My journey from full-time athlete to working as a DOP and video production company owner.

My journey to running a video production company is perhaps not the usual one…

I originally learnt how to shoot and edit videos creating content for my sporting sponsors - I’ve been on the GB kayak team since 2004 and was the 2011 World Kayak Champion. My love of filming blossomed alongside my kayak skills - aged eighteen I filmed all of our kayak adventures for a season and released a successful feature length kayak film called "Next Ticket".

Being quite a niche sport I realised that although as immensely enjoyable as it was to be a ”professional kayaker” it meant I only really managed to cover the costs of doing my sport without really being able to earn anything extra on top. That income would also most likely drop as I get older and my results opportunities in the sport would most likely decline.

Looking at the skills I developed creating videos for sponsors within and outside kayaking I realised that since I loved filming perhaps this could be an ideal career path post kayaking. So in 2015 I retired from making my full-time income from kayaking (although I still compete) and focused on taking my cinematography skills to the next level.

2015-2017 I worked at a design and marketing company as their in-house videographer creating corporate videos for global brands like Red Bull, Nestle, Oakley and Swisscom and in my days off I shot music videos, ads and short films to satisfy my creative needs and further develop my skills.

In 2017 I joined the in-house team at ABF Pictures Ltd. This was where I got to take things to a whole new level. I got to shoot and edit TV commercials & corporate projects with decent budgets. I was fortunate enough to work alongside some extremely talented directors of photography and directors and by doing so learnt to frame, light and operate with confidence in complex and challenging scenarios as part of a crew and also in smaller teams on the lower budget jobs.

Working with ABF Pictures Ltd

The place where I really learnt my craft.

The next turning point was when TV presenter and explorer Steve Backshall asked me to be part of a team kayaking a first descent in Bhutan working as the on water cameraman for the TV series “Expedition with Steve Backshall”. After this experience I wanted the freedom to be able to say yes to any opportunities so I left ABF to go freelance again in late 2018 - I’m forever grateful to Matt & Paul at ABF for giving me the opportunity and I still can be found behind the camera on many an ABF shoot as a freelance cam OP/ DOP.

Using the skills gained as an adventurer and kayaker i’ve operated in all manner of hazardous and hard to reach environments to get engaging coverage and unique shots. After choosing to pursue a life behind the lens post kayaking the journey and opportunities I’ve taken have helped me to merge those unique outdoor skills with a wide ranging cinematographic base.

Below is a behind the scenes video from our expedition to Bhutan

Since the winter of 2018 I’ve been working as a freelancer for other production companies but also started slothfilm together with my wife Katya to do our own productions using all the skills I’ve gained over the last 10 years to help businesses understand what videos will help them most and then create content packages to meet their needs.

I’d say my niche is being able to achieve high production value shots at a fraction of the cost and time many productions are used to. I achieve this using a diverse skillset derived from my unusual background.

I’m just as at home being part of a large crew working collaboratively as I am working solo kayaking backwards down an un-run river filming a piece to camera whilst navigating grade 5 rapids.

What drove me to enjoy working in such opposite ends of the filming spectrum is what led to my success in kayaking. I love to technically and creatively figure out challenges and innovate solutions.

Now as we start to grow slothfilm it’s an exciting time of use and the opportunities to keep learning and developing doing our own work at slothfilm and also from being a freelance DOP / camera operator keep me hungry and excited.

Looking forward to what the future holds!