"I worked for Don as an assistant for many years, and have seen and read just about every interview with him," says Jacqui Morris. "But I always felt he was holding back, and believed that the discussions he and I had regarding his experiences as a war photographer, and how that shaped his philosophy, were more moving and revealing than those I'd seen reported. With this in mind I asked Don if I could make a film of his life. He readily agreed and has given us unparalleled access to film some extraordinarily candid interviews."

The resulting film is expected to be released in 2012, but the independent production company, Mugshot Films, needs help to raise the funds necessary to finance the post production process.

"With extensive input from the Sir Harold Evans, the editor of the Sunday Times from 1967-81, our film not only explores Don's life and work but also how the ethos of journalism changed during his career," writes Morris. "Using the Sunday Times as an example, we compare the strictly ‘hands off' approach of proprietors like Lord Thompson - who took pride in the fact that he didn't allow commercial considerations to censor his editors' from printing what they wanted - to how the newspaper's independent character changed once it was taken over by Rupert Murdoch, to how the pursuit of advertising revenue became paramount, and with it, the inevitable obsession with fashion, status and celebrity."

Similarly, Mugshot Films seeks to retain an ethos of independence and integrity to finish the film, Gloria Lin tells BJP. "We're asking for help to complete final post-production without having to bend to big funders."

The productors are looking to raise $75,000. "The money will pay for expensive clearance rights for archive footage (some of it unseen for fifty years) and music rights and final post-production costs," they say.

For more information and to contribute to the project, visit the film's Indigogo fundraising page.

Image © Don McCullin.