to date.

A Heritage of Collaboration

Working on this project has also reinforced my belief in the power of collaboration. HSed brought together students, craftspeople, architects, heritage professionals, and educators in an environment of shared learning. From school pupils discovering stained glass artistry to university students drafting Conservation Management Plans, the film celebrates this intersection of knowledge and creativity—a hallmark of heritage filmmaking in the North East.

The Awards Ceremony, where the film premiered, was the perfect culmination of these efforts. Watching the film on screen, surrounded by students and professionals who recognised themselves and their achievements, was a moving moment for me. It felt like more than a film—it felt like a piece of the heritage it documents.

Filming Heritage as a Local Story

As a heritage filmmaker working in the North East, I’ve always believed in telling local stories with universal meaning. HSed is firmly rooted in the North East, exploring historic buildings from Sunderland to Hexham. Yet its message is relevant everywhere: heritage matters, and so do the people who keep it alive.

Filming local initiatives like HSed contributes to the growing visibility of heritage filmmaking in the North East, helping to raise awareness that heritage is not a relic of the past but a vital part of modern communities. The students I filmed didn’t just gain practical skills—they left with a new appreciation of where they live and how they might shape it. Or as one student summed up:

“I used to look at buildings and think they were useless. Now, I think about how much you can do with them.”


HSED 2015 Cosins Library Alan Fentiman 2 1
Students visiting Cosin’s Library in Durham as part of the HSED initiative.

Looking Ahead

As I look back on the last three films I’ve created for NECT, I’m struck by the sheer energy and optimism of the young people involved. In a sector often focused on preservation, HSed has shown how heritage can also be about reinvention, creativity, and hope for the future. I’m grateful to have played a part in documenting this story and look forward to continuing my work as a North East documentary videographer, helping preserve both the history and the human stories that define our region.

For anyone interested in exploring more of my films about heritage and the arts, you can visit my artist and heritage film portfolio here.

FILM INFO:

Client:

North of England Civic Trust

Camera:

AF101

Software:

Adobe Premiere CC

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