Experience

Rouleur

• United Kingdom
• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Writer/Reporter

  • 2012 - Present

  Immersed in the murky waters of pro cycling: on doping controllers lost in muddy fields, flooded villagers and unhinged directeurs sportifs. Working with amazing photographers like Taz Darling, Michael Blann and Paolo Martelli. Excerpt from portrait of Flemish cycle author Herman Chevrolet:'[...] In spite of recurring doping scandals and journalists losing some of their verve over the years, fans continue to return in millions and to Herman it's obvious why: "We like drama and the Tour offers it in bucket loads. Why do you think Hollywood movies are so popular? Because heroes and mythical journeys fulfil a deeper need and the stories of professional riders follow exactly the same patterns." We can find all genres in cycling - except maybe comedy, although the UCI shows great promise.Herman sees Armstrong as a tragic hero in the most classical sense - a modern-day Icarus. "The Texan's journey would make a great Scorsese movie. If you look at cycling as a form of drama or fiction, you'll see an ever evolving masterpiece of human drama up there with the best - Dante, Homer, Shakespeare, you name it. The great stage races and the classics have it all to match the best of cinema and literature."No-one goes to the movies for an easy ride. We want lies, we want deception. We want murder. "Watching crooked guys doing crooked things is always going to be more exciting. And that goes for cycling too. The current hypocrisy could be the death-knell of the peloton." Cycling is drama and that's what people want, not a sterile race without hidden agendas.Cycling isn't for people who want definitive answers. Like readers or novels or film fans, cycling aficionados constantly move between wild abandonment and cold hearted post-race analysis. That's what passion is all about: being dazzled, but also wanting to understand [...]'



Publishing

• Author & Digital Strategy

  • 2007 - Present

  Self-published the Scandinavian thriller The Ice Cage on Amazon. The digital strategy and ensuing success (#1 in Scandinavian Crime on Kindle UK in Dec 2013, ahead of publishing phenomena Larsson, Mankell and Nesbo) led to invaluable cross-media insights and offers to write books on digital concepts, not to mention film producers wanting to adapt The Ice Cage. Self-publishing was a choice that paid off. Not only was it a better financial deal, but most importantly it was an empowering learning curve which has benefited me hugely across all professional activities. On a more practical level, digital concept design has added a dimension to my traditional storytelling skills by being a constant reminder of the hidden structures you would usually mask in a screenplay, film or novel. It also enables innovation in teaching, learning and consultancy.



Rouleur Magazine, SpeakMedia UK, Lee Valley VeloPark

• Freelance Rouleur Magazine, SpeakMedia UK, Herne Hill Velodrome, Lee Valley VeloPark...

  • Jan 2006 - Present



Freelance

• Visiting Tutor/Senior Lecturer

  • Jan 2003 - Present

  Freelance tutor/lecturer in film and transmedia (theory and practice)Most recently Visiting Lecturer Film Style (Arts University Bournemouth). Previously Visiting Lecturer in Storytelling (Breda University of Applied Sciences), Senior Lecturer in Film History and Critical Theory (Arts University Bournemouth) and Lecturer in Film and Media Studies (University of Bayreuth). See below for details. Freelance tutor/lecturer in film and transmedia (theory and practice)Most recently Visiting Lecturer Film Style (Arts University Bournemouth). Previously Visiting Lecturer in Storytelling (Breda University of Applied Sciences), Senior Lecturer in Film History and Critical Theory (Arts University Bournemouth) and Lecturer in Film and Media Studies (University of Bayreuth). See below for details.



Self-employed

• Screenwriter & Script Consultant

  • 1993 - Present

  Development & pitching of own ideas as well as commissions from broadcasters (BBC, VPRO, KRO, NPS...) and indie producers (Lemming, Bard Entertainment, Bos Bros...). Commissions in The Netherlands and the UK. Highlights: TV movies 'Man, Vrouw, Hondje' (NL, 1998, 90 min) and 'Polonaise' (NL, 2002, 90 min), which was nominated for the Critics' Award at the The Netherlands Film Festival in Utrecht. The screenplay was also awarded the European Broadcasting Union's Grand Prix Europe-Geneva, including 200,000 Swiss Francs towards the production. Current commissions (2015) include co-writing a three-part true crime series for October Films/Investigation Discovery and two episodes of historical drama for October Films/History Channel.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0632335/



NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences

• Netherlands
• Higher Education
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Visiting Lecturer Storytelling & Narratology

  • 2010 - 2011

  Teaching of narratology and storytelling (story and culture) on the MA Media Innovation at the Academy for Digital Entertainment. This was the first year of the MA. Also assisted course originator Prof Dr Hans Bouwknegt in curriculum development. Breda has a unique and inspiring approach, deploying Media Theory as a design tool. It requires work to penetrate the theory, but once you're in there's no way out - the theory merges with digital reality. Teaching of narratology and storytelling (story and culture) on the MA Media Innovation at the Academy for Digital Entertainment. This was the first year of the MA. Also assisted course originator Prof Dr Hans Bouwknegt in curriculum development. Breda has a unique and inspiring approach, deploying Media Theory as a design tool. It requires work to penetrate the theory, but once you're in there's no way out - the theory merges with digital reality.



Arts University Bournemouth

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Senior Lecturer in Film Production (Film History & Critical Theory)

  • 2006 - 2007

  Teaching on the BA (Hons) Film Production: film theory, research projects, grad film supervision, script development of half of the grad films, curriculum development. Hired for my combination of theory (PhD) and industry practice (produced screenwriter, creative producer). Also contributed to the theory seminar of the newly-established MA Photography. Teaching on the BA (Hons) Film Production: film theory, research projects, grad film supervision, script development of half of the grad films, curriculum development. Hired for my combination of theory (PhD) and industry practice (produced screenwriter, creative producer). Also contributed to the theory seminar of the newly-established MA Photography.



University of Bayreuth

• Germany
• Research Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Lecturer in Film & Media Studies

  • 2002 - 2005

  Assisted dept chair Prof Dr Juergen E Mueller with curriculum design for BA (Hons) Media Studies from the outset (the first programme its kind in Bavaria), especially the integration of theory and practice. Taught units on film, storytelling and cultural identity; scriptwriting; script-editing; media narratology; designed and led units on film and media production as a collaborative process of storytelling (from script to short film); also supervised Campus-TV, a student-run production hub broadcasting on a regional cable channel in Bavaria.