At the age of 13 in 1972 I witnessd a photograph developed in a tray of liquid, seeing the B&W image magically appear enthralled me.

My Mother bought me using her Green Shield stamps my first stills camera a Halina Paulette.

I first photographed and processed contact prints of my Father ’Sammy Sunshine’ (stage name) performing in his clown troop.

When I was 15 my Father took me to our local cinema in Wimborne Dorset to see Stanley Kubrick film 2001. I remember the screen was torn in the top left corner.  Seeing that film had such an effect on me that I sold all my still camera gear and bought a Super 8 camera and began making films with my school mates.

I new then that I wanted to be a Cameraman.

I left school in 1976 my first job in a Film Unit in Southampton making training films on 16mm film.

I assisted the Cameraman and Editor.  At 22 I was promoted to their Cameraman and Editor, fantastic experience.

In 1983 I joined the BBC Film Unit in Cardiff as an assistant film cameraman, after six years as an assistant I became a Lighting Cameraman shooting Network Documentaries and  Dramas.

My big break into the Feature Film world came when I got a phone call out of the blue from Chris Menges.  I photographed a BBC Screen one drama ‘Losing Track’ starring Alan Bates in 1992 the next day I had a call from Chris saying he had seen ‘Losing Track’ he loved the photography and would I like to visit him for a chat.  After two visits to Chris’s farm in mid wales he asked if I would light his film he was to direct ‘ Second Best’.

I left the BBC in 1993, joined ICM agency, Photographed Chris Menges film.

I was so nervous as Chris was my hero, his films really influenced me, The Killing Fields, The Mission, Local Hero and Kes.

I have worked with some interesting Directors, I shot Shane Meadows first two films, Twenty Four seven and A Room For Romeo Brass.

Over the last eight years I filmed Stephen Poliakoff’s last three productions.

I became a member of the BSC in October 1994 aged 35.

My proposer was Bob Crowdey from Technicolor Film Laboratory, I had my first three movies processed at Technicolor, in those days you could only be nominated to join the BSC if you had shot Three or more Feature Films.

 

Awards :-

1993 Winner BAFTA Cymru Best Lighting. ‘Un nos ola Leuad’

1993 Winner BAFTA Cymru Best Cinematography. ‘Friday on my Mind’

1994 Winner BAFTA Cymru Best Cinematography. ‘The Cormorant’

1994 Nominee Golden Frog Camerimage. ‘Second Best’

1998 Winner Valladolid International Film Festival. ‘Twentyfourseven’

1999 Winner Evening Standard Award.’The Woodlanders’ ‘The Governess’ ‘Still Crazy’ ‘Twentyfourseven’

2004 Nominee ASC. ‘The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone’

2006 Nominee Golden Frog Camarimage Main Competition. ‘Copying Beethoven’

 2014 Nominee BAFTA. ‘Dancing on the Edge’

 2014 Nominee ASC Award ‘Dancing on the Edge’

 

 Credits :-

 

 Twentyfourseven

 A Room Four Romeo Brass

 Calendar Girls

 Starter For Ten

 Ali G Indahouse

 Copying Beethoven

 Dancing On The Edge

 Summer Of Rockets