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Hi r/liverpoolfc, I'm director and writer Stewart Sugg - AMA
Hi Reddit - I'm Stewart Sugg, an award-winning writer and director. My new film is a biography of the one and only Kenny Dalglish...
Kenny - An intimate and revealing portrait of Kenny Dalglish - the player, the man, the truth.
The day after the Heysel disaster, Kenny Dalglish became manager of Liverpool Football Club. Six years later he resigned from the club, shell-shocked in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster. In between he created one of the most exciting football teams of all times. 'Kenny' explores more than just the roller-coaster career of an iconic footballer and manager. It goes behind the scenes to reveal an intimate portrait of a man who sacrificed all in the service of his club, his family and the people of Liverpool.
Kenny is available on DVD and Blu-ray now
While I may not be an expert on modern day LFC, I know a thing or two about Kenny and the making of feature films so please, Ask me Anything (unless it's about current Liverpool’s defensive frailties!)
Check out my links below for more:
How did you get into Film making and in particular biographies / factual films?
And how involved were the club in what was told in the story?
I did a degree in English and drama and then starting work in photography as an assistant. But I didn't like that, so started making my own short films, then got a job as an edit assistant at the company that made Futbol Mundial. I worked on that magazine football programme for about a year and did my first factual directing around the world on stories in places like Uganda, Senegal, Canada, USA - a great experience - I then did a year of film school. I've made two feature length dramas and two feature documentaries. I do enjoy both, but what you get from factual is actual truth - in drama you are always trying to create truth, but in documentaries you have it in front of you. Working with 'real people' is a great joy. I like making people feel relaxed and trying to get them to be themselves and so reveal the truth about their story. I think we achieved that with Kenny. The club helped us a lot, but were not overly involved. They helped with filming requests and getting cameras into the stadium etc to film Kenny - and for filming the letters going up for the Kenny Dalglish Stand. The trickiest bit was for the final drone shot - clubs get a bit nervous about drones, although we obviously worked with professionals who did a great job.
Interesting, so for working to a factual one, how much planning goes into the structure of the film before you conduct interviews or is the structure influenced by what the people have to say? I’m always interested in how someone showing a real event from the point of view of certain people prepare to make the film without just starting.
When you're looking at a future film doc you need to find a three act structure - an intriguing first act, turning on some jeopardy, a second act that turns our interest in the story/character and a third act that takes you down and then up. That seems pretty trite but that is how most films work. Working on the structure you are looking how to build a film with points like this. You just have to look at the life and see how this structure might work. But then you are constantly refining and changing as you edit - especially with reference with what people say. We shot and edited from start of May until mid October. We did interview pick ups at the end, but all the interviews were done early in the process.
That’s great, thanks for your answers 😃
Hi Stewart
Why did it take so long for a movie to come out based on the events?
Was Kenny reluctant? And why did you decide to make it? And What were the difficulties you faced while making it, because emotionally it won't have been easy
Good question - when I spoke to Paul Dalglish he was astonished that his father had agreed to make a film. The reason Kenny agreed was two-fold I think. He is good mates with the producers at Pitch International and he trusts them. They'd tried to persuade him for a while, but he was reluctant. The reason that may have pushed him to agree was that he is now a grandfather and he is amazing with his grandkids. I think he wants them and his children to have something to look back on - something that's more than a book and can show the arc of part of his life. The producers asked me to get involved this year. I'd made a film about Man City called Blue Moon Rising about the year the club was taken over and they knew I could handle a feature film narrative. From a personal point of view I knew he would never be a push over as an interviewee! But he has an incredible story that had to be told and I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity.
Hi, thanks for doing this and congratulations on the release of the film. In your opinion, what was the fact you were most surprised to learn about Kenny during the process?
Hi - thanks for the question. Maybe show close his loyalty to his family was like his loyalty to the club - and the city. In the family/club you can take the mickey out of each other, but woe betide anyone criticising from outside. Tough love and loyalty.
Hi Stewart, congrats on the release, I'm very excited to get the book and watch the film.
