Standing with Stones
How many Neolithic sites can you name? Stonehenge … Avebury … the Rollrights …?
In fact Britain has tens of thousands of stone circles, henges, barrows and dolmens, each with its own fascinating story. Whether you’re familiar with most of them or have only a passing familiarity with a few, we made STANDING WITH STONES for you.
Produced and directed by myself (documentary film-maker Michael Bott) and presented by my old friend naturalist and explorer Rupert Soskin, it is a first-hand account from Rupert of a journey we took through the British Isles and Ireland, starting at the tip of Cornwall and ending on the Scottish Isles, visiting over 100 Neolithic and Bronze age monuments en route. Beautiful to look at (the British Isles have seldom looked this good) and managing (we think) to be both enlightening and entertaining (as well as, at times, deeply moving – the ending always has my wife in tears!), the film explores the diversity and wonder of these extraordinary enigmatic structures. It also looks at some of the theories and nonsenses which attach to them.
The entire project was conceived and realised (as in filmed, edited, music specially composed and CGI graphics created) entirely by us – just us two guys with a camera, a camper van, two very understanding wives – and a passion for stones!
But though we may have had a boys own adventure (which we enjoyed enormously – listen to the commentary in the DVD’s extras), we believe we’ve also produced a superb broadcast quality movie. Rupert (writer and presenter) has a deep knowledge of his subject, but also a refreshingly open-minded attitude to the ‘who’, the ‘how’ and especially the ‘why’ of the stones’ construction.
The film premiered in April 2008 at Chipping Norton Theatre in the Cotswolds (proceeds to the Rollright Stones) and is available directly if you click on this link or you can go to the main DVD website: www.standingwithstones.com.
Feedback has been fantastic:
“An absorbing subject, most handsomely filmed and so enthusiastically and energetically narrated that the two hours passed very quickly and entertainingly.”
“Rupert’s presentation is absolutely engaging. He’s likeable and humorous, as well as knowledgeable. I really liked that he didn’t try to come off as the all-knowing expert but more like one of us, entranced by these sites and not abashed at showing his wonder and awe. He expressed some ideas about site usage that I hadn’t heard before and I especially appreciate this thinking outside the circle.”
“A superb and wonderful film – you took us on a wondrous journey.”
“It’s a triumph … I wanted to watch the whole thing through again. It is so beautiful – the images keep coming back to me.”
“Outstanding. I was riveted from beginning to end. Breathtaking scenery and an excellent production. Thank you.”
The DVD offers excellent value at £15.99 – the main feature runs 136 minutes, with Special Features offering nearly 4 hours of extra viewing (commentary by us, out-takes, original pilot and behind-the-scenes slideshow).
