Tell us about your background

I always loved theatre, film and the arts growing up. Having done a set building placement at the National Youth Theatre, I went on to RCS to do a Technical & Production Arts degree. Here I discovered pyrotechnics amongst other things!

After building that skillset, I toured with the likes of Coldplay and Prince doing pyro for their concerts. I also started doing film special effects, specialising in pyrotechnics and high explosives. I gained entry to the Institute of Explosives Engineers and BAFTA, providing precision pyro, squibs and high-energy explosive engineering for a double Oscar-winning SFX Supervisor on films including War Horse, World War Z, Safe House and White House Down.

Having worked for top producers like Kathleen Kennedy and Scott Stuber, I then set up my own production company. We found initial success with a short film called The Gift (available on Disney+) which tells the true story of the day Elvis Presley bought his first guitar in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1946. My latest film, Sunny Dancer, was filmed in Scotland with Bella Ramsey, Neil Patrick Harris, James Norton, Jessica Gunning and a host of young British talent.

What sparked your love of production / film?

I was working as a pyrotechnician for producers like Larry J Franco, Kathleen Kennedy and Scott Stuber and was learning how they worked. I thought to myself “I can do that” as I’m creative, pragmatic and understand the business, so it seemed a natural career progression to me.

Having worked alongside those producers I had a wealth of knowledge and experience as I started out on my own. I used to run 7-figure pyro budgets and manage massive teams of technicians so I felt confident I would thrive scaling-up to producing and so-far, so-good!

How did you make the shift into the film space after studying BA Technical and Production Arts?

Through my specialism in pyrotechnics, I managed to get some SFX work on a small zombie movie called Outpost. Here I met the SFX company Artem who were expanding into Scotland and so the timing was fortuitous and I became their second employee in Scotland. I learned a lot there before going freelance and ultimately ending up producing.

How did your time at RCS prepare you for the world of work?

As a producer, I use the skills I learned at RCS every day. Having done a Technical & Production Arts degree when it still had the ‘carousel’, this meant I got hands-on experience in every department from wardrobe to scenic art to lighting etc. That gives me a base-line knowledge of the technical aspects of filmmaking so I’m able to talk the technical talk and understand what will help crews deliver their best. That exposure to all departments really has helped enormously.

What was it like studying in Glasgow?

Glasgow was so much fun as a student. It’s the perfect blend of culture, edginess and friendliness. I had a fantastic time and stayed for a few years afterwards. We filmed Sunny Dancer just outside Glasgow in 2025 and so it was great fun coming back for a few months and going to all the places I used to hang out, and re-exploring Glasgow’s evolving food scene!

What have you been working on since you graduated?

Via a career in special effects, I now run my own film production company, 27 Ten Productions. Our library includes The Gift (Disney+), Enemy Within (Amazon) which shot at Pinewood Studios in Malaysia. Then I helped develop a young director making his feature debut called Black Dog before collaborating with him again on Sunny Dancer.

Any career highlights you’d like to share?

There’s been some fun moments for sure. ‘Shooting’ Denzel Washington as a SFX technician, working (and partying) with Ryan Reynolds and Channing Tatum, and raining debris down on Brad Pitt were all fun. Touring with Prince and doing Glastonbury with Coldplay were also pretty epic.

It’s also been a real thrill to have my family come on set onto my films, where they see all the cogs in the machine, and then watching my films on the big screen with them to see the fruits of everyone’s labour.

What’s next for you?

Sunny Dancer starring Bella Ramsey, Neil Patrick Harris, James Norton and Jessica Gunning released in the UK & Ireland on 14 August. It’s a funny, feral and thoughtful coming of age comedy/drama with music by Este Haim from HAIM, and tracks including The Cranberries, Scissor Sisters, Goldfrapp, Fred again.. and Olivia Dean.

We then release across Europe including Italy on 2 September and Spain on 2 October. The US and Canada release is 18 September.

I’m also working on the next couple of projects at the same time so should have some more announcements soon.