A rather feral childhood has led to an appreciation for the wild; any chance I get I head to the mountains, to the woods or to the ocean (my car is always packed ready to go). I need adventures in my life - as big as trekking across the Highlands or as small as an afternoon by the fire in the woods. I can't bear to be inside!! But as much as I love to alone in the wild, I love people and am fascinated by different cultures and relationships. Travelling with work and for fun has taught me about the incredible nature of the human race, how we love, live and learn. But it also taught me that we are living on an ever changing planet and I want to make films that show this change and tell the untold human stories.
Key Experiences
Since 2011 I have worked with Indus Films. They took me on straight out of university and I can't think of anywhere better to have started. For the first 12 months I worked as a development researcher. It was a great place to learn and start developing as a filmmaker. Here I helped to develop ideas for BBC 1,2,3,4 , ITV and Sky; write treatments, develop programme content and structure and did a lot of reading and phone bashing. I also developed essential research skills and acquired a lot of knowledge about a lot of different subjects. During this time I also worked in talent development, scouting for new adventure talent, shooting taster reels and working with contributors. During this time I also worked as a shooting researcher for Wild Wood, 6x30 BBC4. I assisted with second camera, sound as well as working closely with the contributors.
June 2012-January 2013
After helping to develop the idea, Indus took me on as a researcher for Wild Shepherdess, 3x60 BB2 with Kate Humble. Telling the story of shepherding from its humble roots to the global industry it has become, this programme travelled from the mountains of Afghanistan to the Alpaca farms of Peru and the Outback of Australia. For the Afghanistan episode I worked more as a senior researcher/AP organising all the shoot logistics including fixers, translators, charter planes, equipment and entry paperwork. However on all 3 shoots I also worked to find contributors, develop stories, shape the program structure and produced detailed research books. I learnt a lot very quickly but I found the challenge manageable and throughly enjoyableJuly 2013 - Present
I am currently working on a new 3 part series for BBC2 working as a assistant Producer. It is an immersive series where our presenter lives with some of the world last nomadic herders. I am the sole researcher and AP on the series and so have been putting together all content and research as well as setting up all shoot logistics including recces. Some of the locations are very remote including the Gobi Desert and the Yamal Peninsular in Northern Siberia. We have just returned from the first shoot which was a wonderful experience.
This project came straight off the back of Mekong with Sue Perkins, a 4 part series for BBC2 which follows Sue's Journey along the length of the Mekong River from sea source, meeting the remarkable people who live along it’s banks, discovering its wildlife and exploring the countries it flows through as they experience unprecedented change in the face on unstoppable progress. I recced ep 2 in Cambodia which focused on the environmental pressures facing the region. I then went on shoot for both ep 2 and 3 where I was a senior researcher. My main roles on this were to research and develop stories, find and develop contributors and handle shoot logistics.
June - July 2013
Last year I worked on a 2 part series for Sky One as part of their Environmental Awareness week which was based in the Amazon Rainforest. Working as a senior researcher I worked closely with the producer to source stories, build up relationships with contributors, shape the program structure as well as assist with shoot logistics such as transport, kit, fixers and research.
Last year I have also worked on a year long observational documentary about a traditional Welsh hill farming family living up on the Carneddau Mountains - The Hill Farm, 2x60 followings them through from the worst winter in living memory to the best summer in 150years and now onto the busy autumn. Acting again as a senior researcher, I have worked closely with the PD to shape the episodes, stay on top of story threads and content, interviewing, sound and occasional second camera. It has been a wonderful experience so far, getting to know the family, learning about their life and I will be sad to see the series come to an end.
Feature Films
As well as documentary I now and then dip into feature work as part of the location team. In 2010 I spent 3 months working on Steven Spielberg's War Horse as a location assistant. I helped to set up 2 major locations, managed a team of 10 runners and adapted to working in a crew of 200+, doing night shoots and working up to 18 hours a day. In 2011 I worked as an assistant for the Warner Bros Production 'Wrath of the Titans'. Here I was put in charge of sourcing, hiring and coordinating a team of 25 runners. I was tasked with organising the on-set security, calling main unit lock off and organising set logistics and turn arounds working closely with the DOP and 1st AD. Working on features has been a fantastic experience; I have learnt to worked efficiently and well under extreme pressure, with large crews and under tough conditions. It is purely a logistical role and through it I have acquired skills in problem solving and team management.I was also asked this year to interview for the role of Production Co-Ordinator for the new Star Wars Franchise.
University
In 2011 I graduated from the University of Wales, Newport with a 1st class honours degree in Practical Documentary Film and TV. I spent my time here focusing on production and learning skills in editing. One of my graduation films which I produced, wrote and directed; The Prisoner List which tells the story of British POW's in Burma was nominated for Best Undergraduate Documentary at the 2011 Grierson Awards and my final grad film 'Ben' which is about Ben Nevis was nominated for 'Best Graduate Factual at the 2011 Royal Welsh National Television Awards, 2011 International Kendal Mountain Film Festival, 2011 Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival and won the Judges Choice Award at the Fort William Mountain Film Festival.The Mountains
My love the wilderness has taken my trekking all round the world. I have backpacked extensively in the UK from the Highlands of Scotland to the wilds of Dartmoor including a three week wet and arduous trek from South to North Wales across every major peak. I have also done 2 long distance treks in the Alps; The Tour du Mont Blanc and the Huit Route which is a three week trek across the Swiss Alps. On my gap year I spent 3 months trekking across New Zealand and in 2009 I spent 6 weeks climbing in the Alps where I finally achieved a childhood dream of summiting Mt Blanc. I am now training for my Mountain Leadership Award. The mountains play a key part in my life and have taught me so much - leadership, problem solving, mental and physical endurance and making important decisions under pressure. All skills that are important when filming in remote locations.