THE MAKING OF: Andy Parkin - “A Life in Adaptation”

Origins: Film makers and climbing enthusiasts, Pip Piper, Dominic Green and Dave Cawley first met Andy Parkin at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival in 2006, whilst researching another project. Producer Pip Piper says: “As we talked to Andy, we realised here was one of life’s truly unique characters and we decided to ask him if we could make a film about him.”

The three got on so well with Andy that he agreed to the project. The team spent a week with him in Chamonix while they were making a short film about Gary Hemming. The Andy Parkin documentary took shape as they talked late into the night. When David Fair, a notable TV director, joined the team filming began in earnest.

The final production: The story follows Andy from his home and studio in Les Praz, Chamonix, back to his roots in Sheffield and his early days of climbing. It reflects on the effect the accident had on him when it forced him to rethink his future and adapt to the challenges his injuries brought about. The story then comes into the present with Andy’s art becoming more and more sought after and his commissions more and more adventurous. In parallel, the film shows how his climbing still shows no sign of slowing down with Andy still making remarkable first ascents in the World’s wild and remote places as well as in his adopted backyard - the French Alps.

Filming has so far taken place in Chamonix, in Switzerland and in Sheffield and is due for completion in July 2008. The finished film will travel to various film festivals autumn 08 and will then be released on DVD and download.

Updates  / photos / behind the scene clips available from the documentaries media partners.

Andy Parkin - “A Life in Adaptation” is produced with the support of PARAMO. WITH ukclimbing.com, Climbing and Urban Climber (USA) and TV mountain.com as project media partners

For more information visit :www.bluehippomedia.com