Communication
As a freelance Gaffer or Spark I am called upon to meet clients, location owners or managers and members of the public on a daily basis. I am welcomed back to crews because of my positive, friendly and precise communication skills. Through email, telephone and clarity in invoicing, I endeavour to demystify the role.

The practical aspect of the degree undertaken, required that the communication of ideas, scripts and other planning must be fully understood by the group. Today, this still helps in terms of gelling, within, a new team.

In my final year at university I moved onto campus in order to carry out the role of Senior Resident Student, which involved an element of the pastoral care for first year students on campus while ensuring their adherence to university regulations. One of twelve such individuals, an ability to empathise with individuals in unfamiliar environment and away from home was essential.

My dissertation required that I contact a small number of 'celebrities', one of whom was reluctant to be contacted and required a certain amount of persistence and ingenuity. I consider the effect we filmmakers have on people’s homes and lives when the production circus every day while on location.

Team Working
On the location of a variety of film and television projects during the last five years, I’ve worked with numerous teams of varying size and experience. To each, I have brought my high levels of professional workmanship and team awareness. Skills honed throughout my time in industry. Please see the Credits page for details.

Organisational skills and the ability to plan and adapt to changing circumstances have proved invaluable, and I am known for my ingenuity in solving problems and improvisation to resolve obstacles.

Commitment to both the project and the team members has ensured successful projects.

Information Technology
I am a fully qualified electrician, with qualifications for electronics and microelectronics with selected programming experience.

My recent experience in computers revolves around Microsoft packages of Access, Excel and of course Word. I produced a point and click style menu system to drive a package of management reports, I had created to assist the weapons facilities management team. Operated from Access, using information retrieved from the company's mainframe, users could monitor both workload and materials along with staffing levels. Training of new users and modification of reports became my responsibility as the author.

I have worked using on screen editing tools to produce videos and feel at home with the Internet or other computer packages, video or sound recording equipment.

My professional training has enabled me to feel at home with new and unfamiliar technical equipment, problem solving on location camera, sound and power problems.

Practical Experience
I have used a variety of different digital and analogue video cameras, in both drama and documentary style productions.

In addition to using cameras, I can also repair faults and have been putting my previous experience to good used working for a leading hire company as an engineer. When time is valuable a camera operator/engineer might be just the thing necessary to save the day.

While at University, as a extra-curricular activity, I filmed a variety of sporting events including rugby and hockey, tennis and basketball in order to make a 20 minute ' sporting round-up' for the colleges sponsors Halifax. The project submitted with a portfolio produced by the student unions sport's officer was awarded sixth place nationally.

I also filmed basketball-training sessions in order that they could be assessed. The material was used to provide feed back to the class and was essential to the student teacher's dissertation (both on court and feed back sessions were filmed).

Additional Experience
While I would describe myself as a spark on location, I’m also a PSV driver, and therefore comfortable at the wheel of a larger van or similar navigating London’s streets or the open road. I’ve been able to step in and mix sound or boom, and occasionally operate a second camera. Be assured however I have no interest in operating and do not interfere. Occasionally, small crews are faced with minor construction problems and I’m not averse to a little door re-hanging, painting, electrical or mechanical repair, or sowing for that matter.

I own a Portable Appliance Tester and can be called upon to check practicals or carry out periodic testing of equipment.