Ian Francis(I)
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Casting Department
- Actor
Primus Films Ltd Is a brand new Video Production Company founded by 'Medium' Writer, and Creative Director Ian Francis.
Committed to producing top quality films and videos in the short format. Longer than YouTube and Tik Tok allow (minimum 20 mins up to an hour) and by inviting sponsorship and benefactors into the mix Writer and Creative Director Ian Francis promises to include a film season of short works by writers and directors in his local community Southwark, where he has lived for 48 years .
During this time Ian has worked all over the world in a career that spans four decades with notable highlights. In 2020 he was invited by David Atkins Associates in Australia to take on the daunting task of delivering a massive production set entirely ON the Huanggpu River in his role as Production Stage Manager for the Live Expo Opening Ceremony in Shanghai.
He has for many years previous and since, worked continuously in Professional Theatre and Live Events as a Stage Manager and Showcaller with impressive credits to his name. Seasons with The Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford Upon Avon and London's National Theatre took him straight into the West End where he took charge of notable successes which included '42nd Street,' ' Miss Saigon' 'Blondel' 'Mack and Mabel, 'Me and My Girl' and 'They're Playing Our Song 'with Tom Conti and Gemma Craven
Film and television quickly followed. Most memorable as Assistant Director to Derek Jarman on his last three films. "It was without question one of the most productive and charming relationships I had ever had the good fortune to be thrown into, I also got to work with the beautiful Tilda Swinton who became a friend and mentor to me during our time together on all three of those films: 'The Garden' 'Edward II' and 'War Requiem" These were produced at the British Film Institute's Production Dept where he then met Terence Davies who invited him to work as his Assistant Director on his much acclaimed autobiographical film 'Distant Voices Still Lives.'
Much of Ian's film work at that time had been through a chance meeting on set with Sarah Swords a brilliant and much in demand Producer and Director then working a LOT at the BFI and Channel Four. They instantly hit it off and became very close friends and have been ever since. "Sarah is now married to the Oscar Winner for hair and make up on Peter Jackson's ''Lord of The Rings Trilogy, the brilliant Peter Swords King, "I do remember one day Sarah being quite critical of some of the Music Videos being put out by an almost unknown channel at that time called MTV ,
"Totally boring and unimaginative" she would mock rant in this put on English horsey voice which I thought was hilarious, "We should do something about it at once " and the next thing I know Sarah has created this company, my services have been requested as her Business Partner and together we ran the sublime Brilliant Pictures from a small office in Neals Yard near Covent Garden where tiny miracles were created changing the face of pop promos and videos for good.
It was creative powerhouse of bespoke designers, directors, writers and editors (including three times Oscar Winner for Costume Design Sandy Powell, the inimitable and superbly talented Cath Pater -Lancucki and the fabulous designer Alex McDowell who also went on to greatness as Art Director for Steven Spielberg. )"We didn't really think about it at the time but looking back now I think we probably produced some of the most creative and memorable music videos ever made, including Bananarama's 'Venus' , the award winning 'Close To Me' by the Cure and 'Life's What You Make It' by Talk Talk, Great stuff!"
Ian then spent nearly 16 years as a freelancer for the BBC and one of his annual "Joy's" was looking after the inimitable Terry Wogan live onstage at 'Proms In The Park' the annual bash of summer classical music madness in London's prestigious Hyde Park.
Now dividing his time between corporate and live events Ian, in-between writes his regular rants, blogs and short stories online for medium.com and its sister publication 'Illumination'. He also gets requests occasionally to pop over to Abu Dhabi and Dubai where he can be found creating Annual Spectacular Live Events for the Military and Air Force including the prestigious exhibition and Royal Calendar Events IDEX and ISNR
Ian's passion is Communication, and Writing is his deepest love. During the Lockdown's he wrote a short horror story entitled ' Lightning Hands' and realized as he was proofing it, the story was so relevant to the threat of Global Warming today, that he re- wrote it and created the screenplay for 'Metaphor' which he has just finished editing in time for the film's premiere' on YouTube later this month.
