Celebrating 50 years of the blockbuster classic JAWS, a documentary titled The Farmer & The Shark is on the way from director John Campopiano (Pennywise: The Story of IT, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story), first announced by Deadline today.
This particular JAWS-related documentary is taking a very interesting approach, putting the spotlight on a late Martha’s Vineyard resident by the name of Craig Kingsbury.
Campopiano tells us, “The “farmer” piece of our film is the late Craig Kingsbury, who lived a truly remarkable life. We’re telling his story within the context of the making of JAWS on Martha’s Vineyard in 1974. Craig was Robert Shaw’s inspiration for his iconic portrayal of Quint. Craig was originally hired by the production to train Shaw but because his impact was so greatly felt, Spielberg gave him the on-camera role as doomed fisherman, Ben Gardner.”
The documentary focuses on the unique influence Kingsbury had on the film, from both behind and in front of the camera. Along the way we also learn of the many Island locals whose ocean savvy and ingenuity were instrumental in transforming JAWS from a potential failure to the paradigm of the summer blockbuster.
Through conversations with Craig Kingsbury’s family members and never-before-seen interviews with the many local and Hollywood tradesmen and artisans who worked on the film, including Production Designer Joe Alves, Cameraman Michael Chapman, Tom Joyner, Kevin Pike, Jonathan Filley, Jeffrey Kramer, The Farmer & the Shark weaves a fascinating tale of how Mr. Kingsbury was reluctantly recruited by the production to help transform Mr. Shaw – through his own language and mannerisms – from a distinguished Shakespearean actor into the gruff Downeast fisherman who serves as the unforgettable heart of the film.
Leroy Street Films will premiere The Farmer & the Shark at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum on Tuesday, August 19 at 4pm.
The Farmer & the Shark is produced by Leroy Street Films in association with Atomic Clock, Witter Entertainment, and Stage 3 Productions, and also features a trove of rare and never-before-seen archive from the production. In addition, it showcases the expansive family archives of the Kingsbury family as well as historical collections from the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.
The Farmer & the Shark is directed by John Campopiano, written by Rick DiGregorio and John Campopiano, and co-written by Matthew Spry.
Gabriel Long is Director of Photography. The doc was produced by Eastwood Allen, Jim Beller, Kelly Ryan, and Matt Taylor and Executive Produced by James Cilano. The documentary features original music by Matt Cannon, original illustrations by Jacob Walsh, animations by Mike Nixon, motion graphics by Eastwood Allen, and was edited in the UK by Jay Espindola.
Check out the official poster below and expect more soon.
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