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Francis B. Griffin

My Grandfather never tidies his garage!
Its true, he has never ever tidied his garage. As long as I have known him anyway. So I asked if I could film him in the garage to capture his true untidy character. I arrived the day of filming and it was almost spotless! I had to mess it up a bit for camera. He didn't mind, he just said I thought you would need the space. Bless him.
I interviewed him last year when he was 91. We talked about his boyhood memories, education, naval training and war stories, meeting his first and only love Diana, their marriage and starting a family. His life has been rich with joy and sorrow and his positive outlook remains steadfast today.
I asked him if he had any regrets, what he couldn't live without and how he would like to be remembered. Although his recollections of life and experiences are lucid, the significance of his deeper ideals took the interview somewhere I didn’t expect.
Not just by making this film, but by talking and spending time with my Grandfather I have learned a lot about life, most of all; to understand where you are going, you must first understand where you are from.

  • Paul Griffin
    Director
  • Francis B. Griffin
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Independent, Biography, Christian, Senior/Aging
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 10, 2014
  • Production Budget:
    360 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 1080P
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • London Lift-off Film Festival
    London
    December 3, 2014
    UK Premier
    Best Documentary
Director Biography - Paul Griffin

I was born in Solihull, West Midlands UK in 1977

My interest in moving pictures began at an early age when I would spend many holiday or sick days at my parent’s place of work on Bristol Street, under the counter in Birmingham’s first video library. Equipped with a Betamax player and 7” TV screen and allowed to watching any film I could reach would nurture my love of film.

My Father’s business was also one of the first to sell domestic and professional video equipment and he would bring video cameras and basic editing equipment home for me to play with at weekends. I have been filming and editing moving pictures in some way or another since primary school.

Upon leaving school at 15, I took an opening for the role of studio assistant with my Father’s production company where I continued to work for fifteen years graduating from tea maker through camera assistant and 2nd editor through facilities manager and finally in house Producer Director.

In 2007 I became freelance, working mainly as a Producer and Director for advertising agencies. In this time I have worked on brand and product films for organisations including Lotus, Jaguar Land Rover, Aga Cookers, Lloydspharmacy and most recently Marketing Birmingham.

Always learning; exploring new and tried and tested filming techniques I take pride in delivering high quality results with a passion for producing great creative and innovative ideas. A self-taught editor I have developed an instinctive approach to putting pictures together, simply knowing what feels right in the edit.

Unfazed by high profile, high pressure unknown situations, tight deadlines or challenging projects I‘m looking forward to extending my story telling repertoire into documentary and TV advertising.

I am a proud father of Bethany, and have lived in Birmingham with my wife for 15 years. I am a keen composer, musician and family historian, a lover of culture and travel and a self confessed workaholic.

The Griffin family have ran businesses on Bristol Street and Wrottesley Street since the 1860’s, I am deeply proud to be living and working in such an industrious and creative City.

Director – Paul Griffin

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