“I was introduced to Dan as we prepared to start shooting STAGED, a TV series I’d written (and
was preparing to direct) for BBC1. He had come highly recommended as a possible Editor. I was
struck immediately by his enthusiasm, expertise and passion, and immediately
sought out examples of his previous work.

I was hugely impressed. I have a background in theatre, and my approach to writing STAGED
(shooting, as we were, under the limitations of lockdown) leant heavily on dialogue. Dan’s work
showcased a brilliant understanding of the rhythm of that kind of dialogue: the precision with which he
used cuts to let the language flow smoothly and stop suddenly was very exciting.
In addition, he displayed a unique inventiveness in how shots were stitched together. This was a vital
part of what I needed. The show was being shot on video-call software, so the range of type of shots
we had was small. He was clearly able to use a limited palette of shots to great effect, adding huge
value to the overall aesthetic and tone of the show.
His specific skill set made him the perfect person to join the STAGED team, and the experience has
been so positive that I’m already in talks to work with him again.

Dan’s contribution to the project was invaluable. This was my first experience of filmmaking, so I leant
on him significantly during pre-production. From an early stage, his background in making his own
work allowed him to contribute to the overarching story of the series and give brilliant feedback on
early drafts of the scripts. His thoughts on story and dialogue were specific, relevant and well thought
out, and many of them ultimately made their way into the shooting scripts.
When it came to planning the shoot itself, he was crucial in working out what we needed. He was an
invaluable technical resource as we attempted to remotely set up the equipment needed to capture
footage from computer camera: always on hand to trouble-shoot with me and our cast. Outside of that
video-call footage, we remotely filmed a series of two-shot set-ups, and both shot ourselves and
sourced a series of aerial shots. Dan guided me through shot-lists for our own footage, and cherry-
picked material from footage libraries which not only punctuated the faces-side-by-side sequences,
but also helped establish time, place and mood.
When it came to the edit itself, Dan was charged with cataloguing footage sent in from seven different
sources, then cutting it together by himself to make 100 minutes of the show. That he was able to
accomplish this in the three weeks we had, was remarkable, especially as there were days when the
editing of one episode overlapped with script feedback and shooting schedules for the next two. That
he was able to create something of such visual personality and flair, with such a deft touch around the
rhythm of highly naturalistic language, was all the more incredible, and a real testament to his
exemplary work ethic and creativity.

Dan’s work ethic is rare and invaluable. He works hard and selflessly, happy to make himself
available to discuss the progress of the project, or simply work into the night to ensure our deadlines
have been met. I trusted him to make decisions while I was writing or shooting, and have always been
impressed with the care he took with the story we were telling.
That said, what he offered to STAGED went beyond those areas: there is no doubt that the very
personality of the show owes a huge amount to Dan’s work. While his CV is already impressive, and
the calibre of project he’s been involved with is remarkable, his work on Staged has offered him the chance to breakout and display his own sense of style with confidence and skill.

Dan’s understanding of rhythm is extraordinary, and much of the comedy of the show relies on his
ability to string together thoughts, trimming the air between them, and driving forward to a punchline:
whether that’s a scripted line, or an off-script moment which might so easily have been overlooked.
There is comedy, pathos and nuance in the finished product which owes everything to Dan’s keen
eye and shrewd taste. When you add to that his skill at moving between (unavoidably) similar set-ups,
managing to offer a range of looks whilst landing the relevant story beats clearly, you know you’re
working with someone with places to go.
Dan is someone who deserves real praise and is poised to bring a huge amount to even higher
profile work and I have no hesitation in
recommending him.”