The Farmer & the Shark
Special work in progress screening featuring a post-screening discussion with director John Campopiano and producer Jim Beller.
This documentary explores the extraordinary life of local Martha’s Vineyard legend, Craig Kingsbury, and his impact on the production of Steven Spielberg’s classic, Jaws. This documentary focuses on the unique influence Kingsbury had on the film, from both behind and in front of the camera, as the embodiment of Robert Shaw’s iconic shark hunter, Quint. Along the way we also learn of the many Island locals whose ocean savvy and ingenuity were instrumental in transforming Jaws from a potential failure to the paradigm of the summer blockbuster. This fresh perspective on the Jaws story arrives just as the world is about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this cinematic classic.
Through conversations with Craig Kingsbury’s family members and never-before-seen interviews with the many local and Hollywood tradesmen and artisans who worked on the film, including Production Designer Joe Alves, Cameraman Michael Chapman, Tom Joyner, Kevin Pike, Jonathan Filley, Jeffrey Kramer, The Farmer and the Shark weaves a fascinating tale of how Mr. Kingsbury was reluctantly recruited by the production to help transform Mr. Shaw - through his own language and mannerisms - from a distinguished Shakespearean actor into the gruff Downeast fisherman who serves as the unforgettable heart of the film.
The Farmer & the Shark is directed by John Campopiano, written by Rick DiGregorio and John Campopiano, and co-written by Matthew Spry. Gabriel Long is Director of Photography. It was produced by Eastwood Allen, Jim Beller, Kelly Ryan, and Matt Taylor and Executive Produced by James Cilano. The documentary features original music by Matt Cannon, original illustrations by Jacob Walsh, animations by Mike Nixon, motion graphics by Eastwood Allen, and was edited in the UK by Jay Espindola.
About John Campopiano
John Campopiano is an award winning New England documentary filmmaker, archivist, writer, and producer. For the last decade he has worked as the Archives & Rights Manager for the Emmy & Academy Award- winning PBS documentary film series FRONTLINE and has written and produced independent documentaries including Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary (2017); Snapper: The Man-Eating Turtle Movie That Never Got Made (2021); Pennywise: The Story of IT (2022) which premiered at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain and won 1 FANGORIA’s Chainsaw Award for Best Documentary in 2023; Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story (2023); and the upcoming Sasqua: The Lost Bigfoot Film of Massachusetts.
About Jim Beller
Jim Beller is a leading authority on the history of the blockbuster film Jaws. He owns the largest memorabilia collection of the film’s merchandise in the US which was featured at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain in 2005. Jim has consulted for many films and television productions including The Shark is Still Working (Independent), Animal Icons (Animal Planet), JAWS: The Inside Story (Bravo), Shark Week (Discovery Channel), Fanatics: JAWS World’s Largest Memorabilia Collection (Reelz Channel), and JAWS @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (Amblin Entertainment). He is also the co-creator of the book, JAWS: Memories from Martha’s Vineyard with author Matt Taylor.
