University of Portsmouth students create films showcasing local heritage and community stories

A team of students from the University of Portsmouth have completed two major film commissions for The Mary Rose Trust and The D-Day Story, showcasing the University’s growing collaboration with two of the region’s leading heritage institutions. 

The students, from the University’s School of Film, Media and Creative Technologies worked across both projects, contributing to cinematography, editing, directing, sound, research, and producing two polished, professional films. 

For the Mary Rose Museum, the team produced a five-minute promotional film to open a live virtual lecture for an international audience of USA archers on 29 November. It features a dynamic whistle-stop tour of the museum led by Dr Alex Hildred, one of the original volunteer drivers involved in the 1982 recovery of the Mary Rose and now the Museum’s Head of Research.  

The film offers global viewers a detailed introduction to the ship, its archaeology, and its enduring legacy which is particularly valuable for those who may never be able to visit Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The Mary Rose Trust will also use the film for outreach visits to residential care homes, as well as for future “outside the museum” talks. 

As part of the wider project, students have been creating a film for The D-Day Story’s ‘Fun, Fear and Familiarity’ exhibition, capturing the memories of Portsmouth people who lived in the city during the Second World War. Full of personal experience, emotion, and local identity, these testimonies will feature in the museum’s December exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of the end of that conflict, ensuring that community voices remain at the heart of this historic milestone. 

Charlie Watts, Associate Head (Global Engagement and Educational Partnerships) from the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of Portsmouth, said: “I’m so pleased that we’ve been able to create two hugely important films while giving our students meaningful, real-world experiential learning.” 

Connor Cleary, from the School of Film, Media and Creative Technologies at the University of Portsmouth, added: I’m incredibly proud of what they have achieved but equally thrilled by the depth of genuine learning and professional growth they’ve gained in the process. This is exactly the kind of collaboration that shows what our School and faculty can do - for our partners, for our city, and for our students.  

The project builds on recent collaboration between the University of Portsmouth and The Mary Rose Trust, including an ambitious initiative to digitise over 40 years of archival video footage documenting the iconic Tudor warship. This work highlights the University’s civic partnerships and its commitment to working with local organisations to create meaningful results.

Image credit: Mary Rose Trust