Bolton Museum is looking to commission a freelance filmmaker to create a short documentary film exploring the history of two local sports shoe manufacturers – Reebok, formed in Bolton in 1950s, and Norman Walsh Footwear, established 1961. The film will also touch on the history of local running clubs and athletes, many of whom competed in shoes made by Reebok or Norman Walsh.
The filmmaker will work with the museum and a freelance sports historian to record interviews with key figures in the sports shoe companies and past and current members of the running clubs.
The finished version of the film will feature in a high-profile exhibition at Bolton Museum in summer 2025.
Background
The project takes place from October 2024 – May 2025 and has a budget of up to £5,400 including professional fees for the film and post-production including editing.
Bolton Museum has been awarded funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a project that will link the story of Reebok, the global sportswear brand that was founded in Bolton, with the history of local running clubs and athletes.
Foster & Sons (later Reebok), established in Bolton in the early 1900s, designed some of the earliest spiked running shoes. The shoes were tested by members of local sports clubs before being taken up by elite athletes such as Harold Abrahams who won gold at the 1924 Olympic Games.
In 1961, an ex-employee of Foster & Sons, Norman Walsh, set up his own sports shoe company in Bolton. Norman Walsh Footwear is now the only surviving traditional manufacturer of sports footwear in Britain. Its shoes are handmade by skilled crafts men and women at its Bolton Factory.
The freelance filmmaker will work with the museum and a sports historian to identify subjects for the film including key figures in the sports shoe companies and members of local running clubs.
Responsibilities
The filmmaker is responsible for the following outputs as part of this project brief:
1. Work with the museum and a freelance sports historian to agree an appropriate style / approach for the film and to identify subjects.
2. Film interviews with sports shoe manufacturers and makers and members of local running clubs and athletes. You will be assisted in this process by a freelance sports historian.
3. Using the recorded interviews and other visual material, produce a short documentary film (approximately 20 minutes long) for screening in a high profile exhibition opening at Bolton Museum in July 2025. A version of the film will also be archived by the North West Film Archive.
Apply
For the initial stage of the process, we ask you to provide us with a short statement outlining how you would approach the project brief and examples of past work.
Closing date for submissions is Friday 25 October 2024.
Submissions will be reviewed with possible follow up questions in week commencing 28 October.
Successful applicant informed by Friday 8 November.
Please note that, because of the high numbers of submissions we are expecting, we will only be able to give limited feedback.
Please assume that you have not been selected if you have not heard by 8 November.
For further information, please contact Matthew Watson, Bolton Museum, by email: matthew.watson@bolton.gov.uk