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About Me

Hi. I'm Jonathan.

I've been working in the media for the last ten years. I've worked as an editor, producer, cameraman and director but I've also found time to shoot studio portraits. As you can see from my portfolio, I've gained experience in a wide variety of media, acquiring many and varied skills along the way.

My specialisms though lie in formal portraiture and profile documentaries, like Last Man Out, the story of Wille Rodriguez, the last person to leave the Twin Towers on 9/11 and The Life of Dave, an account of the life and times of David Shayler, the MI5 whistle-blower and latter-day, self-styled Prophet.

01:35

Last Man Out

This is a trailer for my recently released film about William Rodriguez, janitor and last man out of the North Tower on the morning of September 11 2001. As one of the only holders of a master key to the building, Willie was instrumental in saving people as the tower collapsed and rescuing them from the rubble, the actions of a hero, for which he was praised and received a medal. As time went on though, he began to question the Official Story of the 9/11 Commission, as it did not accord with his personal experience that day, as he had heard many explosions while coming to the help of others. Last Man Out documents the attacks made on his credibility as a witness; his attempts to ensure that other witnesses in the Twin Towers had their corroborating evidence heard; official attempts to ensure his story was not heard; and the toll it took on his personal life, as he gave up everything to fight for the truth about 9/11. It also interviews many other eyewitnesses who were in the towers that day, including Kenny Johannemann, a New York fireman, who worked with Willie and helped him pull dying and injured people from the rubble. Above all, the film portrays the intense personal toll those who stand up for the truth have to undergo as they are maligned by the ignorant. `In the case of Kenny, this meant he took his own life -- three days after I interviewed him at his New York home. For this reason, Last Man Out is dedicated to his memor

05:50

The Life of Dave

A portrait of David Shayler, the MI5 officer who blew the whistle on the British intelligence services in the 1990s. It 'interrogates' him about his life and whistleblowing and how this led to his spiritual awakening and follows his progress over the years as he seeks to get his message out to mankind

I first got bitten by the film bug when I was 12. A friend of the family was a cameraman at the BBC. I remember him showing me the then state-of-the-art Beta Max camera and recording equipment he'd brought home. I was absolutely fascinated by this modern technology and its potential to change the world. From that moment, I knew a career in the media beckoned.

Nowadays of course, high tech kit is relatively cheap compared to what it was then. That means that individuals like me can produce films with the production values of Hollywood blockbusters and network television.

Of course having the right kit is only a part of the equation. As anyone in the media business will tell you -- whether they are director, cameraman, soundman or lighting technician -- you are only as good as your creativity, initiative and problem solving abilities will allow.

Every film, no matter whether fact or fiction, has to tell a story in the same way every studio portrait has to capture a unique moment or a quirk of character otherwise the audience or viewer will simply turn away.

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And that's where my experience of life comes in. I've spent time with truth activists, rappers, conjurers, bankers, small businessmen, multi-millionaires, aristocracy and even party planners! When I better understand people, I produce better work for them.

That way, I produce portraits or films which capture the essential character of each individual or company I work with whether it is a still studio portrait; a multimedia memento of a fun day at the annual company picnic or sports day; or the edited highlights of the latest, bang-up-to-date business seminar.

I also want to share what I have learnt over the years. That is why I also hold training courses on different aspects of the skill sets needed to succeed in the modern media world. As a seasoned professional, I can offer the sort of down-to-earth useful tips you really need to know when embarking on the free-lance life of the hand for hire.