Bio

Dan studied photography and graphic design before pursuing his passion for cinema and directing his first short FINDERS, KEEPERS while studying at the New York Film Academy. This micro-budget Hitchcockian film-noir picked up numerous awards on the film festival circuit, as did his second short – dark psychological thriller ABSOLUTION.

His screenwriting assignments include novel adaptations of ELLA by Uri Gellar, DRIVEN by Andrea Badenoch and FILTH by Irvine Welsh and original teen horror LONG TIME DEAD for Working Title Films/Universal starring Lukas Haas. His US horror spec DO OR DIE sold to Michael Kuhn’s Qwerty Films and made the prestigious “Brit List”.

Dan’s latest drama-fantasy short ALL THAT GLITTERS starring Sophia Myles and Alec Newman has garnered over 50 international film festival selections and 32 awards. He recently optioned his LA thriller SMOKE OUT to Foton Films with Menhaj Huda (KIDULTHOOD) attached to direct and is developing several film and series projects including his debut feature as director – near-future psychological thriller I-SELF.

Q&A

Tell us your backstory. How and why did you get into filmmaking?

Growing up, I had always enjoyed writing short stories, and after studying photography and graphic design at art college and working part-time in a video store (yes, it was that long ago haha), I wrote a short film script for a television competition here in the UK.

The script got nowhere but my friends liked it and encouraged me to continue writing. I did and wrote a full screenplay on spec then studied at the New York Film Academy for the summer. It was there that I fell in love with filmmaking and realised it was something I wanted to do full-time. Bizarrely, my first script got optioned, landed me an agent and everything took off from there.

What are the specific qualities that, in your opinion, make a film great?

It has to be entertaining and expertly paced – like a piece of music with appropriately spaced highs and lows that takes you subconsciously through a range of emotions. But most importantly a great film must be rooted in character and convey an emotional connection with the protagonist. It’s no good having your hero chased down a snowy mountain by a hoard of armed assassins unless you care about the hero and their goal. And the best screenplays have two goals for the hero – an internal and external one.

Often the most successful characters have internal and external goals that are intrinsically linked. Sometimes they are reflections of each other and sometimes polar opposites but typically with a shared thread between them. This way while pursuing an external goal the protagonist is inadvertently forced to confront their internal goal/flaw which is usually a deep-rooted issue and obstacle they are desperately trying to avoid, but must ultimately face in order to grow and transform by the end of the movie.

If you were to analyse all of your favourite films, the ones that really hooked you into your seat for the entire cinematic ride, you’ll probably discover that they conform to this kind of narrative paradigm. And when done well you don’t even notice it happening – it’s like magic! But when it’s done badly (which regrettably is more often than not) you notice something is off. Sometimes you don’t know what or why, just that for whatever reason the story or character isn’t working for you. If you were to anaylse those movies, you’ll probably find they didn’t root their story or plot in character and truths and the result is your attention is severed and you check your phone.

What films have been the most inspiring or influential to you and why?

Like music, I have a broad and eclectic taste when it comes to movies – it mostly depends on the mood I’m in. But I would say I was originally most influenced by Hitchcock (who was also a graphic designer) with the likes of “Rear Window”, “Rope” and “North By Northwest” and Spielberg with “Jaws” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark”.

Then in later years Tarantino hit the scene with “Reservoir Dogs” and that, along with Cameron Crowe’s seminal grunge scene indie “Singles” had a huge impact on me as a screenwriter. I loved the way Tarantino played around with structure and how both filmmakers wrote fluid and naturalistic dialogue.

What’s harder? Getting started or being able to keep going? And what drives you to continue making films?

Everyone I know in this industry has had a different experience trying to get their first break. I was lucky in that I managed to get a British television director to read my first screenplay without having an agent or even formatting it correctly. I was still learning the craft but he thought I had talent and potential and it led to securing representation and eventually my first paid writing job.

Keeping going is the hardest part because it’s a really, really, really tough business in which to make a living. Like with acting, it’s pretty much “feast” or “famine” between gigs and so filmmaking must be in your bones for you to maintain your discipline and persevere through multiple rejections.

The thing is, I just love telling stories and entertaining an audience, so the drive to continue after setbacks is typically the perspective you gain after a good night’s sleep. Writing for me is a cathartic process, hugely fun and spiritually rewarding. And if you as an artist can also convey deeper messages through your work and the characters and worlds you create which lead to reflection, debate and sometimes change, then that’s the cherry on the cake!

What is your favorite aspect of film production?

Since writing is a very solitary occupation, like a Hobbit finally emerging from his Hobbit hole for adventure, I enjoy all aspects of production because it means collaborating with a team to realise a shared creative vision.

In the pre-production phase, as a director, I enjoy scouting locations and discussing the look and feel of a film with my production designer, costume designer and director of photography… creating storyboards, mood boards, colour palettes and shot lists.

In production I love the vibe on set and working with actors, digging into the character and dialogue and seeing them perform their magic as together you discover the truths and authenticity in the subtext of your words.

And in post I love rediscovering the story in new ways in the editing room and collaborating with my composer on an original score.

What are the next project or projects you are beginning work on?

I am currently setting up my debut feature as director “I-SELF” – a near-future psychological thriller set in London. It is a bold and ambitious project (like my last short “All That Glitters” which won “Best Short Drama” at Breck 2022) but I don’t like to do anything by halves and am always keen to push and challenge myself. I currently have a sales agent on board and am in the process of securing finance.

I am also developing several other features and series through my production company Buckle Up Entertainment, focusing on dark and edgy content, and I am developing a slate of projects as a writer/director and also as a producer working with emerging talent.