Contact Us

		Franny Armstrong Camera, Director, Dictator Franny founded Spanner in 1997. If her name was Watkins, this list wouldn't be alphabetical. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out, Baked Alaska, Racist Force email: bigboss@spannerfilms.net website: guardian article extras:An interview
		Peter Armstrong Executive Producer Franny's dad is mainly to blame for our McLibel doc. As t'was he who blithely said that that trial just starting in London would a good film make. His second mistake was to lend his camera and Avid "til the end of production". How was he to know it would become the longest trial in English history? worked on: McLibel email: website: day job extras:
		Rachel Armstrong Camera Boo is currently attempting to interbreed alternative health treatments with the National Health Service, but gets roped in to film in India the next day by her sister. She managed to smuggle the first Drowned Out tapes out of the village when it was surrounded by police - 12 hours later the footage was on the news in 53 countries. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: Get Well UK extras:
		Whetham Alpress Editor Whetham is an editor, drummer and co-inventor of Ten-Speed Snooker (a cross between snooker and jousting played on a dry lake bed using racing bikes and specially adapted basketballs. honest.) Since relocating from New Zealand, he has edited shows for C4, MTV Europe and Sky Digital. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Justin Badger Editor Justin has happily un-relocated from the US and is back on his home soil. He's still doing the man with one leg impression but is now editing harrowing stuff for the BBC. worked on: McLibel email: website: quite a cv extras:
		The Band of Holy Joy Music Holy Joy are not the types to keep indexed folders of press cuttings, so nobody can find the one that said something like "Lyricist Johny Brown is second only to Morrissey". In a former life Franny played drums in the band, so she had no problem persuading them to donate a load of tracks for McLibel. But they deleted the vocals, so you'll just have to imagine those silver medal lyrics. worked on: email: website: The Band of Holy Joy extras:
		Chris Brierley Composer CB's new electric violin means we can finally hear what he's playing as he jumps round the stage in hair-swirling, eyes-fluttering ecstasy. And we're pleased to report that he sounds as good as he looks. Chris writes music and mends sound problems for all Spanner's productions - his Drowned Out rain theme is pure genius. But in no way pays for new violins, so he writes music for adverts and whores himself out to any band, opera or orchestra that'll have him. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out email: website: Band of Holy Joy extras:Alfie's Glue Ear
		Lizzie Gillett Producer Long-suffering Lizzie was already an experienced TV producer when she fetched up on our shores from her native New Zealand. After stalking Franny on the internet she started as a volunteer at Spanner Films, quickly rising through the ranks. Five short years later Lizzie is working all hours to bring the fiendishly complex new documentary Crude into the world. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out email: lizzie@spannerfilms.net website: crudemovie.net extras:
		Sara Bovelenta Italian Narrator Good job Drowned Out came along as Sara was slowly forgotting her native Italian. She moved to London in 1997 and the ratio of acting/waitressing jobs has been steadily improving ever since. She also did tonnes of work on the Italian subtitles, not least because the darling computer kept crashing and losing all her work. She possesses remarkable patience. worked on: email: sarabovelenta2002@yahoo.co.uk website: extras:
		Bullfrog US Distributor “Living healthily, happily and with greater concern for the other inhabitants of this planet”. is Bullfrog Films' aim in life. Founded in 1973, they are now America's leading distributor of independently-produced videos & DVDs. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out email: info@bullfrogfilms.com website: Bull Frog Films extras:
		Alice Cat Attention Seeker Alice joined Spanner in 1999 and still hasn't mastered a camera, Avid or kettle. She did manage to break a £3000 laptop though. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Cinema Libre Distributor Our new American cinema distributors have recently had big hits with "Outfoxed" and "Uncovered". Let's hope they can work the same magic on their 2005 releases: "McLibel", "Drowned Out". "Conventioneers" and "Tre". worked on: Drowned Out email: website: Cinema Libre extras:
