Friday 21 March 2014
Cathedral Apprentice
This outline is working progress, but for the meantime it gives us an overall outline of what it is that we want to cover, like a blueprint for us to follow.
Who is the story about?
This story is about the succeeded generation of apprentice stonemasons whom are continuing to conserve as much of the original fabric of the Canterbury Cathedral as possible; currently working on the South window, crafting stone mullions to help reconstruct, and preserve the structure.
What is the topic?
The topic is on the restoration of the south window, and the process in which the stonemasons go about carrying out this task.
My topic is on the personalities of the apprentice stonemason, whom are doing an ancient craft that has been carried out throughout centuries.
My topic is on the culture of our generations apprentice stonemasons in contrast to the ancient craft; that has existed since the dawn of time. Showing the work that they're doing, with the notion that it's going to last for many centuries to come, hopefully being conserved again in the future to help keep the cathedral alive.
Who are my actors?
- Heather Newton Head of stonemason conservation
- 2 apprentice stonemasons
- Steve Manual, Apprentice Master stonemason
Where will the story take place?
- Inside the Canterbury Cathedral grounds
- Inside the drawing board office
- Inside the apprentice workshop
- On the scaffolding
- On the stonemason yard
- Outside Canterbury Cathedral on the ground
- Inside the Cathedral at various locations showing stonework
When will the story take place
It will take place in the present day, during march/april 2014
What happens in this story?
We will see archive footage of the historic events to do with conservation work of the cathedral.
We witness the day to day activity of the apprentice stonemason, and the process behind the work that they have to go through to carry out their task.
Why does this story happen?
Because of the continual work that is imperative to conserve the Canterbury Cathedral's structure due to a number of adversaries, mainly the climatic change.
How will the story unfold?
Act one - when & where does the story take place and who are my main characters?
When & where?
You will be given a brief historic account and introduction on the continual conservation work of the Canterbury Cathedral, being shown archive footage with a transition over to modern day footage of the work being currently done on the South window.
Who?
After this you will be introduced to the protagonists whom are helping to tackle the problem of keeping the cathedral alive, which are:
- Heather Newton Head of stonemason conservation
- 2 apprentice stonemasons
- Steve Manual, Apprentice Master stonemason
1st plot point-turning point
Conflict?
You will then be shown the current conservation task that the apprentices are faced with, which is the conservation and restoration of the stone mullions from the south window, and the complexity behind the process that they have to go through in order to achieve their goal
Second act- This is the meat of the story, where the protagonist works towards their goal.
Rising action?
You will be shown the apprentice stonemasons in action; starting off in the drawing board office being briefed possibly by Heather Newton. After being briefed and given the design templates to work with, we will then to see the apprentices chiselling the template design into the stone within their workshop, while being observed, and assessed by Steve Manual
2nd plot point- Here the protagonist might find a second obstacle larger than the first plot point
The apprentices might have a tight deadline to work towards to keep the flow of production moving successfully
Third act-The highest point, and most intense in the documentary
Climax-
the point in which the protagonist's reaches its one last confrontation leading to either success or failure
The stone mullion is almost complete as they're working towards a tight deadline
Falling action (resolution)
The effects of the climax and resolution on the characters
Resolution
The moral of the story and closing thought
the long-term effects; the situation for the protagonist
The stone mullion has been completed by the apprentices, and they have contributed their piece of work onto the structure of the South window, with the notion that it will last for 200-500 years to come, hopefully being conserved again in the future, to help keep the Cathedral alive.
What is the documentaries central message/thesis?
Drill down the central message!!
At the moment there's a few messages that this documentary could potential connote.
Hopefully after a few more discussions with Heather, we can narrow down exactly what we want the central message of this documentary to be.
But for the meantime here are some that i've came up with.
- Stonemasonry is fun.
- The apprentices are working in a comfortable environment, sort of like their second home
- The work that they're doing is interesting
- The Cathedrals Stonemason apprenticeship is a safe program, making the potential for future new stonemason apprentice's feel welcome.
