Role | Editor, Co-Director, Cinematographer
2019 | TV Documentary
Funders | Melt the Fly, BBC Scotland
Distributors | BBC One, BBC Scotland
Sink or Skim
The World Stone Skimming Championship is held on the tiny Scottish island of Easdale every year. Two obsessed skimmers show us what it takes to become the world's best.
Sink or Skim was the highest performing programme across all of Scotland's digital channels on its premiering night.
“... a beautifully made piece and it was funny watching it go out and looking at social media because people were going ‘I can’t believe they’re doing something about stone skimming. Is this part of their sport portfolio?’. But by the end of it the same people were going ‘That was really good’.”- Steve Carson, BBC Scotland’s Head of Multi-Platform Commissioning.
Watch Sink or Skim on demand.
A bit about the process
This was my debut broadcast documentary that I edited and Co-Directed with Austen McCowan. It was the seed that created the production company Melt the Fly. It did so well on BBC Scotland it was uplifted to BBC One’s ‘Our Lives’ series in a primetime slot. On of the most fun years of my career making this and I’m quite good at stone skimming now too.
Articles
The Times - Critic’s Choice
The Sun - Showbiz
The National
Spirituality & Stone Skimming - with Kurt Steiner
World Record Stone Skipper, Kurt Steiner takes us on a spiritual search for smooth flat stones and pearls of wisdom.
Created out of previously unseen footage from the BBC documentary Sink or Skim, this short film follows Kurt on his first ever trip to the UK as he explores the sports of stone skimming & skipping from an international perspective.
Ron Long the ‘Old Tosser’
Stone Skimming's most controversial tosser.
Ron Long, the 11-time over 65s World Champion, has Olympic ambitions for the sport. However, his man-made 'Little Dragon Stones' have caused a rift in this otherwise tranquil community and it's a debate that rages on.
Created out of previously unseen footage from the BBC documentary Sink or Skim, this short film follows Ron and the nuanced legacy he's creating for the sport of Stone Skimming.
Stone Skimming Official World Record | Dougie Isaacs | 121.8m (400ft)
We managed to capture and verify the World Record stone Skim during Sink or Skim’s production. It's not as easy you might think to film a throw like this, we hired a golf camera operator and put him on a scaffolding tower in a lake to capture every record attempt.
Film Festivals
Official Selection
Asian Premiere
Official Selection
Dunedin International Film Festival | 2020
Florida, USA
Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival | 2020
Tokyo, Japan
Oregon Documentary Film Festival | 2019
Canada
USA Premiere
Official Selection
Filmstock 13 | 2019
Luton, UK
Official Selection
Canada Shorts Film Festival | 2019
Canada
North American Premiere
Official Selection
Moscow Shorts | 2019
Moscow, Russia
International Premiere
Official Selection