A Northumbria Film and TV Production alumnus was in the
director’s chair for the recent inspirational UK Box Office hit film, Fisherman’s Friends.
Chris Foggin, who has worked on a number of successful short films with high
profile stars before his latest production, was first approached with the
opportunity to work on the Cornwall-shot feature by producer James Spring, who
he had previously met on his first feature film.
Fisherman’s Friends, which is
inspired by true events, tells the story of a group of singing fishermen who
perform in their village harbour and secure a multi-million pound record deal
with Island Records. It explores how, despite their chart topping success, the
fisherman did not give up their day jobs, alongside performing at big events
such as Glastonbury.
“I remember reading the script for Fisherman’s Friends a few years back, so I
was delighted to hear from James when he came to me with the project”, said
Chris. “It’s a wonderful universal story that is full of heart, warmth and
charm, set in an idyllic location that allows cinema goers to escape for a
couple of hours. We were also incredibly lucky to have wonderful cast and crew,
and I loved the collaboration throughout the process. It was fun from start to
finish.”
Chris’ success has been celebrated by his former tutors
within Northumbria’s Department of Arts, including Principal Lecturer and
Teaching Fellow Neil Percival. He said: “It’s brilliant to see Chris doing so
well – he’s kept in touch with us since graduation, and his is an inspiring
story for our current undergraduates.
“He joins a growing number of alumni who have gone on to make a career in
feature films – including Jack Tarling, the producer of God’s Own Country, Neil
Marshall who has just directed Hellboy, and Lol Crawley, who was
cinematographer on Vox Lux working with Natalie Portman and Jude Law”
Chris graduated from Northumbria in 2008, but has kept a close relationship
with the University. As he explains: “Northumbria
was a great place to learn. It allowed me to meet likeminded people that I
still work with today. I found the tutoring, facilities and support network to
be fantastic.
“I started out as a runner in my early career, moving to
a third Assistant Director, which allowed me to get a great understanding of
the industry. I’m now developing my next projects for both film and TV.”
Fisherman’s Friends is currently number three in the UK
Box Office and is in cinemas nationwide.
To find out more about Northumbria’s Film and TV Production BA (Hons) course,
visit: www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/film-and-tv-production-ba-hons-uusfvp1/
