Eddie McConnell (15 May 1936 – 12 January 2018) was a Scottish documentary film-maker and cameraman. He was known for his camera work depicting Scottish industry and for his ability to tell authentic stories about the normal, working-class people of his home-town, Glasgow , and later on in his life of those in other parts of the world. A collection of his work from over the last fifty years is held by the National Library of Scotland 's Moving Image Archive in Glasgow. A special screening of his films was shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August 2007.
20-572: In 2007, McConnell was honoured for his 'Special Contribution to Scottish Film' at the BAFTA Scotland awards ceremony. He won a variety of other awards throughout his lifetime and even participated in an Oscar -award winning short Seawards the Great Ships (1961) as a cameraman. McConnell was born in Glasgow to his mother Margaret McConnell and his father, Edward McConnell, who was the head teacher of
40-482: A bar and restaurant in the former neglected roof space and a new cafe/bar on Ashton Lane. The cinema now has two screens, each seating a hundred people and shows a mix of blockbuster and art-house movies. Today, bars and restaurants occupy most of the premises in Ashton Lane. The Famous Grosvenor Cafe and the now internationally renowned 'Chip' remain a defining feature. Some like Jinty McGuintys Irish Bar have been there
60-453: A documentary about Schotz, his old sculpture teacher. The film was released in 1973 entitled Benno Schotz: Sculptor and Modeller and depicts him working at his studio in Glasgow talking about his own working methods, as well as his past experience in engineering. McConnell continued to make films up until he died, some experimental, many about trains - which he loved. Of particular note is McConnell's A Line for All Seasons (1981) narrated by
80-482: A film depicting the experience of his fellow student artists who studied at the school. The film was silent and had a running time of 17 minutes. While he was a student, McConnell hitch-hiked to film festivals all over Europe and became inspired by the experimental short films that he saw. He also started his own society at GSA showing some of the avant-garde movies from his trip. McConnell filmed Faces in 1959 in which he got costume design help from Alasdair Gray , also
100-455: A film organization is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ashton Lane Ashton Lane is a cobbled backstreet in the West End of Glasgow . It is connected to Byres Road by a short linking lane beside Hillhead subway station and is noted for its bars, restaurants and a licensed cinema. The Lane was not always the focus of West End cafe society. By the early 1970s, it
120-642: A freelancer at Scottish Television , Laurence Henson and Sydney Harrison, and over few decades they created documentaries and short films for various institutions like the Films of Scotland Committee, the Central Office of Information , and the Children's Film Foundation . In 1967, McConnell went to Lisbon to film the European Cup final. This was a particularly significant moment for him as Glasgow's Celtic F.C had won
140-581: A gamble for the owner, Ronnie Clydesdale, since the Lane was a backwater to the thriving Byres Rd but in 1977 the Glasgow Subway closed for a major refurbishment. This forced several small businesses to relocate from Byres Rd and the then-famous Grosvenor Cafe followed The Chip into Ashton Lane. Other bars and restaurants were opened: the Cul-de-Sac creperie in the former Barr and Stroud factory and Bar Brel in
160-632: A local primary school. He attended St Gerard's Secondary School in Govan . He also attended St. Aloysuis College in Garnethill. After leaving secondary school McConnell was accepted into Glasgow School of Art in 1954 and went on to become a successful cameraman and documentary film-maker. McConnell died at the age of 81 in Queen Elizabeth University Hospital , while planning another film, one about street musicians from all over Europe. He
180-436: A student at GSA at the time, who made the masks for the movie. The film was shown at both Edinburgh Film Festival and London Film Festival and grabbed the attention of Scottish documentary pioneer John Grierson , who helped him name his film company, International Film Associates (Scotland). McConnell established International Film Associates (Scotland) in 1963 with two others who he had previously worked with on occasion as
200-404: A while too, almost 25 years. Ashton Lane continues north as Cresswell Lane, where the variety of bars and restaurants is supplemented by a gallery of small specialist shops. The Lane and its surroundings might then be regarded as Glasgow's equivalent of Dublin 's Temple Bar area or Edinburgh 's Rose Street . While still popular with local residents and students, it is now firmly established on
220-673: Is hung in Ubiquitous Chip, a restaurant in Glasgow's Ashton Lane . BAFTA Scotland BAFTA in Scotland is the Scottish branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . Formed in 1986, the branch holds two annual awards ceremonies recognising the achievement by performers and production staff in Scottish film , television and video games . These Awards are separate from
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#1733086089959240-687: Is survived by his son and daughter, Michael and Clare McConnell, and his three grandchildren. Before he died he asked those who were able not to bring him flowers or sympathy but 'only, if desired, donations to the Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh Building Restoration Fund or the National Library of Scotland /Moving Image Archive.' McConnell attended the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) from 1954 to 1959 where he studied sculpture under Benno Schotz . McConnell filmed his first ever documentary there in 1957,
260-718: The British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Film Awards . The British Academy Scotland Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by BAFTA Scotland. From 2011 to 2018, the ceremony took place in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow . As of 2019, the ceremony has been hosted at the Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow Central. The British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by BAFTA Scotland. The accolades honour
280-454: The 1970s it underwent considerable reconstruction. The entrance was moved from Byres Rd to Ashton Lane, and the old entrance became Bonham's Wine Bar (the railing in the original foyer is retained in the upstairs bar). After falling into disrepair, the cinema closed 30 June 2002, but was relaunched in October 2003 after a multimillion-pound refurbishment. This created two screens on the ground floor,
300-455: The Four Gates' and 'Eastwards Ho' and the performances were accompanied by the theatre's own orchestra and organist. The building was designed by architects Gardner & Glen and had a distinctive terracotta façade. The original entrance faced Byres Road and the upper level housed a Café and American Soda Fountain and, by 1929, a waiting room. The original cinema seated around 1,350 people, but in
320-433: The actor John Shedden, which shows the history of Scotland 's West Highland Railway Line. McConnell's passion for trains is demonstrated in his work profusely, especially considering his last broadcast works included the likes of The Emotive Locomotive (1990) and Steaming Passions (1993). During the final years of his life McConnell dedicated quite a bit of his time to drawing and painting in watercolour. One of his works
340-410: The best upcoming talent in the field of film and television in Scotland. The 2016 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards ceremony took place on 14 April 2016. This article related to the cinema of Scotland is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article relating to television in Scotland is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to
360-423: The cup for the first time ever. He is said to have taken great pleasure in the applause he received as he left the plane back in his hometown following the event. The team's manager, Jock Stein , allowed McConnell to exit the plane before anyone else so that he could capture the moment on camera, and the crowd cheered for him as he did so. Almost 20 years after learning from him at school, McConnell began working on
380-505: The old coachhouse that had been used latterly as a landscape gardener's yard but was, in 1910, the chauffeur's house and garage for Dr Marion Gilchrist's 'prim dark green Wolseley landaulette'. Dr Gilchrist (1864-1952) was, in 1894, the first woman to graduate in medicine in Scotland. The Grosvenor Picture Theatre was built on site of Henderson's Cab and Funeral Office in Byres Road and Ashton Lane. The cinema opened on 3 May 1921 with 'Helen of
400-455: Was a run-down area of small residential and empty commercial properties. However, in 1976, the cost to renew the lease on the cramped property in Ruthven Lane that housed the Ubiquitous Chip restaurant forced the owner to look for new premises. 'The Chip', as it is locally known, moved to its current location in a derelict property that had been the stables for a funeral undertaker. The move was
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