I have a million questions, but I'll keep it at 2 for now:
What is the most poignant moment you had in making the film about Kenny?
Do you get as many chills when listening to him speak about past glories, tragedies, etc as I do?
Certainly taking Kenny back to the hill above Hillsborough stadium was poignant. It was such a powerful moment but in the film means so much. He didn't say a lot but so much was written on his face.
You'll probably get more chills, but having grown up in the south of England following Liverpool, a certain love for the club did come back.
Damn - I can only imagine the feeling of taking Kenny there. I am both excited, yet nervous to watch.
Thanks Stewart, best of luck and come back around soon!
Hey Stewart, thanks for doing this. First of all congrats on finishing the biography.
As I'm into movies since my very earliest childhood I'd like to know which directors you love and what you're favorite 3 movies of all time are and why. Any genre.
Hey.. Top directors - Scorsese - greatest film maker ever, Ford Coppola for what he did with Apocalypse Now, Christopher Nolan - for his imagination and his epic sweep in movies and that he shoots on film, Goddard for Breathless and for breaking new styles. Top films: Apocalypse Now - great, epic crazy war film with amazing performances; Do The Right Thing - great political film, but colourful, funny and packs a punch. Raging Bull - a beautiful film with an intense and brilliant central performance.
Hello Stewart. If you had describe Kenny as an ice cream flavor, what flavor would it be and why?
Salted caramel - obvious reasons!
Hey Stewart,
I was just wondering does Kenny comes across as well as he does when in front of the public eye? I’ve always imagined him to be a really decent bloke from what I’ve heard others say about him. Thanks for doing this also!
Kenny is a man of many facets - he is most at home with his family and those he trusts for many years. He is at heart a very lovely bloke with a big heart, but there is a reason for his reticence with the press and with strangers. As Marina says in the film Kenny was a shy young man and that feeds into what some see as him being 'grumpy' at times. But I enjoyed working with him - most of the time!
Great to hear! Thanks again.
He's a man of many sides - he can be a great laugh, he can be uncommunicative, he can be grumpy and hilarious. He basically trusts his family and those he's known for a long time. But he is ultimately true to himself and won't do anything he thinks is against what he believes in or might hurt the football club. I think at heart he is quite a shy person who doesn't love lots of attention and is happy in smaller groups. But I enjoyed working with him very much - most of the time ;)
Brilliant! I always had a feeling he was somewhat like this, makes me love him even more!
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Ha ha - not that I heard. Although Alan Hansen reckons that Kenny's big innovation was introducing tea and biscuits in the changing room - though he borrowed the money to buy the biscuits!
Hi Stewart, congrats on the release of the film! Is there a different amazon link for the United States?
Not sure if the film is available in the States yet..? have you tried iTunes?
Damn I was scared that might be the case, I'll have to try iTunes when I'm on a non-work computer lol
What was Kenny's favorite season as a LFC player or manager?
I think he enjoyed being a player more than a manager. He would never pick a favourite season - because he hates doing things like that! - but his first season as a player was pretty special. And then Hansen reckons his greatest achievement as a manager was turning round an average Liverpool side in 85/86 and winning the double. But maybe the best side he managed was the one of 87/88.
thanks!!
Hi Stewart, don't really have any questions since I never get to these on time, so I didn't really think of any questions but thanks for doing this!
Cheers!
Hi Stewart, As someone that has not yet watched your movie, can you tell me about Kenny's reaction to his sacking?
We didn't cover that era - just his playing time to the time he left the club in 1991.
Hello Stewart, thank you for doing the AMA. What are some of your favorite films?
See above!
So looks like that's all the questions - thanks for asking them. Hope you all get to see the film; think it will give current fans an incredible insight into a unique era - and a unique man.
Thanks again!
The AmA is now over
Massive thank you to Stewart for taking part in this AmA.
Some fascinating insights into the production of the film ‘Kenny’.
Hi Stewart, what was most different/ interesting about making this film compared to other ones you've done?
Hiya, looking through your past films, it seems like this is your first film about football. How did this project come about? What drew you to Kenny Dalglish as a topic for a film?