TELEVISION / VIDEOPRODUCTION

For over two decades Nick has been making films right across the production spectrum from television documentaries and current affairs through corporates, promotions, to lifestyle programmes and music videos.

Black Rose Media offers its clients a complete script to screen service. As well as researching/ writing/ producing and directing he can operate most video cameras from broadcast to domestic. Nick is also an experienced editor with a good working knowledge of linear and non-linear systems, but works mostly with AVID and First Cut Pro.

In recent years Black Rose Media has expanded into the corporate sector doing conferences, instructional DVDs, corporate promotions and developing content for websites, which are fast becoming mini broadcasting stations. Clients include; TAFE NSW, Asthma Foundation NSW, Delta Electricity and The Department of Housing.

At the other end of the production spectrum Nick has recently been involved in producing a Discovery Channel documentary, produced a TV commercial for Volvo and has just begun adapting his second book, “You’ll Never Take Me Alive”, for a screenplay.

Production Credits

Speckled Hen, Sydney (2008)

Screenwriter

Nick is currently adapting his best-selling novel “You’ll Never Take Me Alive – The Life and Death of Bushranger Ben Hall” into a screenplay for an independent Australian film company.

Asthma Foundation NSW/ Volvo, Sydney (2007)

Producer

For Volvo/ Asthma Foundation produced an innovative series of high quality infomercials featuring a James Bond style chase sequence which ends with the tag line “Asthma – the consequences can be serious” These were shown on TV and distributed via an SMS minus the ending forcing the viewer to go a microsite to see the ending where they were encouraged to register for an asthma management pack.

Natural History New Zealand, Dunedin (2006)

Writer/ researcher

Wrote and researched “Artic Warriors” a 1 x 50 mins documentary for National Geographic about the annual meeting of two of nature’s greatest adversaries, the Polar Bear and the Walrus on an island off the Siberian coast and how global warming is threatening that ritual.

Film Projects, Sydney/ Discovery Channel (2006)

Writer

Scriptwriter on a 1 x50 mins Discovery documentary entitled “Final Sacrifice”, which explores the rites and rituals of the Vaghri, the original Indian gypsy tribe. Set in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, this is a rites of passage film that follows the fortunes of two brothers as one follows the traditional path and the other goes to the city and embraces everything modern.

Television New Zealand, Auckland (2005)

Director

Directed a 1 x 50 mins “Sydney special” for a new entertainment series called “The Tem Show” in which Kiwi Hollywood actor, Temura Morrison (Star Wars, Once Were Warriors), interviews film and entertainment stars. The ‘Sydney special’ included the launch of the Fantastic Four movie and interviews with its stars.

ABC Television, Sydney (2004)

Historical Consultant

Provided historical research/ advice and was featured in a segment of ABC’s historical series, “Hindsight”.

Natural History New Zealand/ Discovery Channel (2003- 2004)

Writer/ Director

Produced three episodes of a cutting edge 13 x 1 hour wildlife documentary series for Discovery. Incorporating rare archival footage, ground- breaking research, robotics and CGI - “Animal Face-Off” will re-define wildlife documentary and settle the age-old debate – who is the King of the Jungle? Broadcast world wide during 2004.

Black Rose Media, Sydney, Australia (2002-2003)

Writer/ Producer/ Director

Produced a series of videos for the NSW Department of Housing. Following the success of “Homes For the People” - a film to mark the 60th anniversary of public housing, Nick has been working on a series of information and promotional films to promote the work and services of the department. He is also producing a series of information films for Delta Electricity.

Natural History New Zealand/ Channel 7, Australia/ National Geographic, USA (2001-2002)

Writer/ Director

Directed/ co- wrote “In the Tracks of the Hunter” – a 1 x 50 mins survival story set in Australia’s “Top End”. Emmy award- winning adventurer, Larry Gray, accompanied celebrated Aboriginal hunter Peter Darjing from the Gurrawarra tribe on a two- week odyssey through one of the harshest environments in the world. During the journey Larry learns the secrets of survival from the master and explores the unbroken connection the Aboriginal peoples have with nature.

Channel Four Television, London, England (2000)

Director

Directed a 15 mins experimental film entitled “The Pressure of Spring” for Channel 4’s “Artslab” series as a collaboration with Peter and Andrea Windass two of Scotland’s most respected avant- garde artists.

BBC Scotland, Aberdeen, Scotland (1997-2000)

Director

Directed four summer seasons of “The Beechgrove Garden” a perennial 16 x 30 mins gardening magazine series broadcast on BBC Scotland.

