Page title Name
Colin Laidlaw
Producer/Director (Self-shooting), Director
London,United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Colin's Biography

I operate as a multi-skilled producer/director. This allows for my films to be made on a low budget with greater access to the subject matter and adaptability to changes. As a filmmaker my specialisms include: digital cinematography and lighting; Final Cut Pro editing and colour grading; scriptwriting and directing. Further to this, I run a not for profit production company (www.media4charity.org) which specialises in films for charities.

My skills include:

Camera: Primarily I operate the Sony EX3 with Letus adaptor and Sony Z1 and can also use the RED ONE. Further to this I have studied lighting and am a highly proficient stills photographer. I have acted as DOP as well as cameraman on several films.

Scriptwriter: I have written and produced several short films, taught scriptwriting at Birbeck College and am currently writing my fourth feature length screenplay to be self produced in India.

Editor: I own a suite South London and specialise in Final Cut pro and Color film grading.

Producer/Director: As a selfshooting producer and director I have great confidence and sensitivity to the material. I am constanly looking at what the final output of the project is and will adapt and change very quickly to the circumstances as required. This makes me highly flexible and able to gain access to any subject.







Employment History


Self employed operator:

Director and editor: Bare Face Theatre (Promotional video)
January 2009 in production. A highly stylized film, working theatrical plays and poetry into film.

Lighting cameraman: Angie (Short film) - dir. Si Wall
December 2009. Using the ex3 with Letus adapter for internal and external setups.

Editor and colour grader: (Short film) - dir. Marcio Rodrigo Delgrado
December 2009. A short, poetic, film about people and living.

Editor and colour grader: (Short film) - dir. Beck Mase
November 2009. A short film about Heroin users.

Producer, director and editor: The Railway Children, UK (Promotional film)
November 2009. A media4charity production - 3 minute film for the charity's Christmas ball and then provide a front to their website.

Lighting cameraman: The Hypnotist (Short film) - dir. John Crewe
September 2009. Using Sony Z1 and glidecam stabilizer.

DOP and Cameraman: London Shakespeare Workout (Promotional film)
October 2009. 3 camera studio shoot of performing artists.

Cameraman and editor: Filmworks Trust in association with Westminster Council (Promotional film)
July/August 2009: A film about the council's environmental and community initiatives.

Cameraman: Henley and White (Wedding video)
July 2009. Filming a social event.

Still's photographer: The Railway Children, UK (Fundraising event)
June 2009. On the charity's 3 peaks challenge. Further to this I developed an e-commerce site (http://railwaychildren.zenfolio.com/3peaks) for selling the photographs.

DOP and Cameraman: London Shakespeare Workout (Promotional film)
June 2009. 3 camera studio shoot of performing artists.

The Railway Children.
Feb 2009 Eshaas - (self shooting producer/director): A film about the charity's training scheme in India.

Sept 2008 Saathi - (self shooting producer/director): A film about the charity's home placement scheme in India.

Imagination Ltd
May 2008 The Orifice - (writer, producer, director): A 5min corporate film, parody and comedy based around the work place.

Dec 2005 Office Ninja - (writer, producer, director): A 5 min film, comedy based around the work place.

Self Produced
2006 Pizza Man - (writer, producer, DOP, editor): A fim short about the life of a pizza delivery boy.

2006 Fly on the wall - (writer, producer, DOP, editor): A film short, a parody about fly on the wall documentaries.

Birbeck College, London
Sept 1997 to April 2000 - (lecturer in scriptwriting): Teaching courses 6 and 21 weeks in length.

LWT The London Studios, Southbank, London.
Apr 1998 to June 1998 - (researcher and self shooting producer): Working on Sacha Baron Cohen's television show FTF.

Live Television
July 1995 to Sept 1995 - (self shooting producer/director): producing 5 min films for the late night shows. Topics included doctor who and science fiction fans, microlight fying, witchcraft.


Education

London Guildhall University 1996
BA Degree in Communications

Salisbury College of Technology 1993
A level physics, communications, psychology and politics

Industry Qualifications

Camera

VMI certificate in:
  • Red One and DIT
  • EX3 and Letus adaptor
  • High Definition video
  • Lighting for film

Editing

  • Apple Pro certification in in Final Cut Pro

Technical Equipment

Editing: Octocore suite with Final Cut Pro studio 2

Camera: Nikon D200, Olypus c5050 and underwater housing



Referees

Mrinalini Rao (Railway Children, Indian Director) mrinalini@railwaychildren.org.uk


Jonathan Laventhol (Director of Technology) Jonathan.laventhol@imagination.com

Skills

Software skills:

Final Draft, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, DVD studio Pro, Motion Color film grading, Microsoft Office, MS project, Dreamweaver

Camera skills:

Red One, Ex3 and letus adaptors, Sony Z1,  Sony PD170, ; Stills photography - Nikon D200, Olympus c5050 and underwater housing.

Other skills:

Web 2.0 embedding
Web design
Writing
Research
Journalism
Padi Divemaster
Underwater photography
First aid certificate
Full car and motorbike licence
Project management

Additional Information

Industries

  • Corporate, 
  • Film, 
  • Mobile Content, 
  • Music Promos, 
  • Online, 
  • TV

Programme Types

  • Commercial, 
  • Community Progs, 
  • Corporate, 
  • Documentary, 
  • Docusoap, 
  • Drama: Feature Film, 
  • Drama: Short Film, 
  • Drama: Television Serial, 
  • Dramatised Documentary, 
  • Education, 
  • Investigative, 
  • Live TV, 
  • Motoring, 
  • Observational Documentary

Specialisms

  • Asian Britain, 
  • Cars, 
  • Children's, 
  • Cinema/Film, 
  • Comedy, 
  • Community, 
  • Corporate Films, 
  • Diving, 
  • Education, 
  • Final Cut Pro, 
  • Geography, 
  • High-Definition, 
  • India, 
  • Motorbikes, 
  • Natural History, 
  • New Media, 
  • Philosophy, 
  • Photography, 
  • Psychology, 
  • Technology, 
  • Writing

Licenses

  • Basic Driving (PLG), 
  • ING Powerboat, 
  • Motorcycle, 
  • PADI Diving licence