University of Manchester Archaeology Student Film: Capturing Student Voices Through Documentary Storytelling
- AVimmerse
- Sep 15, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 8
In summer 2023, AVimmerse was invited to document a live archaeological excavation led by the University of Manchester. The project formed part of an ongoing research programme investigating the landscape surrounding Arthur’s Stone and Snodhill Castle; sites rich in prehistoric and medieval significance.
University of Manchester Archaeology Student Film – Project Overview
This University of Manchester archaeology student film was created to document the lived experience of students working on a live excavation through short-form documentary storytelling.
Rather than producing a traditional academic record, the brief focused on something more human: capturing the student experience of archaeological fieldwork, the learning, collaboration, challenges, and social life that unfolds on a working dig.
The result was a short-form documentary film designed to foreground student voices while situating the excavation within its wider historical and cultural context.
Project Context
The excavation builds on previous archaeological research in the Dorstone and Hereford area and has featured in national media, including the BBC’s Digging for Britain. During this phase of the project, students were given rare access to investigate deposits within and around the monument itself, offering valuable hands-on experience at a nationally significant site.
For many students, this was their first opportunity to take part in a live excavation, balancing practical skills, teamwork, and research under real-world conditions.
Our Approach: Filming Archaeology in the Field
To authentically reflect the student experience, we adopted an observational documentary approach, combining:
On site student interviews.
Aerial drone footage to contextualise the excavation landscape.
Ground-level filming of excavation processes and group work.
Natural sound recording to preserve the atmosphere of the dig.
Filming archaeology presents unique challenges. from unpredictable weather to strict safety constraints, particularly when operating drones around active excavation teams. Careful planning ensured the footage was captured safely, responsibly, and without disrupting the work on site.
Editing & Storytelling
The final film was edited from over an hour of recorded interviews and observational footage into a concise documentary running just over seven minutes.
Rather than a narrated explainer, the structure allows students to tell the story themselves, reflecting on:
What they learned.
How it felt to work on the site.
The social dynamics of a dig.
The value of practical archaeology beyond the classroom.
This approach ensures the film functions both as a project record and as a student recruitment and engagement asset for archaeology and heritage programmes.
Watch the Film
🎬 University of Manchester Archaeology – Student Experience Film
👉 Watch the full documentary here: https://vimeo.com/853955399
Dig Diary & Further Reading
Dig diary and project updates:
University of Manchester news on discoveries at Arthur’s Stone:
What the Client Said
“What started out as a chat about archaeology student experience has become an excellent seven-minute video comprising student interviews, drone footage and film of the excavation process. As well as a brilliant record of two very different University of Manchester digs this summer, it has really captured the student voice. Well chuffed! Many thanks.”
— Dr John Piprani
Credits & Thanks
Our thanks to Dr John Piprani for the invitation to document the project, and to the excavation team and students for their openness and enthusiasm on site.
The wider research project is led by Professor Julian Thomas (University of Manchester), in collaboration with Professor Keith Ray (Cardiff University). The project has also benefited from contributions by Dr Nick Overton, previously featured on BBC archaeology programmes.
Why This Matters
Projects like this demonstrate the power of story-led documentation in archaeology and heritage education. By focusing on people, not just data, film can help universities communicate the value of fieldwork, attract future students, and make archaeological research more accessible to wider audiences.
This approach now underpins our work across immersive heritage, education partnerships, and place-based storytelling. See our immersive heritage for more.
At AVimmerse, this approach now underpins our work across immersive heritage, education partnerships, and place-based storytelling, from work in our Studio.
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