Assistant Director

Assistant Director for Features, Shorts, Commercials and Corporates.

Responsible for delivering the Director & Productions’ vision within the timeframe and budget available, whilst supporting the cast and crew to communicate effectively, respect one another, and enjoy the process.

I am the messenger, the mediator, and the co-ordinator.

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‘you are the messenger, the mediator, and the co

‘you are the messenger, the mediator, and the co-ordinator’ - people sometimes ask what a 1st AD does on-set: from now on I’ll be using this description :)

It’s also a pretty perceptive observation for someone doing their first job post-drama school. Then again, Martha Maloney (pictured - star of ‘Last Gasp’, Dir: Tom Cholmondley, Prod: Henry Ajayi Ward) went to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (Daniel Day-Lewis, Olivia Colman etc) so: she may well go far…

Quality recognises quality: I took this photo aft

Quality recognises quality:

I took this photo after wrap on ‘Last Gasp’ (Dir: Tom Holmondley, Prod: Henry Ajayi Ward) yesterday:

Sarah Smither I have worked with many times before so i know she’s a class act: skilled, hard-working, creative, a great leader and collaborator.

I had never worked with David Suchet before - though i was familiar with his work - an incredible career thus far (turns out he was a dream to work with, a formidable performer: it was a privilege to watch him work…)

It was therefore a delight to see David acknowledge to Sarah how awesome she is: he was full of praise… Well deserved :)

I had a total blast working on short film ‘Care’ as part of the ‘Uncertain Kingdom’ scheme: it’s not always that the love of a project is able to transfer from the cast and the above the line talent on to the crew but I judge that it happened in spades on this shoot… Three days filming in an (empty) prison shouldn’t necessarily be a lot of fun, but because of the passion and skills on display throughout the cast and crew: it was a terrific experience. I look forward to seeing the final film!

CARE CAST & CREW:

Story by @stefodriscoll and Sophie Ellerby
Written by Sophie Ellerby
Directed by @stefodriscoll
Produced by @hannaheugenietookey | @thislittlerock & @lindsaycfraser | @finelineproductions
Supported by @uncertainkingdm in association with @firstflightspro and @goldfinchuk
Executive Producers - Nick Sadler, Kirsty Bell, Phil McKenzie.
For First Flights, Associate Producer - @spgoldfinch

Starring:
@ebenfigueiredo
Keith Allen
@jadeanouka
@vxlentine16
Yvonne Wickman
Casting Director - @emmasylvestercasting

DOP - @camerawomandop
Steadicam Operator - @rafajlh
1st AC - ella_brewin_camera
2nd AC - @_elsielean
DIT - @lucyisnotaneditor
Production Designer - @elkiesdesigns
Art Dept Assist - @daisyanthony129
Scenic Painter - @arielmeriel
Costume Designer - @savannah.blum
Costume Supervisor - @c.thomas_art
Hair & Make Up Designer - @tarapagemakeup
Movement Director - Yassmin Foster
1st AD - @oliverfilmm
Production Assistant - @shot_by_karina
Runner - @katie_rose_films
Runner - @nia_rani_film
Gaffer - @adamjpickford
Spark - @jakefabraham
Sound Recordists - @instagraeme2
Boom Op - @wellbedsound
Boom Op - @aaronkennedysound
Stills Photographer - @lukeross.stills
Editor - @amandaldn | @the_assembly_rooms
Composer - @Joe__munday
Music Supervisor - @opm.london
Vocalist - @salo.mcr
Camera & lighting equipment - @virentaluk @panavisionofficial @moonshinefilm
Location - @gloucesterprisonevents

Supporting Artists: Paul Black, Lee Gibbard, Dylan Guiny-Bailey, Farz Hakimifard, Joseph Harradine, Tadgh Joey Espeut-Nickless, Alex Lake, Jack Long, Tony Osborne, Colin Piper, Matthew Purgaus, Jacob Roberts, Christopher Rogoff, Jacob Roberts, Arijit Roy-Chowdhury, Benjamin Stuttard

