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I Remember, I Remember (clip 8)

John Grierson introduces a clip from 'Heart of Scotland' about an oil refinery

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A masterclass from documentary pioneer, John Grierson and his life spent in documentary film-making, including his early life in Stirling. This film which takes the form of a masterclass was screened at the 1968 Edinburgh Film Festival to mark John Grierson's 70th year and his importance to the development of the Scottish film and TV industry. In this final clip, Grierson sums up his approach to documentary film making and introduces another clip from 'Heart of Scotland'. The extract features shots of Grangemouth oil refinery, pipes, storage tanks, cooling towers and the refinery complex.

Questions & Activities


  • Why has this documentary been made and who is it for?
  • Where do you think this is and what function do you think the pipes and tanks serve?
  • At what point in the film does the mood change? Why has the filmmaker done this and how does he achieve it?
  • What is the difference between the types of images and before and after the change?


Art and Design / Media Studies: Provide the children with a digital camera to record shapes in their world from unusual angles. Use 20 images and create a multi-media presentation.

Art and Design: Provide the children with a compass and a ruler. Create an abstract design using only curves, circles and straight lines.

Art and Design: Research the pop art culture from the 1960s and create your own piece of 1960s pop art.

Social History / Geography / Science and Technology: Research Grangemouth Oil Refinery. What does it do? Where does the oil come from and go to? Present your findings in a multi-media presentation.

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