Pro - Celebrity Football

Football has always been a huge part of my life and I am loving being back playing in my 40s for the Scotland Writers FC and have taken part in numerous pro-celeb matches during my career. Most memorable include a Dukla Pumpherston v High Road Select XI at Almondvale Stadium many years ago, in which I scored against my old hero Alan Rough! In 2008 I was invited to play in goals for a Scotland XI v England XI as a curtain raiser to the U-16 international at Wembley Stadium!

We were managed by Peter Mullen and beat Sir David Frost's Anglo side 2-0 with superb goals from Darren Jackson and Martin Compson. Here's the lads just before kick-off..and before 25000 fans arrived. Thanks to Joe Miller for adding me to the squad...We are the first Scotland team to win at the new Wembley!!

In 2012 writers Alan Wilson and Doug Johnstone started an international team to represent Scottish writing talent and I was honoured to join them, once again in goals! We beat the England Writers FC 4-2 on the anniversary of the first ever international and played at Hamilton Crescent, Partick, site of the ancient battle, to lift the inaugural Hamilton Crescent Cup. This was subsequently lost in January in a murderous 0-5 drubbing at The Somme,Chelsea...!

In October 2013 we were the guests of the Austria Writers FC in Vienna and in an epic match defeated them 3-1 and had an absolute ball in this great city. We look forward to the Scottish return matches against Sweden, England & Austria in 2014. I was mercifully replaced in goals, but still managed to give away a (soft) penalty...!

September 2013 - The Diary

Busy month this! More tv castings and then a welcome meeting with Attune Theatre and a part in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, an old favourite of mine. This time I am playing The Duke and delighted to get back onstage for the first time in 6 years! We also half completed RUN, another excellent supernatural short film penned by Mark Harvey & Fraser Coull. We aim to complete this in November.
                                         

August 2013 - The Diary

Back to BBC London for a couple of really exciting auditions early August, before the terrible waiting game of waiting to hear if you had landed 'the big one'. I usually give it a week, then assume it's a no. In this case I was correct unfortunately! But good contacts made & delighted with the chance to try out for big tv shows, so all pretty positive. Pleased to make the cover of ONE YEAR LATER which has

gone down really well at various film festivals over the summer! So am now hitting the gym hard every day to get into 'Game Of Thrones' shape in the hope of getting seen for OUTLANDER, which promises to be the biggest thing shot in Scotland since Braveheart/Rob Roy and Trainspotting in the 90s. I have been devouring the novels recently. Episode 1 is based on Cross-Stitch, which I have reviewed on my 'Reading List' page. Stirring stuff!

Get Shirty

My writing and directorial debut was filmed in July 2013 as part of the Virgin Media Shorts scheme.

I was lucky enough to inherit a stellar cast of young Scottish talent to appear and a tightly-organized crew who thrive under pressure and work really well collaboratively.

Ryhs Williams and Mark Wood,along with Nico McKeown were superb in this twisted little comedy.

Shot this one in 6 1/2 hours and many thanks to Blackfriars Bar and to Sharon for allowing us to use their properties for the world of GET SHIRTY. A second project for Thistlewood Film Studios. Huge thanks to Fraser Coull and the crew at Silly Wee Films for their help and support and thrilled to have my directorial debut!

July 2013 - The Diary

Off to a flying start this month with 3 short film roles for the Virgin Shorts scheme. First up was THE WHITE LIGHT CO. directed by Julie D Dunn in which I play a slightly malevolent Doctor..

We set out to shoot three films in 2 days. Next up was Drew Taylor's VANILLA. Again I brought a slightly diabolical air to my character of the Ice Cream Seller. Great fun shooting these 2mins 20 secs shorts in and around various locations in Glasgow.

And then it was my turn to direct my own script of GET SHIRTY with the same excellent crew. I played the part of George, one of the lead character Tommy's friends as he meets the girl of his dreams...A good start to the month. Then it was back to the audition trail to London.

Writing

I have completed the feature film screenplay THE CLANSMEN and submitted to the BBC Writer's Room in March 2013. Recently completed the 2nd draft of THE YOUNG PRETENDER, a theatrical musical and my comedy play RESTING, which has been entered into the Verity Bargate Award at the Soho Theatre, London.
My first script GET SHORTY, a short film with a wicked twist has now been filmed and with me directing! This is a co-production between Thistlewood Film Studios and Silly Wee Films, backed by Creative Talent Connections in Glasgow. GET SHIRTY is my entry for the Virgin Shorts Scheme in July 2013.

June 2013 - The Diary

Decided this month to give up my full-time job and devote the rest of the summer to getting myself Acting work in London. A brave or foolish choice..? Time will tell...Meantime, more film work in Glasgow with Silly Wee Films and THE INTERROGATION for the Virgin Shorts competition.

Then, audition pieces from Richard III learned and off to London for a succession of meetings. Quite a lot happening now and looking forward to dusting off the old RP and getting stuck in to some meaty parts!