Blog

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: director’s cut

We’ve been chatting to Adam Donneky, producer and director of two episodes of Find My Past the TV show, to find out the view from behind the camera.

FMP: What was your role in the series? How did you do this?

Adam: I was one of five producer/directors involved in this series of Find My Past the TV show. I directed two of the 10 episodes looking at stories from the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940 and the Whitechapel murders of 1888, attributed to the infamous Jack the Ripper.

FMP: What was the most difficult thing you faced?

Adam: The greatest difficulty that I faced was selecting the three individuals for each episode as there were so many fascinating personal stories from both historical events.

FMP: What was your favourite moment?

Adam: Very difficult to select a favourite moment from the filming process as this series includes so many fascinating individuals. I think I would have to say that the most prestigious moment for me was working with the Dunkirk veterans. Their stories were so remarkable and their attitudes and sense of humour was such an inspiration. I have to thank both the Dunkirk Veterans Association and the Dunkirk Little Ships Association for making it all possible.

FMP: How do you think this series compares with other family history programmes, such as Who Do You Think You Are?

Adam: What I like about Find My Past the TV show is that it gives new insights into stories that we all think we already know.

FMP: What was it like contacting potential participants and how did they react?

Adam: All the participants in my shows found their involvement to be a really positive experience. It was very difficult to keep certain information secret until we had them on camera, but they really enjoyed the suspense of discovering new facts about their ancestors.

Find out more about Find My Past the TV show