FairyTale: A True Story (1997)

Country of Origin: UK / USA
Year of Production: 1996
Running Times: 99 mins
Format: colour 35mm
Ratio:
Sound: Dolby

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Icon Entertainment International / Wendy Finerman Productions
Executive Producer: Paul Tucker
Producers: Bruce Davey, Wendy Finerman
Co-Producers: Albert Ash, Tom McLoughlin, Selwyn Roberts
Associate Producer: Margaret French Isaac
Production Associate: Cassius Matthias
Unit Production Manager: Jo Burn
Production Coordinator: Hermione Ninnim

SCRIPT
Script: Ernie Contreras
Story: Albert Ash, Tom McLoughlin, Ernie Contreras

DIRECTION
Director: Charles Sturridge
2nd Unit Director: Selwyn Roberts
1st Assistant Director: Micky Finch
2nd Assistant Directors: Amy Sugdon, Kate Hazell
3rd Assistant Director: Russell Channon

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Michael Coulter
2nd Unit Director of Photography: Eddie Collins
Camera Operator: Philip Sindall
Steadicam Operators: Denis Kingston, Jan Pester, Nigel Kirton
Focus Puller: John Jordan
2nd Unit Focus Puller: Adam Biddle
Clapper Loader: Bobby Dhillon
2nd Unit Clapper Loader: Shaun Evans
Gaffer: Terry Edland
2nd Unit Gaffer / Rigging Gaffer: Eddie Knight
Electricians: Alan MacPherson, John Barry, Paul Kemp, Ricky Pattenden, Wayne Leach
Best Boy: Tony Hayes
Electrical Riggers: Dave Harrison, Frankie Webster
Rigging Electricians: Dave Ridout, Stewart Monteith
Generator Operator: Mark Laidlaw
Camera Grip: Malcolm Sheehan
2nd Unit Grip: Kenny Atherfold
Yorkshire Grip: James Coulter
Camera Trainee: Flavio Ferrari
Stills: Simon Mein
Video Assist Operator: Nick Coward
Giraffe Crane: Panavision Grips Ltd
Aerial Sequences: Hover-Cam Ltd
Camera Equipment: Samuelson Film Service Ltd
Lighting Equipment: Lee Lighting Ltd
Technocrane: Technovision Cameras
Film Transfer: Michael Webb Transport Location Services
Cameras: Moviecam
Laboratories: DeLuxe; Metrocolor, London, UK
Film Stock: Kodak

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Peter Coulson
Assembly Editor: Richard Milward
1st Assistant Film Editor: Julius Gladwell
2nd Assistant Editors: Julian Ryan, Robert Laycock

MUSIC
Music: Zbigniew Preisner; George Frederick Handel (See the Conquering Hero Comes)
Music Performed By: Sinfonia Varsovia; Janusz Strobel (guitar solo); Anna Sikorzak-Olek (harp solo); the combined brass ensembles of St Peter's and St Oliver's schools, York (See the Conquering Hero Comes)
Music Arranged By: Christopher Blood (See the Conquering Hero Comes)
Conductors: Jacek Kaspszyk, Zdzislaw Szostak
Music Executive: Halina Laciak
Music Recordist / Mixer: Rafal Paczkowski
Music Copyist: Urszula Chajdecka
Music Recorded At: Studio Polskiego Radia SZ/S4, Warsaw
Music Mixed At: Studio Buffo

SOUND
Sound Mixer: John Midgley
2nd Unit Sound Recordist: Richard Finney
Boom Operator: June Prinz
Re-Recording Mixer: Clive Pendry
Sound Editors: Peter Bond, Sarah Morton
ADR Mixer: Mick Boggis
Foley Artists: Lucy Fawcett, Paula Boram
Foley Mixer: Ted Swanscott
Foley Editors: Laura Lovejoy, Michael Feinberg
Sound Maintenance: Gavin Le Mare
Sound Re-Recorded At: De Lane Lea Sound London

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Hair / Make Up Designer: Peter King
Hair / Make Up Coordinator: Nuala Conway
Assistant Hair / Make Up Assistants: Elizabeth Tagg, John Munro
Costume Designer: Shirley Russell
Costumer: Allan Hay (uncredited)
Wardrobe Supervisor: Richard Pointing
Wardrobe Mistress: Pat Williamson
Wardrobe Assistants: Alan Flyng, Rosemary Worth, Tony Hughes

