Profile

Biography

I received a BFA in Film and Television Production from New York University and a graduate degree from the American Film Institute's Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies, where I was a Directing Fellow.

I started my career working with Emmy award-winning Robert Greenwald Productions (MGM Studios) doing lighting for made-for-television movies for the ABC and NBC networks in the US. After completing my degree at AFI, I worked as producer and director with numerous companies including Jonathan Goodson Productions (in association with Paramount Studios), Gabriel Films Ltd., Ogilvy & Mather and LucasArts (as part of the First Cities project) and several others.  My expertise lies in the development and supervision of projects involving computer-generated imagery as well as format and script development for television series and feature films.  My work has won a number of national and international awards including a Gold Medal at the New York Festivals and the Best Interactive Video Worldwide award from ITVA International, presented at BAFTA.  I continue to be active professionally.

I joined the University of York in 2001.  Since that time I have been involved in the design of numerous undergraduate and postgraduate programmes including the BEng/MEng in Media Technology (for the department of Electronics), the BSc in Film and Television Production, the MA/MSc in Postproduction with Visual Effects and the new MA in Digital Film and Television Production.  I have also created and delivered several production-related modules for these programmes.  In 2005, I was awarded a University Forum Teaching Fellowship for excellence and innovation in teaching, one of only three recipients University-wide.

I am one of the four founding members of the Department of Theatre, Film and Television.  In addition to curriculum development, I worked closely with Prof Andy Tudor during all phases of the design, development and construction of our building on Heslington East.  I supervised and had sign-off authority for all film and television-related areas, including final design and equipment specifications, and represented the department with contractors.  It is rewarding to see that what we have achieved is on par with the best commercial facilities in the UK.

Departmental roles

I am presently the Head of Film and Television Production, overseeing all film and television production related courses and modules.  I am also the Programme Director for both the BSc in Film and Television Production and the MA/MSc in Postproduction with Visual Effects.

I teach on numerous production modules at all levels.  In my teaching I try to draw on my industry experience and links.   For example, I arranged for University of York students to join locally based KMA to create visual effects for the feature film The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey, starring Tom Beringer and Joely Richardson, which was produced through Bauer-Martinez in Hollywood.  I am presently exploring similar collaborations as well to provide real-world experience for our students.

Research

Current projects

I am currently investigating aspects of professional feature film production practice.  These include the impact of new technologies on production workflows and industry roles as well as new business structures, such as academic-industry feature film production collaborations, and distribution models, such as the emergence of self-distribution. In 2011, I wrote Digital Cinematography: Evolution of Craft or Revolution in Production? based on my presentation at the White Rose Workshop.  I am presently adapting my talk for MeCSSA 2011, Joint Academic-Industry Feature Film Production: Legitimate Business Model or Failed Work Placement Scheme? into an article for publication.

Previous Projects

Prior to my moving to the Department of Theatre, Film and Television, my research focus was on intelligent tools for postproduction.  This work was presented at several conferences including the IEEE Conference on Multimedia and Expo, IEE Visual Information Engineering, IEE Conference on Visual Media Production and IMA Video, Vision and Graphics, and published in various journals including the Journal of Graphical Models and IEE Journal of Vision, Image and Signal Processing.

Supervision

I am presently co-supervising a student working on a PhD by Creative Practice in film.  I would be interested in supervising projects related in some way to professional film or television production practice, either through a formal analysis of some aspect of methodology or through creative practice itself.

External activities

Memberships

Externally I have served on several advisory panels for local and national creative industries and UK research councils (EPSRC) as well as judged for various film and television festivals. I have been closely involved with the Producer's Alliance (PACT) and the Directors Guild (DGGB).

Current Projects

I am presently working as the Visual Effects Producer for the feature film, The Knife That Killed Me, which is being produced by Green Screen Productions and is backed by Universal Studios.

I have also served as consultant and advisor to many independent film and television companies assisting on a range of projects as part of the department's commercial remit. Recent clients include Parashoots, Nexus DNA, CoreBrand, Accessible Arts & Media, Pilot Theatre, KMA and the band Elliot Minor