Film and TV production company Fulwell73 has been responsible for some of the most popular documentaries of recent years.
From ‘One Direction: This Is Us’ to ‘The Class of 92’, the team have become world leaders in the media industry.
But, despite their success, their heart still lies in their Wearside roots and perhaps their most talked about and popular series, Sunderland ‘Til I Die.
The first series was released on Netflix in December 2018 and featured behind-scenes footage as SAFC attempted to make an immediate return to the Premier League after their relegation. However, what actually transpired was a second successive relegation that saw the Black Cats drop to League One.
The eight-part documentary proved extremely popular – both with Sunderland fans, and worldwide – as it captured the heart and soul of the city. A second series is scheduled to be aired in February next year.
One of the company’s founders, Wearsider Leo Pearlman, recently returned to the city for a public lecture at the University of Sunderland.
In an interview with the University, which can be watched here, he discusses:
- The story behind the decision to call their film and production company Fulwell73
- How the team reacted to the massive success of the Sunderland ‘Til I Die documentary
- What the team’s biggest concerns were after they made the Sunderland ‘Til I Die documentary
- What was the producer’s overall favourite moment out of the first series of Sunderland ‘Til I Die
- How the team’s heart still lies in Sunderland despite the success of the production and film company
- What the team see as their biggest achievement since establishing Fulwell73
- How the producers kept getting turned down by SAFC in their requests to make the end of season DVD
- Hear the advice the team offer to students and those hoping to break into the industry – what they should and shouldn’t do