The director who was more like a friend
Director Michael Apted died last month: here, those from the pioneering documentary series Up reflect on his legacy
“I TRUSTED HIM WITH MY LIFE”
TONY WALKER, UP PARTICIPANT
“He had an immense affinity with all the crew and the cast and he really cared. He knew my wife, my family, my grandchildren all by name and always kept in touch. His generosity was beyond bounds. He became, over time, more of a friend than a director to me. I always felt I could tell him anything. I trusted him with my life and never felt like he wouldn’t do my story justice on camera. Before Up, there were rarely people like me and accents like mine on television: it was a ground-breaking look at the class system in Britain, about what life here was really like. People will continue to watch and study it for years.”
“FOR HIM, IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE”
CLAIRE LEWIS, PRODUCER, UP
“He always knew exactly what he wanted. The style he shot all the documentaries in was extremely simple. For him, it was all about the story and all about the people. It was about allowing people to say what they thought in a very direct, candid manner. He asked really brilliant questions. He never listened to the sound of his own voice; he was only ever interested in what people had to say to him. He was immensely proud of Up. I always said to him that he would be remembered for the series and he knew that. It was a trailblazing series spanning 50 years of real time, reflecting societal changes and changes in people in a way that nothing else did.”
“HE GAVE US A PERSPECTIVE ON HUMAN LIFE THAT WAS REALLY UNIQUE”
NICK HITCHON, UP PARTICIPANT
“He was never satisfied with second best. It was very exciting from our point of view because it was very clear that he always wanted to make gripping television and I think he did. He was able to put together a shot exactly how he wanted it: he was amazingly talented, very exacting and always had a clear vision of what he wanted. He championed the documentary tirelessly and continued to make it happen for over 50 years. He gave us a perspective on human life that was really unique and I think that the legacy of him making this film will be very profound.”