		Nick Cobbing Still Photographer Nick is a London based photojournalist specialising in social and environmental issues. Much of his work is for NGOs and charities including Greenpeace International, Actionaid and World Wide Fund for Nature. Hir work for Greenpeace included three trips to the Arctic, photographing on the Rainbow Warrior and climbing Sizewell nuclear power station. worked on: email: website: Cobb Webb extras:
		Neve Cunningham Camera Our first Oscar winner, Neve managed to throw up whilst interviewing Arundhati Roy for Drowned Out. Neve is really too classy for us, but his conscience makes him do at least one Spanner Film for every five corporate monsters. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out, Racist Force email: website: The time Neve won an Oscar extras:
		San Davey Assistant Producer If only San would come out of hibernation, we've got a whole host of people in need of her infamous phone persuasion skills. She set an unhealthy precedent for future Spanner Films' volunteers by working on McLibel, unpaid, full-time for a whole year. She also introduced us to her man Gregers Sall, future editor of both McLibel and Drowned Out. worked on: McLibel, Racist Force email: website: extras:
		Ntennis Davi Cameraman & Assistant Producer Ten met Franny when he broadcast McLibel on a community TV channel in Melbourne. 10 months later they were sleeping in a cow shed on the banks of the River Narmada together, having had all their shoes stolen. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Oliver Ford Davies Actor Oliver has appeared in any number of prestigious TV, film and theatre productions and won plenty of top awards. But most people recognise him as the guy with the big pointy beard in Star Wars (named Guvernos Sio Bibble, apparently). Oliver played Dr Sydney Arnott, McD's expert witness on cancer, in McLibel. worked on: McLibel email: website: extras:
		Michiel Dethmers Web God Michiel's tendency to whistle loudly and tunelessly - stopping only for yet another cup of intensely strong coffee and four more roll ups - should probably be forgiven, what with his topnotch web programming skills revolutionising the Spanner Films website. Unfortunately for us he's moving to Argentina in 2005. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Andy Depledge DVD Producer Poor Andy logged more tapes and transcribed more interviews than any sane person should contemplate. And he had to sleep in the haunted back room with two cats while learning to make DVDs from a standing start. worked on: McLibel email: website: extras:
		Mick Duffield Camera Mick spent many a pleasant winter's morning hanging around outside the High Court hoping a McDonald's executive would come out of the right door. Of course, he got the shot in the end, just as we knew he would. worked on: McLibel email: website: extras:
		Wendy Dunleavy Researcher Wendy comes to Spanner Films via art school, fashion design, music promotion and a close shave with academia. Her backing vocals with the Band of Holy Joy can be heard warbling in McLibel as Helen & Dave get their train tickets checked. Filming the performances of a female Sufi singer in Egypt for her Ph.D put her back on track and here she is at the beginning of a long and fruitful career in film making. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Ian Flintoff Actor Ian's never off the telly, it seems. You may have spotted him in Prime Suspect, Dixons of Dock Green, A Touch of Frost, Casualty or pretty much every other TV Drama going. Ian looks uncannily like McD's QC Richard Rampton and did a mean impression in our court reconstructions. worked on: McLibel email: website: extras:
		Jason Gairn Camera Assistant Well worth inventing any excuse to employ Jason, if only to let his impossible cheerfulness rub off on grumpier members of your crew. He funds his (excellent) short fiction films with tree surgery. worked on: McLibel email: website: extras:
		Lottie Gammon Production Queen Part-time spanner girl friday since 2003. Sincerely hopes one day she'll be able to take this photo off the internet. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Gil Scrine Films Distributor If the storming success of McLibel and Drowned Out downunder is anything to go by, Gil Scrine is doing a fine job. And so he should, as Australia and New Zealand’s leading independent distributor of documentary films. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out email: gil@gilscrinefilms.com.au website: Gil Scrine extras:
		Alfie's Glue Ear Sound Studio Glue Ear are indescribable. worked on: email: website: Alfie's Glue Ear extras:
		Emile Guertin Editor Emile trumped the 44 other contenders responding to a Spanner Films advert for high-skill, low-pay editors with his enthusiasm, talent and unabashed enthusiasm for boyband Westlife. Emile loves Spanner's cats, even when they 'undo' hours of his work by scampering over the keyboard to greet him. He has had proper jobs with Sky, Discovery and Zig-Zag. worked on: email: website: Shooting People/Cards extras:
