Today I started my search for a couple called Stella and Tiny.
It’s research for a Documentary I am making about them. They were/are a couple from Scotland who travelled the world from around 1964 – 1975. They documented their travels with a 8mm and Super 8mm cine camera and made some wonderful travel films from their rushes. My old company Widelode purchased a box of cine footage, 1/4″ audio reels and lecture notes in an ebay auction about five years ago.
The box had come from a house clearance with no information know about it origins. The box had sat in the office until I recently purchased the footage/audio and notes off Widelode and I am embarking on the journey to find out who they are and who were the people they made the lectures for.
My initial investigation is following up a clue left on an envelope in the box. It had the title of one of the films “The Hammer and the Sickle and the road to Samarkand” written on it but scribbled out in the address box is an old address to Angus District Council, Director of Housing Management, Hill Terrace, Arbroath. So I sent a e-mail to the Angus District Council and to the local Library to see if they know a couple called Stella and Tiny as I figure the envelope is addressed to one of them; so I guess I will have to see if they have anything for me.
Tomorrow I am sending one of the films off to be cleaned and scanned and digitised to HD resolution, I can then start putting together a whole film with audio and the lecture note. SO fingers crossed I should have something to show in a few weeks.