SPECIAL MAKEUP EFFECTS
Special Make Up / Prosthetics: Image Animation

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Supervisor: David Beavis
Special Effects Technician: Graham Hills

VISUAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects: Framestore Ltd
Visual Effects Supervisor: Tim Webber
Visual Effects Coordinator: Matthew Cope
Visual Effects Assistant: Pedro Sabrosa
Digital Effects Designer: Gavin Toomey (uncredited)

Framestore
Digital Film Effects Producer: Drew Jones
Senior 3D Animator: Andy Lomas
3D Animators: Andrew Daffy, John Fuller
Senior Digital Effects Artist: Robert Duncan
Digital Effects Artists: Avtar Bains, William Bartlett
Digital Effects Assistant: Rupert Porter
Digital Lab Supervisor: Phil Campbell

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Michael Howells
Supervising Art Director: David Lee
Art Director: Sam Riley
Assistant Art Director: Julie Sheppard
Set Decorator: Totty Whately
Property Master: Graeme Purdy
Location Property Master: George Ball
Prop Storeman: Doug Purdy
Property Buyer: Lucinda Sturgis
Dressing Props: Nick Turnball, Wesley Peppiatt
Stand-By Chargehand Props: Alfie Smith
Stand-By Propman: Nick Milner
2nd Unit Stand-By Carpenter: Stuart Williams
Construction Coordinator: Malcolm Roberts
Assistant Construction Coordinator: Steven Fitzwater
Storyboard Artist: Roger Deer
Title Designer: Chris Allies

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Maria Apodiacos
Production Accountant: Tony Miller
Assistant Accountants: Diane Christian, Justin Miller, Timothy Easthill
Production Assistant: Nicky O'Reilly
Executive Assistant to Wendy Finerman: Ivana Crvelin
Assistant To Bruce Davey: Bonnie F. Watkins
Production Secretary: Tara B. Cook
Aerial Choreographer: Isabel Rocamora
Transportation Coordinator: Peter Graovac
Unit Drivers: Alan Bradshaw, Fred Chiverton, Mark Richards, Phil Allchin
Production Runners: Isabel Thomas, Sam Davies
Floor Runner: Daniel Shepherd
FT2 Trainee: Ian Differ
Magic Advisor To Harvey Keitel: Simon Drake
Stand-By Crew: Bill Richards, Alan Billam, Jason Reilly, Mark Brady, Nick Bowen, Robert Wishart
Unit Nurse: Jeanie Udall
Unit Publicist: Muriel Gerard
Production Financing: Newmarket Capital Group
Catering: Anglia Catering Services
Period Vehicles: Action Vehicles; Classic Vehicles Unlimited
Completion Guarantee: International Film Guarantors Inc

LOCATIONS
Locations: Cottingley, West Yorkshire, England, UK; Didcot, England, UK; Hackney Empire Theatre, London, England, UK; London, England, UK; Pirbright, Surrey, England, UK; Railway Station, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England, UK; Ramsgill, North Yorkshire, England, UK
Studios: Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK; Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, UK
Location Manager: Richard Sharkey
Assistant Location Managers: Piers Dunn, Simon Marsden
Location Assistant: Nick Waldron

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks To: Geoffrey Crawley; Glen Hill; Joe Cooper; Maurice Atack; Ruth Brandon; Walter White
Peter Pan sequences by kind permission of Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Jim Dowdall
Stunts: Steve 'Street' Griffiths, Bill Weston, Chris Aberdien, Chris Webb
Wire Effects Supervisor: Steve Crawley
Assistant Wireman: Dave Williams
Peter Pan Flying Effects: Nick Kirby

CASTING
Casting: Mary Selway, Sarah Trevis, Trevor Hoath (uncredited)
Additional Casting: Suzy Catliff
ADR Voice Casting: Louis Elman
Casting Assistant: Jennifer Duffy