		Suzanne Hamilton Researcher/Quote Hunter Poor Suzanne rues the day she ever moved her wee business, Terrapin Solutions, near to the Spanner Films office. If only it was just cups of sugar they keep popping round to borrow. Suzanne is a McSpotlight contributor and loves to gives communities the ammunition they need to protest against McDonald's stores opening near them. She also found 160 mad quotes for the 'Dead & Alive' commentary track on the McLibel DVD. worked on: McLibel email: website: Terrapin extras:
		Brian Healy Sound Recordist 'Sound Recordist' in no way describes the complex beauty of Brian and Franny's relationship, which has straddled houses, websites, wetsuits, girlfriends and goatees. He was in at the deep end with his first sound recording assignment - two radio mikes on a crowded underground train - but came out without a crackle. Now makes websites and babies. worked on: McLibel email: website: Tincan Ltd extras:
		Hedgerley Sound Studio Franny’s dad’s house in the woods has been home to TV edits, film productions, 3 rock gigs and various frightening parties. It was also here that oneworld.net was born. Founded by Peter Armstrong (dad) and Anuradha Vittachi (stepmum), the charity uber-website now has more than 1500 organisations involved worldwide. So they had to move out of the shed. worked on: email: foundation@oneworld.net website: oneworld.net extras:
		David G Hill Editor David has been messing about with film and video since he was 14. "Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine" was his first brush with feature docs and "McLibel" is the first good scrub up with guerilla docu cutting. Since editing McLibel, David has managed to cut down to three Big Macs a day. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Neil Hipkiss Sound Editor Neil volunteered for a 95% paycut to tracklay & mix Drowned Out, put Franny up in his spare room, fed her delicious Chinese food and gave her a sightseeing tour of Bristol - and still he wants to "thank Spanner for the opportunity". The man needs counselling. Great ears though. worked on: Drowned Out email: neil@dubbingmixer.com website: Master Tracks extras:
		Richard Hope Actor Richard is probably best know for his work in TV shows such as Holby City, Judge John Deed and MIT. And for his portrayal of Justice Rodger Bell in McLibel. worked on: McLibel email: website: extras:
		Frank Hutson Songwriter / The Voice Frank Frenzy Hutty Hutson was the "God-like guitarist" (NME) of The Playthings, in which Franny was the slightly less revered drummer. Frank now writes music for plays, one of which is famous in France and won a very exciting prize. He helps Spanner Films out with everything from writing the house track for the nightclub scene in McLibel to lending his studio for us to record the DVD commentary to being the voice of McDonald's spy. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: Frank Frenzy extras:
		Guy Jackson Songwriter/ Engineer In daylight hours, Guy comes across as quite normal, writing signature tunes for the BBC in his studio in Tottenham. But come the evening, he is dressed up as The Naked Surgeon playing guitar with The Orkneys in mental institutes across London. worked on: Drowned Out, Racist Force email: website: wibbley.com extras:
		Jamie Lowe Editor Jamie's been following Helen and Dave's fight since the early days. Despite listenting to many many hours of them blathering away while editing the commentary track, he now admires them even more. Aww. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Journeyman Pictures Distributors It says here that Journeyman Pictures is London's leading independent distributor of topical news features and documentaries. Well, they're not exactly in London, but they were the only distributors with the guts to take on McLibel, so we love them. Now, can they sell Drowned Out too? worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out, Racist Force email: info@journeyman.co.uk website: Journeyman Pictures extras:
		Jayesh Kothi Production Assistant Jayesh started as driver on Drowned Out. Six months later he was translator, sound recordist, researcher, diplomat, fixer, bouncer and body double. If only he could learn to overtake safely, he'd be perfect. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Robin Lewis Lawyer Not only did Robin thoroughly legalise McLibel for no cash, he also managed to come up with some of the best quotes. For example, "One has the distinct feeling that if the programme were not about McDonald's, but Joe's Cafe, the broadcasters' editorial courage might return". worked on: McLibel email: website: bindmans.co.uk extras:
		Ken Loach Drama Director Yup, the Ken Loach. Somehow it came to pass that the director of 'Kes' and 'My Name Is Joe' directed the courtroom reconstructions of McLibel. worked on: McLibel email: website: Parallax Pictures extras:
