Filmmaker explores Wakefield’s thriving musical story

Wayne Sables has been commissioned by Upper Westgate Heritage Action Zone - the four year partnership between Historic England and Wakefield Council - to create a 30-minute documentary about the way in which music has become central to Westgate’s successful regeneration.

The finished film will be screened at Wakefield Live, the free, multi-venue festival across Wakefield city centre on September 17.

And there are also plans to take the film onto the international documentary festival circuit, where Wayne’s previous productions have won a host of top awards.

Wayne said: “Before I came to this project I had absolutely no idea the Westgate music scene was so huge.

“This is a fascinating story that needs to be told and to do it justice, I’ve been talking to everybody from musicians to backstage crew to access the full story of how this cultural hub has grown to be such a strong part of the fabric of Wakefield life.”

Wayne, who lives in Doncaster and is the founder of The Wayne Sables Project, will be working alongside award winning Sheffield-based photographer, cinematographer, and content producer Oliver Ibbotson.

“We love making films and we love telling stories, turning compelling stories into beautifully crafted narrative driven film and digital content,” said Wayne.

“For the Hidden Stories from Westgate Voices mini documentary we are working with the partners and volunteers and, using valuable research from the Wakefield Historical Society, aim to create a series of master interviews that will form the narrative structure for the film.

“The ultimate aim is to make a film that combines captured and found content that will open a window into Wakefield's musical past and present and nod towards the future.

“Spanning different music genres, we will create a visceral, emotional, engaging film that will take the viewer on a whistle stop tour of the greatness that is music in Wakefield.”

The Wakefield project is the latest in a critically acclaimed series of Yorkshire productions for Wayne.

He has worked with Cannon Hall in Barnsley, created short documentaries across Barnsley heritage sites and worked on a major projection mapping project that saw a series of digitally created animations projected onto Rotherham’s historic Minster.