Light Source Films, Byron Bay, Australia (1998-99)

Producer/ Director/ Writer

“Bronzed Aussie Gods” a 1 x 50 mins documentary on Australian beach culture. Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK), ABC (Australia), TV3 (New Zealand), National Geographic (USA) and Discovery (Europe/ Asia).

Juniper Films, Sydney, Australia (1998)

Director/ Writer

Wrote/ directed 3 x 15 mins stories in Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia for “Last People, Last Places” a 13 x 30 mins series for Discovery on the impact of globalisation on the culture, traditions and people of Asia.

AVC Productions/ Scottish Television, Aberdeen, Scotland (1997-1998)

Writer/ Director

“Restless Natives” 1 x 50 mins documentary shot in Paraguay, the Faroe Islands and Scotland. Concerns the disappearing rainforests in Paraguay and the disappearing world of the Ache - the last indigenous Indians - whose survival is under threat as a result of their commercial development. Broadcast on STV (UK), DRT
(Denmark), (FTV) Faroes, (Canal 9) Paraguay, (NOS) Holland, ARTE (France) and National Geographic (South America).

“The Night they Painted Gothenburg Red!” 1x 50 mins documentary shot in Scotland, Sweden and Spain about Aberdeen soccer club’s triumphal European Cup winning season of 1985. A mixture of sports highlights, interviews with the teams/ managers and fan’s reminiscences it was one of STV’s highest rating programmes in a decade.

Fuji TV (Japan)/ Grampian TV, Aberdeen, Scotland (1995-96)

writer/ director

“The Glovers of Nagasaki” a major 2 x 60 mins documentary series for Scottish TV/ Fuji TV on the most turbulent century in Japan's history (1859- 1945) as seen through the eyes of 19th century Scottish merchant/ adventurer Thomas Blake Glover, “...the founding father of Japanese industry” , and his mixed- blood son Tomisaburo. Broadcast on ITV and on Fuji TV in Japan.

Winner of the Japan Festival best documentary film award 1996.

Head 2 Head Productions (1988-94) London, England.

Producer/ Writer/ Director

DOCUMENTARY -“Guns for Malta” a 90 minute feature documentary about the siege of Malta during World War 2. Broadcast on ITV (UK), (MTV) Malta, SBS (Australia), CBC (Canada), History Channel (USA), Israel and Cyprus.

DOCUMENTARY - Series of 3 x 30 minute documentary films for Central TV about disability and transformative education - “Stand Tall”, “Standing Up For Jo” and “From Hungary With Love”.

“LIVE” TV - Directed the weekly ITV network “crime stoppers” programme - “Police 5” which consisted of a 10 mins “live” multi- camera outside broadcast from different locations all over the UK.

DOCUMENTARY- “Hairaiser” 1 x 50 minute documentary about the annual Dylan Dog Horror festival for RAI (Italy) and MTV (Europe). Presented by Doug “Hellraiser” Bradley, and featured Freddie “Nightmare on Elm St.” Kruger, Bruce “The Evil Dead” Campbell and Sam “Darkman” Remi.

MUSIC VIDEOS - Directed numerous live outside broadcasts for ITV's “Raw Power” and MTV's “Headbangers Ball” and live acts for “4 Goes to Gladstonbury” Channel 4's three day “live” music extravaganza from Gladstonbury - the world's biggest annual pop festival.

Directed some 20 pop videos for a diverse mix of artists including L7, Dr Phibes, Mo Tucker Band, Love, Echo & Bunnymen, as well as The Happy Mondays, New Atlantic and The Charlatans whose singles reached the UK Top 5 in 1991 and 1992.

TV COMMERCIALS - Directed around 15 TV commercials for “blue chip” British companies such as; Virgin Records, Island Records, Iceland Frozen Foods, Lloyds Bank, Going Places and Boddingtons.

Coventry Cable Television (1986-87) Coventry, England

Writer/ director

DOCUMENTARY - “Jodi” 1 x 60 mins documentary on a child's struggle against disability and his pilgrimage to Lourdes in search of a life- saving miracle.

NEWS/ CURENT AFFAIRS -Working for the news department I directed numerous location news reports/ features and over 50 “live” 30 minute multi-camera studio news programmes.

Central Independent Television (1984-86) Birmingham, England

Assistant Producer

Worked on a wide range of Central's high- profile output across news, documentary, drama and light entertainment. Credits include; “Sandanista!”, “Spitting Image”, “Central Weekend”, “Tis Was”, “Auf Weidersen Pet”, “Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady”, “Magic Micro Mission” and “Central News”.