After graduating in Human Geography from UCL with First Class Honours, I went on to Film School at Middlesex University, studying under the British feature film director Mike Figgis. I then spent four years training as a documentary director under the guidance of the late Denis Mitchell, and became freelance in 1989.
My interests span history, the arts, sciences and drama. I am a long serving board member of Directors UK and chair its Distribution Committee. I am also a member of BAFTA and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Over the last 25 years, I've directed over forty documentaries for prime-time UK network and international broadcast. I have experience of filming throughout Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, Africa, Australia, Japan, India and notably China, where I've directed five films.
In 1995 I won a US Cine Golden Eagle, for TLC for Best History Series "Ancient Warriors", and in 1998 I produced and directed three episodes of BBC1's "The X Creatures". One episode, "Alien in the Abyss" won seven awards at the 1999 Missoula International Film Festival, including Best Short TV Programme, Best Script and a Merit award for good communication to a young audience.
Since 2000, I've produced and directed a stream of prime-time history documentaries for Channel 4, returning to the BBC in 2002 to make a high profile special FX drama called "Pompeii - The Last Day". It was the highest rated specialist factual programme of the year with an audience of 10.3 million and a 40% share. It was nominated for two BAFTAs, and won an EMMY and an RTS award.
More recently, my feature length drama-doc for Channel 4, "Nuremberg - Goering's Last Stand" won the Huw Wheldon Specialist Factual award at the 2007 BAFTA television awards.
In 2008 I directed two episodes of BBC1's top rating continuing drama "Casualty" and over the last year have been developing a new business model to produce independent film and television drama. The first production from this new slate of work is The Silence (in production), starring Susan George.
My interests span history, the arts, sciences and drama. I am a long serving board member of Directors UK and chair its Distribution Committee. I am also a member of BAFTA and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Over the last 25 years, I've directed over forty documentaries for prime-time UK network and international broadcast. I have experience of filming throughout Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, Africa, Australia, Japan, India and notably China, where I've directed five films.
In 1995 I won a US Cine Golden Eagle, for TLC for Best History Series "Ancient Warriors", and in 1998 I produced and directed three episodes of BBC1's "The X Creatures". One episode, "Alien in the Abyss" won seven awards at the 1999 Missoula International Film Festival, including Best Short TV Programme, Best Script and a Merit award for good communication to a young audience.
Since 2000, I've produced and directed a stream of prime-time history documentaries for Channel 4, returning to the BBC in 2002 to make a high profile special FX drama called "Pompeii - The Last Day". It was the highest rated specialist factual programme of the year with an audience of 10.3 million and a 40% share. It was nominated for two BAFTAs, and won an EMMY and an RTS award.
More recently, my feature length drama-doc for Channel 4, "Nuremberg - Goering's Last Stand" won the Huw Wheldon Specialist Factual award at the 2007 BAFTA television awards.
In 2008 I directed two episodes of BBC1's top rating continuing drama "Casualty" and over the last year have been developing a new business model to produce independent film and television drama. The first production from this new slate of work is The Silence (in production), starring Susan George.