About Roger

  • Share profile:
    I am a freelance director with documentary and drama experience.

    I have Produced, Directed and Filmed a number of prime time series for BBC 1 & 2 including 2 series of "A year at Kew", "Coal house" and "Trees that made Britain". All of these were very much story and character led. For Channel 4, I shot an adventure documentary in the Karakoram mountains in Pakistan. I have also directed a number of series shooting with small crews and DV cameras often in remote and inhospitable parts of the world. I have also worked at the other end of the spectrum such as at large organized sporting events working with ESPN in the US, where obtaining interviews with the top competitors has required persistence and planning.
    I have worked with a number of presenters and personalities including Alan Titchmarsh, Carol Voorderman, David Attenborough and Ewan McGregor.
    Corporate programmes - I have directed sponsored and corporate programmes with both large and small crews. These projects have included location and studio drama productions. Working with major international clients has often required me to be fully appreciative of their strict marketing strategy, and sensitive to their product image.

    I also consider the following are relevant to my experience:-

    Originally worked as a freelance film editor for the BBC and many ITV and Channel 4 companies
    Extensive experience directing foreign crews
    Used to dealing with clients from major international corporations
    Ability to work to tight budgets
    My interests are mainly outdoor activities that include trekking, mountain biking and kayaking.
    Read More...

    Credits

    • Blue
    • Pink
    Corporate Productions - Various , UK, Switzerland, Abu Dhabi
    2011 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Producing and directing a number of corporate projects for companies as diverse as Manchester United in the UK, Vifor Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland and Reem Investments in Abu Dhabi.

    Factual Programmes - West Park Pictures , United Kingdom
    2010 - Development Producer
    Developing documentary projects

    Disaster Eyewitness - Raw Cut/Discovery Channel , United Kingdom
    2009 - Edit Producer
    Edit Producing 5 programmes from a series telling the stories of major disasters throughout the world. (5x22mins)

    Coalhouse Series 2 - BBC1 Wales BBC2 Network/Indus Films , United Kingdom
    2008 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Shooting P/D working with a large crew on Indus Productions second series of "Coalhouse". Following the lives of 3 families, 4 Bevan boys and evacuees as they live life in the same way as mining families in 1944.
    (12 x 30mins )


    Disaster Eyewitness - Raw Cut/Discovery Channel , United Kingdom
    2008 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Shooting interviews for 5 programmes from a series telling the stories of major disasters throughout the world. I interviewed and filmed a number of contributors throughout Europe who had been involved in very traumatic experiences. This required a very sensitive approach to help them recount accurately their experiences.
    (5x22mins)

    Building the Walkway - Seven Stones Productions , England
    2008 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Filmed/Directed/Edited a programme about the building of a new treetop walkway for the The Royal Botanic Garden Kew.

    Scenar DVD - Kosi Productions Ltd , United Kingdom
    2008 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Filmed/Directed/Edited an instructional DVD about a revolutionary devise produced by the Russian Space Agency. Originally for use by Cosmonauts but now available to the public.

    Coalhouse Series 1 - Indus/BBC , United Kingdom
    2007 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Shooting P/D on BBC's "Coalhouse" series produced by Indus Films. Filming 3 families that lived for one month in authentic Welsh cottages. The men worked as 1927 miners using picks in a working mine, the women struggled with basic stoves to cook on whilst the children were schooled in a recreated classroom of the period. A very successful high rating series.
    (9x30mins)


    Cambridge University Science Week Podcasts - Cambridge University , United Kingdom
    2007 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Produced/Directed and filmed podcasts to promote Cambridge University Science Week. The podcasts were presented by Carol Vorderman and are available from the Cambridge University website or iTunes.
    (5x8mins)


    Trees that made Britain - BBC 2 , United Kingdom
    2007 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Producer/Director shooting stories for series 1& 2 of the popular BBC2 series.

    Corporate & Development work  - Kosi Productions Ltd , United Kingdom
    2006 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Freelance Producer/Director working on various corporate programmes and shooting a pilot for an adventure series in Nepal.

