Anderson Entertainment has announced plans for a new documentary on Gerry Anderson, the man behind such iconic shows as Thunderbirds, Stingray and Space:1999 as well as modern hits like Space Precinct and the 2005 reimagining of Captain Scarlet.
The first in-depth documentary on the life and times of a true pioneer who made some of TV’s best-loved shows will be produced by the award-winning independent production company The Format Factory with the full backing of Anderson Entertainment, the production company founded by Gerry Anderson.
The documentary will cover the highs and lows of the life of a man who changed the face of television – from his difficult upbringing, the death of his older brother and his damaging experiences of anti-Semitism, to his massive success, revolutionary innovations in filming and puppetry and how he made – and lost – a fortune. Viewers will hear about his complicated relationships with family, friends and fellow workers, his hatred of the puppets that made his name, the years when he fell out of favour, the revivals, tributes and theatre adaptations that found him a brand-new audience, and, of course, how the era of DVDs, Blu-Ray and streaming has seen his shows revived and rediscovered to enormous acclaim. Above all, this will be a celebration of a television pioneer, one whose death after living with Alzheimer’s inspired an outpouring of heartfelt tributes from fans young and old across the world whose lives had been touched by his work.
The documentary will include contributions from family members, friends, colleagues and many of the people who worked in and were inspired by Gerry Anderson’s shows. But it will also include contributions from Gerry Anderson himself. Using cutting-edge technology in a way this technology innovator would have loved, extracts from over 30 hours of previously unreleased audio recordings will be brought to life through digital wizardry and artificial intelligence to produce a never-before-seen interview with Gerry Anderson – in person!
The Format Factory hopes to begin shooting the single-film documentary in the summer of 2021 with a release date of 2022 – the tenth anniversary of Gerry Anderson’s death. It will be produced by award-winning producer / director Benjamin Field – and has already attracted interest from a number of potential buyers. Benjamin Field, The Format Factory, says: “It’s hard to believe that a comprehensive, insightful documentary on the life and times of Gerry Anderson has not yet appeared, but we aim to do full justice to a major television pioneer. It will be an appraisal of a great and sometimes flawed man – honest, unflinching, but always fascinating. With Gerry Anderson how could it be anything else?”
Writer, director, producer and MD of Anderson entertainment – and Gerry Anderson’s son – Jamie Anderson says: “This is a project that I have long hoped to see reach the screen. The continuing popularity of Dad’s many great creations has driven a project for which The Format Factory, an award-winning content creator and production company, is the perfect producer. Ben and his team’s plans to combine research and insight with high technology and modern audio and video techniques are both innovative and exciting. I can’t wait to see the result!”
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