Picture a warm summer evening in Soho, some years ago now. You can hear the laughter of people having drinks on the pavement and the clink of glasses being collected. Sheltered from all outside light and sound in my cave of an edit suite, the music is on 11 and I am taking advantage of everyone having left for the day to practise on Quantel Henry. I am a Tape Operator with ambition. I have taken the initiative to learn the suite by repeating an edit done during the day. As the song reaches its high point all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I think “This is it. This is what I want to do.” Fast forward to today and a phrase commonly heard on set is “Don’t worry Barney can fix this in post”.

I graduated from Staffordshire University where I studied Graphic Design and Audio Visual Communication. I specialised in Television and Radio and developed hands-on experience in what was going to be my life’s work.

A Runner role advertised at XTV attracted 660 applicants. I was the chosen lucky one and was quickly promoted through the ranks. At the age of 25 I became a fully-fledged Editor, completing graphics and visual effects for commercials and broadcast title sequences.

A move to The Farm Group saw me developing my VFX skills and I started to work on a wide variety of genres including scripted comedy, drama, documentary, film, entertainment and music. I then broadened my experience taking on programmes with complex onlines as well as VFX throughout. A ‘one-stop shop’ if you like.

In 2004 I was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Visual Effects on the film George Orwell: A Life in Pictures.

I have worked with clients such as King Bert, Baby Cow, Big Talk, CPL, Happy Tramp, Me & You Productions, Merman and Avalon. Occasionally I will visit the set to talk through a shot with the director and discuss what they are looking to achieve.

These days, I complete onlines on entire scripted series as well as 2D VFXs on individual shots. I still consider myself to be one of the lucky ones as I thoroughly enjoy what I do, continuing to build on my experience and abilities. Coming full circle, when a Runner shows the initiative to get ahead I am 100% there to encourage, support and cheer them on.