Primus Films is a project very close to Ian's heart and it was almost doomed when several projects were shelved due to Covid. Not to be deterred however 'Metaphor' is now the company's headliner first film and Ian's directorial debut, and this Ladies and Gentlemen is very much where the magic really begins.
During this time Ian has worked all over the world in a career that spans four decades with notable highlights. In 2020 he was invited by David Atkins Associates in Australia to take on the daunting task of delivering a massive production set entirely ON the Huanggpu River in his role as Production Stage Manager for the Live Expo Opening Ceremony in Shanghai.
He has for many years previous and since, worked continuously in Professional Theatre and Live Events as a Stage Manager and Showcaller with impressive credits to his name. Seasons with The Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford Upon Avon and London's National Theatre took him straight into the West End where he took charge of notable successes which included '42nd Street,' ' Miss Saigon' 'Blondel' 'Mack and Mabel, 'Me and My Girl' and 'They're Playing Our Song 'with Tom Conti and Gemma Craven
Film and television quickly followed. Most memorable as Assistant Director to Derek Jarman on his last three films. "It was without question one of the most productive and charming relationships I had ever had the good fortune to be thrown into, I also got to work with the beautiful Tilda Swinton who became a friend and mentor to me during our time together on all three of those films: 'The Garden' 'Edward II' and 'War Requiem" These were produced at the British Film Institute's Production Dept where he then met Terence Davies who invited him to work as his Assistant Director on his much acclaimed autobiographical film 'Distant Voices Still Lives.'
Much of Ian's film work at that time had been through a chance meeting on set with Sarah Swords a brilliant and much in demand Producer and Director then working a LOT at the BFI and Channel Four. They instantly hit it off and became very close friends and have been ever since. "Sarah is now married to the Oscar Winner for hair and make up on Peter Jackson's ''Lord of The Rings Trilogy, the brilliant Peter Swords King, "I do remember one day Sarah being quite critical of some of the Music Videos being put out by an almost unknown channel at that time called MTV ,
"Totally boring and unimaginative" she would mock rant in this put on English horsey voice which I thought was hilarious, "We should do something about it at once " and the next thing I know Sarah has created this company, my services have been requested as her Business Partner and together we ran the sublime Brilliant Pictures from a small office in Neals Yard near Covent Garden where tiny miracles were created changing the face of pop promos and videos for good.
It was creative powerhouse of bespoke designers, directors, writers and editors (including three times Oscar Winner for Costume Design Sandy Powell, the inimitable and superbly talented Cath Pater -Lancucki and the fabulous designer Alex McDowell who also went on to greatness as Art Director for Steven Spielberg. )"We didn't really think about it at the time but looking back now I think we probably produced some of the most creative and memorable music videos ever made, including Bananarama's 'Venus' , the award winning 'Close To Me' by the Cure and 'Life's What You Make It' by Talk Talk, Great stuff!"
Ian then spent nearly 16 years as a freelancer for the BBC and one of his annual "Joy's" was looking after the inimitable Terry Wogan live onstage at 'Proms In The Park' the annual bash of summer classical music madness in London's prestigious Hyde Park.
Now dividing his time between corporate and live events Ian, in-between writes his regular rants, blogs and short stories online for medium.com and its sister publication 'Illumination'. He also gets requests occasionally to pop over to Abu Dhabi and Dubai where he can be found creating Annual Spectacular Live Events for the Military and Air Force including the prestigious exhibition and Royal Calendar Events IDEX and ISNR
Ian's passion is Communication, and Writing is his deepest love. During the Lockdown's he wrote a short horror story entitled ' Lightning Hands' and realized as he was proofing it, the story was so relevant to the threat of Global Warming today, that he re- wrote it and created the screenplay for 'Metaphor' which he has just finished editing in time for the film's premiere' on YouTube later this month.
Primus Films is a project very close to Ian's heart and it was almost doomed when several projects were shelved due to Covid. Not to be deterred however 'Metaphor' is now the company's headliner first film and Ian's directorial debut, and this Ladies and Gentlemen is very much where the magic really begins.
