This film is part of Free

I Am a Reporter
The inner-workings of local paper the Hertford Mercury are revealed by young, fresh-thinking reporter Peter Gibbs on his hunt for a regional scoop.
Overview
This charming documentary follows Hertford Mercury reporter Peter Gibbs on his daily hunt for a scoop. Failing to turn up anything sensational at the coroner's office, the hospital or the police station (Hertford is, after all, a "peaceful" town), Gibbs finds a 'human interest' story at Hertford North Station, where the steam engine to Finsbury Park is being replaced with an all-diesel service.
Sponsored by the Central Office of Information, the film features beautiful shots of the county's administrative centres: Hertford Castle, County Hall and Parliament Square, as well as more parochial sites: the mobile library, football club, and the workshop of 72 year-old Vernon Hale, last of the county's wood-carvers. The highlight is probably the fundraiser at Hertfordshire and Essex General Hospital, where a judo exhibition is performed among traditional village-fete attractions.
Related

Task of the Teacher Task of the Teacher
School programme and Educational film 1973 43 mins Location: Northcourt
London’s school kids get to grips with teaching methods, technology and cows in this film from the 1970s explaining educational theories at different London schools.

District Nurse District Nurse
Government sponsored film 1952 27 mins Location: Wadhurst
Never a dull moment for a rural district nurse in the early days of the NHS.

Pakistani Bus Driver Pakistani Bus Driver
News 1974 2 mins Location: Birmingham
Bus timetables are sacrosanct to some but to others there are more important things in life - and faith is one of them.

Dustman Dustman
Documentary 1928 3 mins Silent Location: Sheffield
Refuse collection you cannot refuse with some state-of-the-art bin business in 1920s Sheffield

Mobile Shop Mobile Shop
News 1975 4 mins Location: Ullesthorpe
It's an Aladdin's Cave of household goods: Donald Sansome's travelling store is a lifeline for the people of rural Leicestershire

These Are the Hands These Are the Hands
Charity appeal 2020 2 mins
Beautiful NHS fundraiser, setting Michael Rosen’s poem to powerful archive images.

New Perspectives: Fish Tank New Perspectives: Fish Tank
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Adam Smith of Northumbria University explains why Andrea Arnold's coming-of-age story, about a girl who uses dance to escape, is his favourite film on BFI Player.

New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Ball of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.

Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.

On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.

Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.

All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.