		Luminous Frenzy Sound Studio Frank Frenzy (the “God like Guitarist” (NME) in Franny’s former band, The Playthings) and Louise Luminous (“Britain’s No 1 Animal Rights Campaigner” (Sunday Sport)) set up Luminous Frenzy whilst on the run from MI5. They are the ears of Spanner Films. worked on: Drowned Out, Baked Alaska email: website: Luminous Frenzy extras:
		Mark Lynas Research & Interviews The first ever verbal exchange between Franny and Mark is too disturbing to print. But since then they've bonded over many a drunken minus 50 degree midnight snowmachine trip (filming Baked Alaska) and various subtropical water disasters in Tuvalu (filming Going Under). Mark's book "High Tide" (published in March 2004 by Harper Collins) reveals all. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out email: website: High Tide extras:
		Maddy Kitten Head of Cute "Snfjfdhreghkjgh38$^$%&$%Ngjrkjggirtjuael/gjw," writes Maddy, dancing on the keyboard and causing havoc in the Spanner Films office. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Mahesh Hindi Maestro If not for the keen eye of hard-core techy Mahesh, the Hindi version of Drowned Out would undoubtedly have been a wee bit lost in translation. worked on: email: maheshvisions@yahoo.com website: work site extras:gallery
		Master Tracks Sound Mixing Bristol-based Master Tracks have been at the sound business for 15 odd years. So they often work with the BBC Natural History department and get to hear a lot of David Attenborough. It is also home to Pete, the most helpful, happiest person on the planet. worked on: Drowned Out, The Damned email: info@dubbingmixer.com website: Master Tracks extras:
		The Playthings Music The Playthings were the circus that Franny ran away to aged 17. They loved their album, "Consumed', recorded in 1989. But sadly the record company went bust before it was released. Their track "Saviour" is used in McLibel as Dave & Helen head to the High Court for the judgement. worked on: McLibel email: website: extras:
		Seb Naidoo Research & Interviews If you thought Seb's journalism skills were good, you should hear him on the piano. Just don't let him put you up in his auntie's sister's hairdresser's abandoned house outside Telford... worked on: Racist Force email: seb@spannerfilms.net website: extras:
		Robert Newman Voices Author and political comedian Robert Newman met Spanner Films playing football in Regents Park and got immediately roped in to provide voices for 45 McDonald's characters on the new McLibel DVD. His latest novel 'The Fountain At The Center of The World' took four painful years to write and was described as "what you'd get if Tom Wolfe clambered inside the head of Noam Chomsky". Don't mention his former life as one half of Newman and Baddiel. worked on: email: website: extras:
		St John O'Rorke Editor Another one far too classy for us. But somehow he slipped into the net in between cutting feature films for Antonia Bird (Face) and Francesca Joseph (Tomorrow La Scala). His kids are very excited that his next project is about the tooth fairy. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Outdoor Emporium Equipment supplier From the Pacific Islands to Alaska via the Chinese mountains and the Narmada Valley, Outdoor Emporium have kitted the SF crew out with backpacks, camping gear and sturdy boots. Good job it's just around the corner next to the sweet shop. worked on: email: website: Gear, deals & info extras:
		Praveen Pilmani Camera Praveen is the star cameraman who got the fantastic footage of the police pulling 60 villagers out of the water at the beginning of Drowned Out. The only man ever to set up a tripod in 4 feet of flowing river surrounded by 100 police - and still get the shots. Praveen is part of the Abhivyakti Media collective outside Mumbai, India. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Richard Quick Web Development Rich Quick? Not at Spanner Films you won't. But thanks for volunteering to do all the programming, Rich, and sorry it's got nothing whatsoever to do with making documentaries. worked on: Drowned Out email: richard.quick@southerncreative.co.uk website: southerncreative.co.uk extras:
		Dave Recchia Artwork The man can design books, mend roofs, wangle one hell of a print deal and make snot green t-shirts look good. He was also right that the title on the poster should be smaller, irritatingly. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Revelation Films UK Distributor Revelation Films are "leading the way in independent DVD publishing" and happily for us are now distributing McLibel in UK cinemas and on DVD. worked on: email: info@revfilm.net website: www.revfilms.co.uk/ extras:
