S A V E
C A M P A I G N
A Creative Oasis: Storyville is a place where the documentary form can be
explored for its own sake and is a crucial, indeed, essential part of the
ecology of documentary production in the UK. It is a special place where
talented filmmakers can explore new documentary forms, new ways of telling
stories, new aesthetic and production techniques. Storyville is a breath of
fresh air, keeping alive traditions for which Britain has become famous. It also
virtually the last place where commissioning decisions are taken on the sole
basis of the originality of the story and the need to tell it at its right length
and in the appropriate style.

When other single documentaries are commissioned by the BBC (many of
which are excellent) scheduling concerns are a major part of the
decision-making process, often determining whether a particular story is told
or a film made. That may be a necessity in the current broadcasting
environment, but creative habitats, where truly original work can be
undertaken and real risks run, are equally essential

Survival of Creative Documentaries is at Stake