“Paul Berriff – An Extraordinary Life Behind the Camera”.
‘Hedon Viewfinders – Through the Lens’ photographic club, collaborating with Hedon Museum, is privileged to have BAFTA-winning documentary maker, photographer and film director Paul Berriff, OBE, speaking at its meeting on Wednesday 17th April 2019. Tickets £5.
Paul Berriff began his career working as a press photographer in 1960’s Leeds, and was doing ‘street photography’ before that phrase was regularly coined. His press pass also gave him access backstage to local live-music venues where he could meet and photograph the performers, many who later went on to achieve pop and rock star status. His immaculate black and white photographs of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Orbison and other legends have now become collectors’ items. The images, having being stored in an attic for 40 years as negatives, have been lovingly redeveloped and have only quite recently being exhibited for the first time in their full glory. Many of these iconic artworks will be on display at an exhibition at the Hedon Museum from April 24 to June 15, which are the same dates as Hedon Viewfinders own exhibition at the Museum.
It is, however, as a documentary film maker that Paul Berriff is better known, He has produced over 180 prime-time major network television documentaries. In 1988 he won the BAFTA Award for his coverage of the 1988 Piper Alpha disaster, which featured in his ITV series ‘Rescue’. In 2017 he was awarded the Guild of Television Cameramen Award for Continued Excellence in Cinematography.
Paul has also had the most extraordinary life experiences, which in the broadcasting industry has earned him the nickname, the “Indiana Jones of Television”. He has survived a major helicopter crash, leapt to safety from a sinking ship during a North Sea gale, and escaped death in Nicaragua when a volcano erupted around him. Miraculously, he also survived the collapse of New York’s Twin Towers on 9/11, where he was filming at the foot of the South tower at the very moment it collapsed. Having been knocked out and buried under debris, he was the very first casualty stretchered into the make-shift medical facility set up for the victims. Despite his camera having being buried and burned, Paul managed to retrieve it whilst searching for missing colleagues. The dramatic footage retrieved, is some of the most powerful recorded of this horrific event on that terrible day.
The meeting will be an opportunity for Paul Berriff to recount some of his remarkable life experiences behind the camera including seeing some of his unique images and videos.
Paul Berriff – An Extraordinary Life Behind the Camera.
Hosted by Hedon Viewfinders Photographic Club collaborating with Hedon Museum
WEDNESDAY 17 APRIL, 7pm prompt start
Haven Arms Restaurant & Bar
Havenside
Hedon
HU12 8HH
Tickets available now from Hedon Viewfinders and Hedon Museum. £5.
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