transmitting on channel 5 in the week starting 9th march
TRANSCRIPT
Transmitting on Channel 5 in the week starting9th March, Verve Productions’ film: Filming MyFather: In Life and Death
Steve Isaac with his son Fraser
Steve Isaac at home
Directed by BAFTA winner Liz Tucker forVerve Productions, this film is a uniquefilmic record revealing the devastatingreality of motor neurone disease.
LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITEDKINGDOM, February 21, 2015/EINPresswire.com/ -- Four and halfyears in the making, using an innovativeapproach to capture scenes that wouldotherwise have been impossible to film.This deeply personal and emotionaldocumentary charts the story of oneremarkable man, Steve Isaac, from themoment he received the heart-breakingnews, he had motor neurone disease(otherwise known as amyotrophic lateralsclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease).A fatal condition that would change hisand his family’s life for ever.
Liz Tucker, Executive Producer/Directorsaid: “As soon as I met Steve and hisfamily, I was incredibly moved by theirstory. Seeing a home video that his sonFraser had filmed, made me realise therewas an opportunity here to tell this storyin a way that had never been attemptedbefore in a documentary”.
Liz wanted to make a film about Steveand his family in which nothing would becontrived or reconstructed. The viewer
would experience the action exactly as it happened. So she hired 22 year old Fraser, Steve’s son, towork on the film and planned that he would stay in the family home and be there 24/7 to shoot crisesand emergencies as they happened. While Liz would come down to film the rest of the documentaryon a day-to day basis.
Fraser Isaac commented: “Some may think it is weird to film your dying Dad, but I want people toreally understand what it feels like. Sometimes it’s really tough, but, and this may sound crazy, there’s
Steve Isaac with his wife Debbie
loads of times when we still really laughtogether”.
Capturing every critical event in the story,the moment it happened, has resulted ina remarkably intimate and honestdocumentary of a family experiencing themost brutal of times.
Liz Tucker, Executive Producer/Director:“Steve and his family put anextraordinary amount of trust in myhands. Editing their story, without sugarcoating it, so that all sides of the storyare shown fairly and truthfully is one ofthe hardest tasks I have ever had towrestle with. And I am very grateful that
Channel 5 had the guts and vision to commit to such complex and long running project”.
During the film, we see Steve’s illness progress and his story take a turn no one could have imagined,leading to some devastating decisions.
Seeing a home video thatSteve's son Fraser hadfilmed, made me realise therewas an opportunity here totell this story in a way thathad never been attemptedbefore in a documentary.
Liz Tucker, ExecutiveProducer/Director
Liz Tucker, Executive Producer/Director: “The most powerfulfilms I believe are those that take the audience away from itsown reality into the lives and minds of others, making themrethink their world. So I hope that viewers will watch thisdocumentary and think, “what would I do?”
Emma Westcott, Channel 5’s Commissioning Editor - Factual,comments: “Viewers will be deeply moved by this emotionaland thought provoking journey as we chart the story of thisbrave and remarkable family from the beginning of Steve’sdiagnosis and the years which follow.”
About Channel 5:
Channel 5 launched as Britain's fifth public service broadcaster in March 1997 and reaches 4 in 5 ofthe UK viewing public each month with a broad mix of popular content, including quality factualprogrammes, entertainment, reality, sport, acquired and original drama and pre-school children’sprogramming through its award winning Milkshake strand. Sister channels 5* and 5USA complimentChannel 5 with a mix of must see entertainment and US drama, while Demand 5 is a free service tocatch up with the latest programmes on Channel 5, 5USA and 5* available across platforms anddevices including You View, Sky On Demand, Virgin Media, BT Vision, Xbox1, iOS, Android, Freesat,PS4 and Roku. For all the latest about Channel 5, follow us on twitter.com @channel5press and@channel5_tv.
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For further press information please contact: Julie Miller at Channel 5 press office –[email protected]
To interview Liz Tucker or for further information about Verve Productions please contact Rufus Stoneat Swee E: [email protected] T: 00 44(0) 7473 226221 W: www.swee.co.uk
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Notes to Editors
A few facts about motor neurone disease (known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or LouGehrig’s disease in the USA).
•Motor neurone disease is a fatal disease that has no cure.
•Every day, five people in the UK die from the condition.
•The average life expectancy upon diagnosis is usually between two and five years.
•At any one time, around 5,000 people in Britain have MND.
•The BAFTA and Golden Globe award winning film, nominated for multiple Oscars, The Theory ofEverything, documents the story of world-renowned physicist Professor Stephen Hawking, who hasmotor neurone disease. He is an exceptional case, having lived with MND for over 50 years.
•Motor neurone disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks specialist nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord called motor neurons. Degeneration of these motor neurons causesmuscle wastage leading to paralysis, and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing.
•MND leaves people unable to walk, talk or feed themselves, but their intellect and senses usuallyremain unaffected.
•Most patients with motor neurone disease die when their breathing muscles are no longer able towork.
•The recent Ice Bucket Challenge, which involved volunteers pouring a bucket of ice cold water overtheir heads, raised money for motor neurone disease.
•Other well-known people currently living with motor neurone disease are British educationalist SirChris Woodhead and Bass player Mike Porcaro (Toto)
•People who have died from motor neurone disease include actor David Niven, footballers JimmyJohnstone and Don Revie, and journalist Jill Tweedie
A few facts about Liz Tucker and Verve Productions
•Verve Productions is a British documentary production company set up by award winning director LizTucker that aims to tell innovative and compelling stories to audiences around the world
•Liz Tucker’s programmes have been shown in over 40 countries and won a number of prestigiousawards.
•In 2004, Liz’s film Archimedes’ Secret won the Glaxo/ABSW Science Writer’s Award for best sciencedocumentary. A year later, she was again nominated for the award.
Rufus StoneSwee07473226221email us here
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