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Social works with Marketing Manchester on Music Worth Fighting For documentary

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A 35-minute Marketing Manchester music documentary, delivered in partnership with Social, has been viewed more than 15,000 times and is helping to raise funds for those whose roles in the industry have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Manchester Music Now and Then: Music Worth Fighting For was premiered via global streaming platform, United We Stream GM, in December, with viewers encouraged to donate the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s charity, OneGM, or WeMakeEvents’ fundraiser for BackUp.

Social was appointed after a competitive tender to work with Marketing Manchester on the documentary project, which was filmed and edited over 18 months with much of the footage captured prior to the first national lockdown in 2020.

The documentary had initially set out to showcase the strength and diversity of Greater Manchester’s current music scene and was adapted to reflect upon what’s at stake for the sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Music Worth Fighting For was produced by a Marketing Manchester team led by content curator Simon Donohue working with a Social team led by videographer and editor Luke Barnett. It is dedicated to the memory of singer Denise Johnson, who features in the documentary.

The film features the likes of A Certain Ratio, Blossoms, Courteeners, New Order/Joy Division and the Happy Mondays, and also hears from industry professionals including technicians, photographers, band bookers, tour guides and promoters.

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The documentary features stars including New Order’s Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Morris


Sheona Southern, managing director at Marketing Manchester, said: “Greater Manchester is known around the world for music and we’re excited to have made a film celebrating the many people and places that make us famous.

“The team at Social were fantastic to work with and helped Marketing Manchester to realise its evolving vision for the Manchester music documentary through a period of unprecedented upheaval within the live music scene. Social have helped us to capture people’s passion for music in Manchester and we cannot wait to welcome audiences back to experience that for themselves.”

Luke Barnett, video producer at Social, said the project had been a “real labour of love” for the agency.

“It’s a testament not only to Manchester’s exceptional music offering but also a film that looks forward to experiences that we can all hopefully return to later this year,” he added.   

The project was funded by Marketing Manchester and VisitEngland.

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