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Open House – Stories From New Zealand's Parliament
Behind the scenes at New Zealand's parliamentary buildings
People from around the world come to visit New Zealand's parliamentary buildings and to enjoy the mix of Victorian architecture and the more recent style of the Beehive.
CWA New Media was invited by the Parliamentary Service to produce the video and DVD about the history of the buildings, that would be viewed by all visitors.
The need
Regular tours of the parliamentary buildings are provided by the staff of the Visitors Centre. They needed a video that would play in the centre prior to a tour, and also be available to purchase as a memento of the visit.
CWA New Media was asked to write and produce the resource.
The innovation
In researching the resource, our video team went behind the scenes to uncover the hidden stories and history of our parliamentary buildings.
We explored the early days of parliamentary life, when wooden buildings were the norm, and fires could take a tremendous toll. We located images and historic news footage of the damage the buildings suffered, and filmed the results of the painstaking work by master craftsman from around the world that saw them restored to their former glory.
We also included the stories and voices of some of the characters who have walked the halls of Parliament – from leading statesman over the decades, to some of the characters who have left a lasting impression.
CWA New Media's Open House – Stories from Parliament offers visitors an opportunity to share a unique part of New Zealand's heritage. It continues to prove a popular part of the visitor's experience of our government's home.
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