Dover Residents Invited To Help Create Film Soundtrack

On Thursday 12 August, radio producer and sound artist Marjorie Van Halteren will be in Dover to direct a live sound performance for her new short films to be shown on Dover's Big Screen during September and October 2010.

Archival photographs from the Dover Museum archive, taken in 1865, of the exact spot where Dover's Big Screen sits today are featured in a 3½ minute film made by Marjorie Van Halteren. The photographs feature election hustings, the temporary platforms where the election candidates of a bygone era met their public and in front of which the votes were actually counted in real time.

Marjorie would like Dover town and district residents to create the soundtrack for the film, using a wide variety of materials - baking trays, pieces of wood, coconut shells or whatever may be to hand on the day. The artist will be at the Stagecoach site from 3pm - 7pm and people are welcome to join in on a drop-in basis.

Marjorie commented: "I'd like to gather a large group of local people together and collect lively participative sound made by the people that can be edited into a mix for the film's soundtrack. The real stars of The Voice of the People will be present-day Dover residents - as they re-enact the sound for the film in a grand 'second-unit' recording. I want the film and its soundtrack to attract the attention of Dover when it is screened in September."

The Voice of the People is part of a larger contemporary visual arts project 'From A to B' which will take place in Dover Town Centre from 10 September - 16 October 2010.

Christine Gist, artist/curator of the project explained: "Marjorie is excited about making her new film and sound recording with local people in Dover. She has already worked with students at Dover Girls Grammar School and their sounds will be edited into the soundtrack. A second 3½ film will be featured on Dover's Big Screen, showing images from the recording day. 'From A to B' is an arts project which takes place in and around Market Square and we are hoping local people and visitors to the town get involved with the artists' works."

The Voice of the People and 'From A to B' is supported by Arts Council England, South East, Kent County Council, DFDS Seaways, Dover Town Council, Dover Pride and Dover District Council.