Chris Swanton, a scholar of German at King's College London, went on to earn a PhD from the esteemed institution. Following a three-year stint as a lecturer at London University, he made the bold decision to relocate West to Germany, where he secured a position at the University of Wuerzburg in Bavaria. This marked the beginning of a fascinating chapter in his life, as he spent a captivating summer with the renowned Berliner Ensemble at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm. It was during this time that he had the extraordinary opportunity to study the production techniques of the legendary Bertolt Brecht, whose concept of "das epische Theater" (the epic theatre) had revolutionized the art form. Although Brecht had passed away two decades prior, Chris was fortunate enough to meet his daughter, the accomplished actress Barbara Berg, and his son-in-law, the talented actor Ekkehard Schall, both esteemed members of the Berliner Ensemble.
After returning to the United Kingdom, Chris taught at a local comprehensive school, only to pivot dramatically when he joined the Film Department of the BBC at the iconic Ealing Studios. He spent an impressive 16 years with the organization, earning a BAFTA for his outstanding contribution to the critically acclaimed series "Edge of Darkness" and receiving a nomination for the Falklands drama, "Tumbledown", in the following year. His impressive screen credits continued to accumulate over the years.
Chris Swanton, an ardent admirer of Franz Kafka and his masterpiece "Metamorphosis", had long harbored a dream of adapting the iconic novella into a film. After years of dedication and perseverance, he finally succeeded in bringing this ambitious project to fruition.
