Hitsville: The Making of Motown

'Hitsville: The Making of Motown', a documentary made to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of Motown records, details the story of how the hugely influential Berry Gordy Jr created and established his record label. Through the use of archival footage, audiences can listen to the quality control meetings that Gordy staged in order to drum up a competitive spirit between his acts by having everyone discuss which songs would be cut and which ones would be kept; they can see 'The Echo Chamber', the bathroom in which Motown's earliest songs were recorded; they get a glimpse of how the studio crafted a specific image for stars and groups such as The Supremes. The footage is accompanied by interviews and testimonies, both from people that were present at the time (Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson) and from famous fans (Jamie Foxx, Dr. Dre, Van Morrison, Oprah). The documentary follows the company from its birth in Detroit in 1958 into the 60s and 70s as Motown engages with civil rights and film, rising to become one of the most recognised music labels of all time.

'Hitsville: The Making of Motown' is written and directed by brothers Benjamin and Gabe Turner, whose other documentaries include 'In the Hands of God', 'I Am Bolt' and 'The Class of 92'.

• Documentary