March 2016 - The Diary

March got off to a flyer with a short film audition in Dunfermline and then a welcome return to Radio Clyde for the THE GOLF SHOW voice-over, using a wonderful 60 year old specialist microphone to capture the sound of a sports commentator near the action and a joy to use such quality gear, still working perfectly after all of these years!

This was followed by an appearance in Luke Aherne's latest short film, MIRIAM with another talented cast and crew and many familiar faces from previous productions. Great fun playing the Defence Barrister in scenes set in the Sheriff Court in Dumbarton. Quite nice to be on the right side of the law for a change!

A short film I was booked for fell through but is now being developed as a full Feature which is good news and will keep you updated of it's progress. Booked another regular voice over gig for the rest of 2016 which is great news!

Good to hear that the edit of CLEEK which I filmed last year is progressing really well and I got a chance of a sneaky peak at the rough cut. Pleased with the results so far and looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.

And lovely to catch up with my old pal Alan Wylie for another set of new headshots this month. I first worked with him on GLASGOW KISS many years ago and we have shared numerous film sets in the intervening years and he passed on a print of a famous photo I appeared in on our way to shoot a documentary of Celtic's UEFA Cup Final in Seville in 2003. The book was '5000 Days - Press Photography In A Changing World, published by DC. A great memory!

Rounded off the month with an audition for another feature film and a few more in the pipeline for later this summer, so all in all, another long but varied month of work and casting possibilities. Nice also to be praised in this great article on FANATIC in the Digital Filmmaker Magazine this month!

March ended with more bookings for corporate and voice over work for April and May so it is looking like 2016/2017 is going to be as hectic as last year!

30 Years An Actor..!

To celebrate my 30th anniversary this year as a professional actor I thought I'd share a few of my old 10x8 images from 1986 to 2016....interesting to note the decline in looks and the ageing process!

First up my original pics from 1986 shoot with Brian Dunnabie, having just signed with my first agent Freddie Young in Glasgow, auditioning for DRAMARAMA and training at Dorothy Paul's acting studio.

A few years later and back to Brian Dunnabie for another sitting! I had just started drama school at Motherwell College in 1991 and about to start rehearsals for THE GORBALS STORY.

The next was another Brian session in around 1993 when I was working with Paul Moore touring a one man show 'THE GANG OF ONE' around community venues in Glasgow.

The next set were taken by the STV Press Office around 1996 when I had become a series regular in HIGH ROAD.

My HIGH ROAD friend and co-star Iain Andrew took the next shot on the banks of Loch Lomond whilst on a location shoot and it remains one of my favourites to this day.

This photo was shot by photography student Joannie Elgie who also worked on the last episodes of HIGH ROAD.

And this one was my first by Alan Wylie with whom I am still working all these years later! I was about to start working on MONARCH OF THE GLEN around this point in 2003.

Lyn Connor took the next shot when I was working on HOPE SPRINGS and running the ZICO FASHION BOUTIQUE in Glasgow's West End.

And back to Alan Wylie for this shot in 2008 which was a photo that got me a lot of work and so Alan has been a lucky talisman for me! Shortly afterwards I began work on RIVER CITY.

And now for the 'aged' look, with Calum Connelly's shots taken just last year. I'd met Calum whilst doing a CAPTAIN MORGAN gig in an Edinburgh niteclub that he was the photographer for.

And I went back to Calum for the next shot, sans-beard! Again these were taken in the summer of 2015, whilst filming CLEEK.

And so we return to Alan Wylie for the last in the little tableaux and these photos done in March 2016..!

Horrible getting old, isn't it? Huge thanks to all the photographers I have worked with over the years for contributing to my career.