		Karen Robinson Photographer Karen met Franny at 4pm on the banks of the Narmada. By 9pm they were in jail. Six months later, Karen scored the winning goal and CB's heart in the thrice annual football & canal boat ride tournament. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: panos extras:
		Charlotte Rushton Still Photographer Whoever said photographers shouldn't wear nice pretty dresses, platforms and glam jewellery has clearly never met Ginger. (Known as Moppy when she was best friends with Franny at school.) Charlotte covered the McLibel/Supersize me Double Bill with all the energy of a posh wedding photographer on helium. worked on: McLibel email: website: Charlotte Rushton extras:
		Red, Green & Blue Company Online Services RGB's voiceover booth had a bit of an identity mixup with a cupboard under the stairs, but apart from that we can't recommend them highly enough... worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out email: info@rgpost.com website: rgbpost extras:
		Gregers Sall Editor It would be hard to overlook Gregers' ponytail if he wasn't such a class editor and didn't hit the deselect-all key with such aplomb. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Alex Smith Website designer Alex has more haircuts than David Beckham - and is better at Bat'n'Ball... he's pretty good at this website malarkey aswell. worked on: Drowned Out email: smifcenko@btconnect.com website: smifcenko extras:
		Christian de Sousa Assistant Producer Christian plunged into the sea of 'facts' about the Narmada dam and managed to surface several months later with a libel-proof final script. Well, let's hope he did. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Keely Stucke Editor Keely and Franny managed to survive an intense 9 day editing and babysitting session to get Baked Alaska out in time for.... some deadline which was important at the time. worked on: Baked Alaska email: keely@journeyman.co.uk website: journeyman extras:
		Mark Stucke Distributor Stucke seems to produce 20 films and distribute 200 more per year at his company, Journeyman Pictures. Not quite sure how he manages to eat and breath as well. worked on: McLibel, Drowned Out, Racist Force email: ms@journeyman.co.uk website: journeyman extras:
		Shiuli Subaya Singer Shiuli whipped up a truly astounding Hindi popsong for Drowned Out in little more than half an hour. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Chris Taylor Computer Animation Chris is doing for sci fi movies what we are (attempting) to do for documentaries. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: extras:
		Alfie Thomas Music Trained as a psychatric nurse. Played accordian at Aboriginal funerals. Using a broad range of instruments when composing, including banging top of head and opening mouth to change pitch. Likes being kicked by Spanner football girls. worked on: email: website: Alfie's Glue Ear extras:
		Tincan Web Solutions Tis the cunning minds of the Tincan boys which dreamt up the information architecture - trunks, branches, leaves and stems - that make the Spanner Films web site the hunk of a tree it is today. worked on: email: open@tincan.co.uk website: Tincan Ltd extras:
		TV Choice UK Distributor Bringing Spanner Films to the bright-eyed youth of Britain. TV Choice distributed the schools version of Baked Alaska and commissioned the editing of Going Under - all in the name of good education. worked on: Baked Alaska email: website: extras:
		Twins Cafe Fuelling They provide the soya milk cappuccinos and we provide the endless stream of requests for multiple falafels. The best partnerships are always the simplest. worked on: email: website: extras:
		Anuradha Vittachi Scriptwriting Franny's stepmum, commonly known as Taz, likes to ask difficult questions such as 'but what is the film really about?', which tend to throw the whole production into temporary paralysis, but always make for a better film. Can take the credit for some of the best turns of phrase in Drowned Out, as well as pulling her stepdaughter back from a recent trip to the edge of sanity. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: OneWorld Foundation extras:
		Nina Wadia Narrator Nina is an all-round talented person who you've probably seen in Goodness Gracious Me. She had to perform 14 different orgasms on stage in The Vagina Monologues and her dad came to see the show. She graciously agreed to spend an uncomfortable three hours in a cupboard under RGB's stairs recording the Drowned Out commentary. We recently found out she speaks fluent Hindi, so it's back in the cupboard for her. worked on: Drowned Out email: website: BBC loves Nina extras:
		Word Pictures Ltd AVID Edit Suite Word Pix didn't quite appreciate that McLibel was about to turn into the longest trial in English history, when they said we were welcome to borrow their Avid and Beta camera till the end of production.... bless them for not taking them back. worked on: McLibel email: website: extras: