In 1985 I got my first job in the film industry, working for an industrial production company, Gazelle films. I worked as an assistant cameraman on a film sponsored by the International Gold Corporation looking at the use of gold in modern technology. This was a fantastic experience for me as I got my first overseas experience, filming in the Far East, the United States and Europe. During this period I also worked as a freelance assistant cameraman on dramas, music videos and commercials. It was also at this time that I finally got to finish “Seabird City” which was taken by the RSPB and used on there nationwide film tour.
This experience and the exposure that the film gave me was the springboard needed to start the career path I wanted. I spent eight months assisting a wildlife cameraman, Rodger Jackman, on variety of BBC films after which I started as a freelance Wildlife cameraman. It was at this time that I met Steve Nicholls, a producer I’ve work with a lot over years.
My first big break came from Steve working on a BBC series on the natural history of the United States, “Land of the Eagle” and this lead onto working on many of the BBC’s land mark series, including Trials of Life, Alien Empire, Islands Apart, Papua New Guinea, Blue Planet, Wild Downunder, Battle of the Sexes, Nature of Britain, Life in the Undergrowth, Life in Cold Blood, Life and Wild Madagascar. I’ve also worked on BBC2’s, The Natural World, filming twelve programs and BBC1’s Wildlife on One.
Away from the BBC I’ve also worked for The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic, Granada and European broadcasters, mainly ORF in Austria. A lot of these films were made through a production company set up by Steve Nicholls, Vicky Coules, Martin Elsbury and myself. We all still work together as a group.
I continue to work for the BBC as well as a wide variety of other production companies and broadcasters.