- Having a terrific time working with a super tale

- Having a terrific time working with a super talented cast and crew this week - a testament to what great things can be acheived by a small but pro gang of creatives working together to adapt, support each other, and deliver excellence in style… i am grateful for jobs like this 🙏

for Pocket FM:
Crew:
Prod co: @js_productions
Dir: @alundpughe
DoP: @davemackie_dop
Sound: Simon Gennard
Art: @alanaashleydesign
MU: @makeupfx_by_anna
Camera/ligting: @charliebush.filmtv
Runner: Soohie Hashem via @bristolfilmschool_boomsatsuma
Cast includes
Bella Rose
Jason Sardinha @aquariothunder
Jack Armstrong

Cracking chat by Piers Leigh at the Tabb night the

Cracking chat by Piers Leigh at the Tabb night the Architect in Bristol yesterday entitled ‘how the hell do we shoot that’. The man has seen some stuff - from filming in tombs 30m below the pyramids, to filming baby crocodiles hunting bats in the dark in Gabon - there were some good stories :)

I had a brilliant time at the distortion studios i

I had a brilliant time at the distortion studios industry launch last week - the team put together a thorough demo of the creative capabilities of their virtual production studio & it was very entertaining and informative. It also reminded me of when we used similar tech on Darkgame... As a bonus, that films’ excellent DoP Louie was lensing the demo sessions too :)

#virtualproduction #bristolfilm #darkgame

Another London Screenwriter’s Festival went by i

Another London Screenwriter’s Festival went by in a flash: It’s been an absolute blast

This one was different from previous iterations, partly because of a 2 1/2 year gap since the last one, partly we did a hybrid Live AND streaming festival (not easy), and partly because I’m now a dad, and a cancer survivor, and, especially the fact that -more than ever before- over a dozen of our speakers were once attendees / volunteers at the fest…! Catching up with so may great people: stephen follows, rachel paterson, andrew dymond, julian friedmann and more…

The team was amazing - Chris, Bob, Lisa, Amy, Hamish, Jan, all the superhero volunteers, and our hosts Regent’s University Events: roll on 2025 :)

‘Who are your peers?’ Setting up for the 202

‘Who are your peers?’

Setting up for the 2024 edition of the London Screenwriter’s Festival: festival director Chris Jones running through the opening presentation - its gonna be awesome…

#screenwriting

Pragmatic Cheerleading: I love this shot from a r

Pragmatic Cheerleading:

I love this shot from a recent shoot with Creative Power Town working in association with Avon & Somerset Police (more pics to follow) - partly because it illustrates how different roles on set work. Our (excellent) director Jack Chapman @montybaxter is utterly focussed on the sound & vision, whilst I -his 1st AD- use the megaphone to tell the crew what we’re doing right now and what we’ll be doing next; plus a fair bit of pragmatic cheerleading to keep us on track. It’s a delicate thing, megaphone use: too loud and it seems like the AD is imposing their voice/will on everyone (and the neighbours would get pretty annoyed), too quiet and no-one can hear the message so there’s no point. There’s a sweet spot right in the middle - it’s fun to nail that :)

Big thanks to our gaffer on the shoot David Anderson @dave_thegaffer for seeing the opportunity / frame then taking (and sharing!) the image

One of my favourite testimonials from last year wa

One of my favourite testimonials from last year was from the incredible cinematographer @tamas.meder - thanks Tamas! Was a blast working with you! 🙏

I’m excited for the ‘Strike’ shoot with @san

I’m excited for the ‘Strike’ shoot with @sandstormfilms as part of their #sandstormslates initiative
- especially happy that we’ve got the shotlist AND all floorplans up to view (bottom of the pic) before DAY 1… 👌
#sandstorm #sandstormfilms #strikeshortfilm #shortfilm #bts

Sometimes in life you just need to get on a chair

Sometimes in life you just need to get on a chair and give a little speech: Fortunately Frey Billington @_fromagefrey knows a thing or two about being a 1st AD so was able to give a focal point & affirm Booms’ vision at the ‘Mentor Mingle’ for guests and students @boomsatsumafilmschool last night 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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Here’s my take everything there is to know about being an awesome 1st AD in one A4 page. This is draft 1: notes & additions are welcome

How to Be an Awesome 1st Assistant Director (in one page)Download

oliver.purches@gmail.com

I’m the guy in the red coat. Holding the walkie.

Telling our SA’s the plan