Dockers (film)

Dockers is a 1999 British feature-length television drama produced for Channel 4 about the struggles of a small group of Liverpool dockers who were sacked and subsequently spent nearly 2 and a half years picketing during the Liverpool Dockers' Strike of 1995 to 1998.

Dockers
Written byJimmy McGovern
Irvine Welsh
Directed byBill Anderson
StarringKen Stott
Crissy Rock
Katy Lamont
Ricky Tomlinson
David Parkinson
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerSally Hibbin
Running time91 minutes[1]
Production companyPrism Leisure
Release
Original networkChannel 4
Picture format16:9 576i
Audio formatStereo
Original release11 July 1999 (1999-07-11)
External links
Website

Although the credited screenwriters for the drama were Liverpool screenwriter Jimmy McGovern and Scottish novelist Irvine Welsh the drama was largely written by sacked dock workers and previous union members under the supervision of the two screenwriters. This unusual writing method was considered an experiment in 'democratic television' and was documented in a separate channel 4 documentary, Writing the Wrongs.

Production

Filming

When choosing locations for the film, the Transport and General Workers' Union refused to allow filming to take place within their premises, with former dockers being removed from the building at one point when actor Robert Carlyle came to offer support in a scripting session.[2]

Writing

A group of genuine dockers held regular workshops with the production team.[3] Once a week for a period of 14 months, sacked dockers met with Jimmy McGovern and Irvine Welsh, who helped towards writing the script.[4]

David Parkinson, who played Pete Macauley, is the current first team manager of Crystal Palace F.C.

References
  1. "Dockers Watch Full Episode". 4oD. Channel 4. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  2. "Union leader is traitor in strikers' film". The Guardian. 2 July 1999. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  3. "Resources for Learning". 4Learning. Channel 4. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  4. "What was the 1995-1998 Liverpool docks dispute all about?". Liverpool Echo. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2019.


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