A new exhibition offers a chance to be part of ‘Derby Soap Opera’ which aims to create one of the world’s largest mass participation film projects, being written, filmed and performed by the people of Derby. QUAD Gallery in Derby will be turned into an ambitious purpose built film set for Derby Soap Opera from 12th May until 8th July.
Derby Soap Opera will be produced by QUAD, inviting everyone in Derby to take part; to become the actors, singers and dancers, to contribute to the script, the soundtrack, become the co-directors, costume designers, make-up artists or lighting technicians for this ambitious film project directed by the internationally renowned Italian artist and filmmakerMarinella Senatore. The project has already involved over 1,000 Derby people.
For the past three months, Marinella Senatore has been leading workshops to share the basic elements of film making, acting, dancing and script writing. Workshop participants, drawn from members of the public, have fashioned a script that is about the people of Derby, and the life of the city itself.
The story of ‘Derby Soap Opera’ takes place in the mid ‘80s, in one of Derby’s oldest schools where a reunion party is taking place before it is pulled down and rumour has it a successful businessman is returning to his hometown of Derby. While the party goes on downstairs, somebody creeps into one of the attics of the school, where there are the memories of thousands of children. And there’s a secret, too…
During the Derby Soap Opera exhibition Marinella will lead local people in filming the script in the film set at QUAD. The film set will be available for the public to view and also for any local groups to use as their own film set complete with on-site filming equipment, to make a film about Derby that they can upload to the dedicated Derby Soap Opera website. The final outcome of Derby Soap Opera will be a 40-minute film which will be screened at Derby Festé in September.
Alongside the film set in QUAD Gallery, there is an interactive resource area which includes a recording station to record and submit a short film about Derby, prompted by five simple questions, about your life and your relationship to the city. The website has been designed by QUAD Artists In Residence Brendan Oliver and Brendan Randall (Floating Point Digital). Short films can also be uploaded from other computers or smart phones to a website which will be live from April onwards at: www.derbysoapopera.co.uk Also in the resource area there will be a place to make a prop or costume.
Concurrently on display in QUAD, Derby Soap Opera Archive is an exhibition that includes hundreds of images from behind the scenes of the making of Derby Soap Opera. This exhibition also takes place from 12th May until 8th July around QUAD Extra Gallery Spaces.
The Derby Soap Opera launch event will be a ‘Project takeover at QUAD’, a day of mass involvement to contribute to Derby Soap Opera, taking place on Saturday12th May, from 12:00pm until 9:00pm. There will be casting sessions all day and opportunities to make a prop or contribute to the set. An additional casting day for members of the general public for actors for the film takes place on the 13th of May from 9:00am until 9:00pm.These will be followed by actor training led by Oscar Nominated Spanish Director Ramón Alòs Sánchez.
There is also a chance to contribute to the soundtrack for Derby Soap Opera, music or sound recording submissions can be uploaded using QUAD’s Soundtrack Derby platform by visiting: www.soundtrackderby.co.uk Please tag your music “Derby Soap Opera”.
For more information on how to book into the Derby Soap Opera film set, please e-mail:info@derbysoapopera.co.uk Please see Derby Soap Opera website for further details about the project, and how to get involved: www.derbysoapopera.co.uk