    Christmas at Kew - BBC 2 , England
    2005 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Producer/Director running a production team, and making editorial decisions to ensure the programme content would successfully suit the one-hour 9.00pm BBC2 slot on Christmas Eve 2005. Compiling the final programme, recording VO and filming with Alan Titchmarsh, completing all post-production. Shooting stories in the garden using a DSR500, and lone shooting in Jamaica with a Z1.
    (1x60mins)


    A year at Kew series 2 - BBC 2 , England
    2005 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Producer/Director making daily editorial decisions concerning programme content and ensuring stories followed a clear narrative. Supervising all episode edits, scripting final programmes, recording VO with Alan Titchmarsh, and completing all post-production at BBC Wales. Shooting both in the garden and on foreign locations: - Burkina Faso, Mali, Namibia and St Helena. (10x30mins+1x60mins)

    A year at Kew series 1 - BBC 2 , England
    2003 - Producer/Director (Self-shooting)
    Producer/Director. Creating the style, and shooting the stories, with Producer/Director Tim Green for what was to become a popular Friday night series. Shooting stories not only in the garden, but also following a plant collecting expedition to Japan.
    (12x30mins)

    Various productions - Canopus Productions/Radical Departures , United Kingdom
    2002 - Director/Cameraperson
    Producer/Director/Cameraman shooting corporate films for the Pharmaceutical industry. Shooting, supervising edits, commissioning computer graphics, and liaising with clients.

    Wrangler Short Film Festival 2000  - Kosi Productions Ltd , United Kingdom
    2000 - Director
    Nominated to the last 3 in the finals of the festival that was held at the Odeon Leicester Square in London. The 5-minute drama video dealt with two old friends who challenge each other to a race to the top of a local hill with one taking it more serious than the other. I shot and edited it on a DV camera over 2 days.
    (1x5mins)


    Golden Dreams Extreme  - Series 4&5 TV3/Mosaic Films , Malaysia
    1998 - Series Director
    Series Director/Writer covering ESPN's X-games at San Francisco, San Diego, Crested Butte Colorado and Mount Snow Vermont. I had to give each series a new look to keep it fresh, which required a new structure as well as new titles and graphic stings. I took sole charge of the shoot using two crews to interview leading athletes and took background shots as well as directing the presenter. The final programme was compiled using ESPN and original footage. The post-production (which I took sole charge of) was carried out in both the UK and Malaysia. Covering events such as Bike Vert, Skysurfin and Skateboard Vert interviewing legends such as Tony Hawk.

    (19x30mins)


    Golden Dreams Series 4,5,6 & 7  - TV3/Mosaic Films , Malaysia
    1996 - Director
    Director of a "wish fulfilment" programme that gave young Malaysians the opportunity for remarkable life experiences. Travelling throughout the world taking responsibility of all aspects of the production from directing, through to transport, accommodation, and safety of both crew and participants. Often the stories developed in unplanned ways therefore it was essential to maintain a non-rigid approach to projects. My crews were Malaysian, British or American and I would often shoot a second DV camera to increase the cover. Post-production took place in Kuala Lumpur using local editors and sound mixers. (22x30mins)

    Various programmes were made between 1996-1999

    Various productions - Canopus Productions/Foreign Office , United Kingdom
    1992 - Director
    Director, conceiving, and shooting a number of programmes or stories for the Foreign office to use promoting the image of Britain abroad.

    Floo Man Choo - Infinity Productions , United Kingdom
    1992 - Producer
    Producer of an animation feature film "Floo Man Choo" working on pre-production. Never financed.

    Read More...

    Technical Equipment

    I am experienced using Canon XF305's, Sony EX3's, Sony HDW-790's, and Panasonic AF101's as well as DSR450's, Z1's, Z7's and Aaton 16mm film cameras
    I have a MacBook Pro running FCP
    Read More...

    Referees

    Adam Alexander
    Series Producer "A Year at Kew","Golden Dreams"and "Building the Walkway"
    Tel. 01594 530708

    Paul Islwyn Thomas
    Exec Producer "Coal house" Indus Films
    Tel. 02920 399555

    Rachel Morgan
    Series Producer "Coal house" Indus Films
    Tel. 02920 399555

    Tim Green
    Series Producer "Trees that made Britain"
    Tel. 02920 322000 (BBC Wales Factual Department)
    Read More...

    Skills

    I am happy working on both Final Cut Pro or Avid.
    I have a great enthusiasm for the more extreme environments. Since the age of 14 I have been kayaking white water rivers throughout the world including Nepal, the US, New Zealand and Morocco. I also enjoy the mountain environments, the desert and the jungles of Asia.
    Read More...

    Additional Information

    Industries

    • Corporate, 
    • TV

    Programme Types

    • Business, 
    • Corporate, 
    • Current Affairs, 
    • Documentary, 
    • Docusoap, 
    • Drama: Short Film, 
    • Education, 
    • Health, 
    • Observational Documentary, 
    • Sport, 
    • Travel

    Organizations

    • BECTU

    Specialisms

    • Celebrity, 
    • Corporate Films, 
    • Current Affairs, 
    • Final Cut Pro, 
    • Gardening, 
    • Location Filming, 
    • Medicine, 
    • Mountaineering, 
    • News & Current Affairs, 
    • Photography, 
    • Sport, 
    • Technology, 
    • Tourism, 
    • USA

    Licenses

    • Basic Driving (PLG)
    Read More...
    ;