Alan M. Trow BSC

 

Alan was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire in 1949.

He had a passion for cameras and photography from an early age firstly with his father's Box Brownie. Later shooting with a Rolleicord, he processed in a make-shift darkroom in the family bathroom. Much to his mother's displeasure!

On leaving school he got a job as a trainee assistant cameraman with the Ministry Of Aviation at Thurleigh, near Bedford “A great training...sometimes shooting, processing and projecting 35mm film sequences all in a day.”

In the swinging 60's Alan went freelance as a stills photographer covering the emerging rock music scene with the likes of The Who, The Strawbs, and Robert Plant.

An award winning photographer, his real ambition was to work in the movies.  Maverick director, Richard Driscoll gave him the opportunity with the surreal, no budget, The Comic (1985) in Cardiff.

Alan lit and operated, shooting with a blimped Arri IIC on a Mitchell gear head.

Importantly, at the end of the shoot he met up with director John Eyres and producer Geoff Griffiths. This was the beginning of a long collaboration starting with Slow Burn (1989) and Xtro II (1990), both of which were shot in Vancouver, with Alan operating. Then as cinematographer on the sci-fi action feature Project Shadowchaser (1992), at Pinewood Studios. Technically demanding with much blue screen, action and model work, this was the kicking off point for a run of movies continuing with Monolith (1993), directed by John Eyres, which Alan shot on the Introvision stage in Hollywood. It starred Bill Paxton and John Hurt.  This was followed by The Punk (1993), directed by Mike Sarne; Project Shadowchaser II (1994) directed by John Eyres in South Africa; Cyberjack (1995) directed by Robert Lee, in Vancouver; Chasing the Deer (1994) directed by Graham Holloway; Dragonworld (1994), directed by Ted Nicolau, in the UK & Romania and John Godber's hugely successful UK rugby comedy Up'N'Under (1998).

Alan also shot many TV dramas and series in the UK. In 2012 he helped set up and run a cinema in Hay-on-Wye which became a venue for Hay Film School.

In 2017 he directed the feature film Kesulat, aka Fields of War, a story of the war in Kosovo. 

During his film career Alan was inspired by many great cinematographers including Nic Roeg, Nestor Almendros, Billy Williams and the iconic Jack Cardiff.

 

“Big thanks to Clive Noakes, Roger Sapsford and Martin Hammond, co-founder of Hay Film School.”