7Up! Letter to The Independent June 9, 2012

LETTER TO THE INDEPENDENT

Beginning of an historic TV show

I was pleased that your reporter called Seven Up! "the most remarkable documentary series in television history" (28 April). It is gratifying for me as the original creator and director that this film served the purpose for which I conceived it: documenting the lives of children, and thereby pointing up some of the class differences, which Australian Tim Hewatt, then head of World in Action, and I, as a Canadian, found in the England of 1963. But several misstatements in your article regarding Michael Apted's role in the first film in the series need to be addressed.

Your reporter says that Mr Apted "only wishes he had taken a more female-friendly approach when going about the project". But he had no role in "going about the project" other than, as stated later, being a first-time researcher. I chose children for the film. And for the record, I did in fact feature girls in quite a few scenes.

"Apted had originally found his 14 children in three weeks." Gordon McDougall (whose name was unfortunately excised from the credits after I left England) was a researcher on an equal footing with Mr Apted. They both found children for me to make my selection.

But I do I think it's wonderful that Mr Apted has done these follow-up films so that we can see what's happened over the years.

Paul Almond

Shigawake, Quebec, Canada

Toronto: Northern Stars Interview, May 2012

Northern Stars, a massive website which deals with 

film Canadiana asked if they could interview me for their website.

Northen Stars owner, the wonderful, gentle, handsome, Ralph Lucas 

turned up, and decided that the Boyd’s back garden would be ideal 

for the shooting.  Ralph finances the website all by himself, with no help 

from any charitable contributions, nor Telefilm nor the Canadian government. 

He does it as a labour of love

The tiny black device Ralph is holding is an HD camera 

which can shoot an amazing amount of film. 

He brought Wyndham Wise to interview me.  Wyndham is 

probably the foremost authority on Canadian Film.  He began Cinema Canada,
followed it through, and then edited Canadian Cinematographer,
among many occupations.  Now he is freelance writer.

Phil Pendry was the cameraman.   Phil is, believe it or not, 85 years old.  

He began in the 40s with the 35MM newsreels for cinemas.  

He spent three years in the Vietnam war, he’s shot all three 

Israel-Arabs wars.  Last week he spent 5 days shooting the girls

 of the Miss Universe contest, and in two weeks he’s off around the world 

shooting a documentary series...  An amazing man.

Montreal No.2 DIMSUM May 2012

As is becoming a tradition, Joan and I assembled those friends in town 

this long weekend who over the years have helped me at my company, 

Quest Film Productions Ltd — until it ceased, the oldest motion picture 

production house in Canada. I call them my “doodles”. But they are 

hardly little doodles any more. With their Quest training, they rose rapidly 

through the ranks and are now in positions of power!

 Stewart Harding worked for Quest for many years, learning the business, 

until he became a noted line producer in film centres across Canada. 

His wife, Cathy Wadas is in charge of infectious 

disease control on the West Island.

 Charles Faubert, soon after leaving Quest, became a bigwig at a l

arge software company. His lovely partner, Genevieve, has 

her own French publishing company in Montréal. 

 Thom K. Richardson first wrote scripts with Quest, then left,

 and now has authored a number of motion pictures, miniseries, 

and television series, the most recent being in post production right now.

 

Finally, Cary Lawrence, the daughter of my BCS friends, the Lawrence

 twins, and the star of The Dance Goes On (1980) took a break from her 

heavy rehearsal and filming schedule to join us.