The Finnigans

Writers/Directors, the Finnigans have been making independent low budget feature films since 2000 and made their first collaborated short film 'REFLECTIONS' in 1996.
The Finnigans are pleased to announce the completion of feature film numero 6 'MY LIFE AS A BUS STOP' (RT: 98 mins) a black comedy about people just trying to get on...........but at what cost are they prepared to pay for the journey? Screened as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2007.
DUNCAN FINNIGAN - started making films in 1989 with the lost short ‘Cable’, which his sister taped over with Coronation Street. This accident was one of Duncan's first lessons in film making and to this day he is paranoid about film stock being ruined. After serving his YTS as a painter and decorator Duncan was due for induction to the RAF but on April Fools Day he broke his leg. He then dated a girl with connections in the Theatre World where he became a Stage Hand and the Fly Man for Peter Pan. After he was dumped and his car stolen, he followed his ex down to London and did two weeks work experience at Bevanfield Films and received his best ever reference from Tim Bevan. On his return, he went to Coatbridge College and grew his hair long. Continuing to make short films with a camera he bought on the never-never hire purchase, he then studied Video Production at James Watt College and grew his hair even longer. In 1995, Duncan became a volunteer at the Glasgow Film and Video Workshop, cut his hair and met Wilma a couple of months later on Christmas Eve. He continued to volunteer until 2000 at GFVW (now, Glasgow Media Access Centre) gradually working his way up from Camera Assistant to Camera Operator, working on such programs as Bits, Thumb Bandits, Drug Wars, Holiday Showdown, with recent credits including Donal McIntyre’s Underworld. Duncan and Wilma then bought a digital camera again on the never-never and he made the short docu-drama ‘Ruby Wedding’ (2000) the precursor to his debut feature, ‘Two Donuts’ (2001). Duncan enjoys being in front of the camera, acting with a fluctuating weight for his film roles and suffering for his art he grew his side burns and dyed his hair black for 9 months and became the local Elvis impersonator at the Karaoke nights.
WILMA FINNIGAN (nee. Smith) - started making films in 1991 at the age of 14 with the animation ‘Can the Can’ with a borrowed without permission camera and a stolen dicta-phone for sound. She strongly denies being a Suzi Quatro fan but says the film was an excuse to drink a crate of ginger (soda). She is a huge fan of Sir Tom Courtenay. Not long after that, she started evening classes in Photography at Coatbridge College as well as continuing to teach herself how to edit, using two VCR’s patched together, which again she did not ask for permission to use. Alongside her good friend John Stewart they made an animated homage to Nightmare on Elm Street, but unfortunately all that remains is Freddy’s hand knitted jumper. The School's Careers Officer laughed when Wilma said she wanted to be a filmmaker but kindly suggested that she would make an excellent nurse, so after leaving school she worked full time as a care assistant and met Duncan in 1995 after nursing his Granny. Wilma decided she did not want to be a nurse and instead studied Fine Art Photography at the Glasgow School of Art. She graduated in 2000, writing and directing three short films as part of her Degree Show, with 1 x 400ft roll of 16mm left over in her mum’s fridge. By this time Duncan was into shooting on digital and after a lot of coaxing, Wilma decided not to take out a huge loan and instead using improvised acting techniques made her debut digital feature ‘Black Coffee’ (2002). Since agreeing to marry each other in 2002, the Finnigans have continued to co-write and co-direct digital features as well as individually writing and working on their own projects. Wilma works as a Lecturer in TV, Radio and Video Production. In 2007, Wilma returned to her mum’s fridge to find that the 400ft roll of 16mm was nowhere to be seen. Fortunately her mum hadn’t eaten it and there were no negative side effects.
For more information on The Finnigans Filmography please click on pics or rest cursor on slideshow above