051 - Ian Derry
© Ian Derry
Ian Derry started his career 35 years ago at the tender age of 15 when he embarked on an old school apprenticeship in regional newspaper photography, cutting his teeth in the early 80’s during a huge national news story: the Falklands war. From that solid and in many ways enviable foundation there followed a natural and necessary move to London where he immediately began working for the national press, both broadsheets and tabloids alike, as both a freelancer and a staff photographer, gaining a dizzying breadth of experience from hard news stories during the conflict in Bosnia to celebrity portraits, catwalk fashion shoots and everything in between. Ian then reinvented himself completely, moving away from the newspaper world and establishing himself as a top flight portrait, advertising and commercial phottographer, mainly focussing on ‘A’ list actors and celebrities and sport and fitness. His latest reinvention sees him transition from stills to the moving image. His second short film, Johanna, about Finnish world champion under ice freediver Johanna Nordblad was self-funded with the insurance payout from a serious cycling accident and has been a massive viral hit online with 15 million views and counting, kickstarting Ian’s directing career and quickly earning him a place on the roster of film production company and directing agents Archer’s Mark.
In episode 051, Ian discusses, among other things:
His newspaper apprenticeship
The move to London and the national press
A transition to portraiture and commercial work
Exploring video and making Johanna
Collaboration, narrative and ideas
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | The making of Johanna film
“If you don’t have a story, you don’t have anything”
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