Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘My Dog Sighs (INSIDE). How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?
I have worked in television production for over 25 years and for all UK major channels including the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky Atlantic and Channel Five which includes 8 years working on the UK’s leading arts series ‘The South Bank Show’ for the channel itv1. Under the mentorship of Lord Melvyn Bragg, I assistant produced documentaries with artists including Tracey Emin, Nick Cave, Courtney Pine, Rachel Whiteread, Michael Winterbottom, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jamie Cullum. I also produced and directed my own 1 hour documentaries for the series based on comedians Matt Lucas & David Walliams, film director Shane Meadows, theatre director John Godber and many pop music documentaries for ITV1. I also series produced ‘God Save The Queens’ for Sky Atlantic - a three hour documentary series celebrating the world’s best gay performers.
I am also a successful talent casting producer for prime-time factual entertainment shows - a series I cast titled ‘Celebrity Race Across The World’ won a Bafta last year and ‘The Real Marigold Hotel’ for BBC One was nominated for a Bafta with the judges commending the casting.
I also produced a drama short film titled ‘Janet & Bernard’ in 2013 which was selected for the London Short Film Festival, Encounters International Film Festival, Leeds International Film Fest and LA Indie Film Festival.
I produced 5 editions of the UK’s only arts award series ‘The South Bank Show Awards’ which includes being a judge. I also judged the Emmys documentary category for 2 consecutive years.
During Covid-19 I was fortunately enough to find work as a guest lecturer for the documentary department at Gloucester University aiding first year students to make their first films.
Tell us about ‘My Dog Sighs (INSIDE)’. How do you describe it?
In this 13 minute documentary film, we follow the internationally acclaimed British street artist known under the moniker ‘My Dog Sighs’ as he took on his most ambitious project ever - ‘Inside’ - a vast immersive installation that transformed a derelict building into an mesmeric world inhabited by the artist’s creations.
With an initial objective to spend six months and a tiny budget to create it, his plans are put in peril by Covid lockdowns, break-ins, a cash crisis, and even a fire, as he battles to transform a treacherous derelict building.
Moving into sculpture for the first time, his goal was to create a utopian society, each imaginary character representing different aspects of the human condition, amongst the decay of a vast abandoned ballroom.
But will he even be able to open the doors to the public? Will anyone discover the beauty of this forgotten space, and experience the power of creativity to inspire and uplift communities?
Please tell us about your favourite filmmakers.
I admire British directors who I believe are excellent realism storytellers. A strong narrative based on a true story or biography really appeals to me because of my background as a documentary maker.
I was fortunate enough to produce and direct a 1 hour documentary for UK TV channel itv1 about one of my favourite British film directors - Shane Meadows which also documented the making of his autobiographic film ‘This Is England’. My documentary launched the first ever retrospective of his films at the British Film Institute. I was also fortunate enough to do the same as assistant producer for a similar documentary for itv1 which documented Brit film director Michael Winterbottom who I also have great respect for.
I also love directors who demonstrate innovation and are redefining cinema by using soundtrack. Christopher Nolan is a master at this (‘Inception’/‘Dunkirk’/‘Oppenheimer’) as is Jonathan Glazer’s ‘The Zone of Interest’ which is the most incredible film to use soundtrack to illustrate the story.
Pop music video directors really excite me too such as Michel Gondry ‘Daft Punk’s ‘Around The World’, Spike Jonze and Christ Cunningham. And Wes Anderson especially for ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’.
If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?
I am passionate about artists, art and especially street artists. I have prepared a pitch document and taster tape based on a feature film titled ‘Spray It!’ which tells the story of Street Art through conversations with leading street artists, collectors and fans of this genre. It is the story of the most popular form art form there is that has reached all people beyond the auction rooms and art that makes the headlines and often comments on the environment and world we live in.
Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?
Having worked with budgets and tight deadlines many times in order to meet transmission deadlines for all UK channels, I have never gone over budget. I would prepare a detailed budget after planning a detailed filming and editing schedule. I would employ a production manager to confirm this budget is correct and hire them to oversee this film budget throughout production with regular budget meetings with the production manager as well as funders. I would also ensure that money was not wasted by using reliable and established suppliers as well as negotiating competitive rates for kit, crew, editor and editing facilities.
What was the hardest part of making ‘My Dog Sighs (INSIDE)’.
The hardest part of making this documentary was reducing the story (and available footage) down to a short film.
If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?
My dream is to return to documentary film making after 10 years casting factual entertainment shows. It would be incredible to find the funding to make my own feature documentary ‘Spray It!’. The UK TV industry is suffering tremendously and freelance work is extremely difficult to find currently, if impossible and especially documentaries. Arts television has also almost ceased which is a travesty. Therefore, I have no imminent plans currently unless I can find film funding.
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