Beyond the Lines
Listen....
Brian
Duncan
Kim
Michael
Sheila & Rose
Shirley
Terry
Silvie
Virginia
Eric & Maureen
Lynne
Shirley
Chris
About the Project
Beyond the Lines is a photography-based project created by In Jolly Good Company, inviting older people to see themselves — and to be seen — beyond society’s assumptions about age. The portraits are simple, striking black-and-white images, created by participants photographing one another in relaxed, friend-led sessions. The aim is to celebrate personality, memory, identity and the lived experience of age.
Each portrait is more than a picture: it’s a conversation. By use of minimal props or costume and the support of a gentle, peer-led studio setup, participants felt able to express aspects of their past, their humour, their stories, their dignity — unfiltered. The result: images that speak clearly, without distraction; where the “colour” isn’t in the photo but in the personalities.
The project recognises how older people can feel unseen, undervalued, or dismissed. Through these portraits, Beyond the Lines seeks to challenge those assumptions — showing that each person remains connected, relevant, purposeful, creative, wise and full of life stories.
Our Role - Pageant Productions
We were invited to support Beyond the Lines by transforming the portraits into a multimedia exhibition. Our work comprised:
- Recording audio interviews with many of the portrait subjects, capturing their voices and memories — letting visitors not only see the faces, but hear the people.
- Developing a custom web-app to host and deliver those audio clips — enabling easy access via QR codes placed next to the portraits in the physical exhibition.
- Preparing and integrating the material so that each visitor can scan, listen and connect — bringing each story to life beyond the still image.
In doing so, we helped to add an interesting dimension to the exhibition: more than visual impact, the project invites empathy, understanding and connection.