CAST
Florence Hoath (Elsie Wright)
Elizabeth Earl (Frances Griffiths)
Paul McGann (Arthur Wright)
Phoebe Nicholls (Polly Wright)
Bill Nighy (Edward L. Gardner)
Bob Peck (Harry Briggs)
Peter O'Toole (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Harvey Keitel (Harry Houdini)
Anton Lesser (wounded corporal)
Tim McInnerny (John Ferret)
Jason Salkey (James Collins)
Lara Morgan (Jean Doyle)
Adam Franks (Adrian Doyle)
Guy Witcher (Denis Doyle)
Joseph May (Houdini's assistant)
John Bradley (portly gentleman)
Anna Chancellor (Peter Pan)
Leonard Kavanagh (stage manager)
Lynn Farleigh (Mrs Thornton)
Sarah Marsden (Lucy)
Tara Marie (Judith)
Alannah McGahan (Margie)
Peter Mullan (Sergeant Farmer)
Jim Wiggins (Albert)
David Calder (Harold R. Snelling)
Anthony Calf (Geoffrey Hodson)
John Grillo (Mr West)
Benjamin Whitrow (Mr Binley)
Dick Brannick (news vendor)
Barbara Hicks (city woman)
Christopher Godwin (city businessman)
Andrew Cryer (1st soldier)
Paul Popperwell (2nd soldier)
David Norman (O'Neill)
Matilda Sturridge (Dorothy)
Charlotte Champness (Alice)
Anna Ramsey (Charlotte)
Peter Wight (newspaper editor)
Willie Ross (old print worker)
Ina Clough (lady calling to fairies)
Carol Noakes (station photographer)
Stephen Chapman (boy in hospital)
Bill Stewart (chess MC)
Don Henderson (Sydney Chalker)
Stuart Howson (red?faced man)
James Danaher (Joseph Wright)
Martin Gent (pushy photographer)
Anthony Collin (older photographer)
Tom Georgeson (reporter)
Angus Barnett (2nd reporter)
Sean Buckley (Mr Bandylegs)
Norma Cohen (Nanny Button Cup)
Matt Costain (Prince Malakin)
Caleb Lloyd (Lob)
Marianne Melhus (Princess Florella)
Isabel Rocamora (Fairy Queen Mab)
Thomas Sturridge (Hab)
Suzy Barton, Ali Bastion, Anna Brecon, Lindsey Butcher, Philip Fowler, Katie Gibbon, Sophy Griffiths, Sara Li Gustafsson, Tara Kemp, William Lawrence, Genevieve Monastesse, Simon Penman, Briony Plant, Anna?Louise Plowman, Jane Read?Wilson,
Mark Tate, Hayley Tibbins (fairies)
Mel Gibson (Frances' father - uncredited)
Hal Lindes (Angel - uncredited)

PLOT SUMMARY

Two young girls take photographs that they claim are of fairies. Their story causes a sensation, especially when author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and magician / escapologist Harry Houdini start to show an interest. But are the girls conning everyone or are the fairies real?

France
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Bros.

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Pictures

France
Rating: U

Norway
Rating: 7

Portugal
Rating: M/6

Spain
Rating: 7

UK
Rating: U

USA
Rating: PG (for brief mild language)

1998
BAFTA Awards, UK
BAFTA Childrens' Award Best Children's Film (Bruce Davey, Wendy Finerman, Charles Sturridge) - winner

Young Artist Awards, USA
Best Performance in a Feature Film: Leading Young Actress (Florence Hoath) - nominated
Best Performance in a Feature Film: Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Elizabeth Earl) - nominated

TIMELINE

1996
May
28: UK - production begins

August
20: UK - production ends

1997
September
11: Canada - shown at the Toronto Film Festival

October
24: USA - theatrical release

December
11: Singapore - theatrical release
25: Russia - theatrical release
26: Australia, Poland - theatrical release

1998
February
13: UK - theatrical release

April
9: Netherlands - theatrical release

May
28: Ireland - theatrical release

June
3: France - theatrical release
17: Belgium - theatrical release

July
10: Mexico - theatrical release

August
14: Norway - theatrical release
21: Italy - theatrical release
28: Iceland - theatrical release

1999
January
29: Brazil - theatrical release

July
22: Israel - theatrical release

2000
January
14: Thailand - theatrical release

March
16: Portugal - video release

POSTER TAGS

Believe.

Fairy Tale
Illumination
Cuento de hadas - Spanish title
Encuentros fantásticos - Colombian title
Fairy Tale - Keijukaisten maailma - Finnish title
Le mystère des fées - Une histoire vraie - French title
Favole - Italian title
Elfy z ogrodu czarów - Polish title
Uma História de Fadas - Portugese video title

LINKS

SEE ALSO
Photographing Fairies (1997)

MAGAZINES

Empire March 1998 p.50 (UK)
review (Giala Murray)

Film Review March 1998 p.21 (UK)
review (by Ian Calcutt)

Neon September 1998 p.95 (UK)
review (by Kirk Lake)

Total Film March 1998 p.97 (UK)
review (by Darren Vaughan)

fairies, london, yorkshire, photography, children, writers