Gary Williamson - Production Designer

Biography

Gary grew up dodging the bullets and sectarian violence in Belfast, repeatedly attacked for supporting the wrong football team or the wrong religion. One year into Art school, the army moved in, so he legged it to Nottingham, qualifying with a First Degree Honours in Theatre Design.

Out of his wildest dreams he gained an M.A. at the Slade School of Fine Art; tutored by Peter Snow and Nico Georgiadis. He went on to assist Nico with his theatre projects and on to the film Nijinsky, directed by Herbert Ross. Gary was responsible for recreating Diaghilev’s ballets.

At the BBC he worked with Dennis Potter and then went freelance with Dennis, working on projects such as “Lipstick on your collar” (winning a RTS award) “Midnight Movie” and “Karaoke” and the only feature film Dennis directed, “Secret Friends”, staring Alan Bates.

Gary enjoys the challenges of all types of projects, whether it’s dealing with low budgets such as Richard E Grant’s “Wah Wah” shot in Swaziland, where he had no office, no internet, no telephone, no toilet, no money and as time went on very nearly no visa (see Richards book) or on projects with more backing like “Double Zero”, a James Bond spoof film packed with fight sequences and explosions, shot in London, France, and South America.

Gary’s last project was shot in London and in Paris with Antoine de Caunes, “Desaccord Parfait”, (Twice Upon a Time) a love story for older people. With two art departments to organise and supervise, one in London and one in Paris, this was a challenging project. Try putting a 4ft by 2ft model through a luggage scanner, and explaining the finer points of design to the French Gendarmerie when you have 3mins to catch the Eurostar home...

Gary just loves designing, and believes it lies at the heart of any successful project in every discipline; TV, film or commercials. He brings his enthusiasm, energy and a loyal committed team to any idea he undertakes.

Films

• Désaccord Parfait (Twice Upon A Time), Dir. Antoine de Caunes
• Wah Wah, Dir. Richard E Grant
• The Escort, Dir. Michel Blanc

Commercials

• 12 Days, VH1, Dir. Vince Squibb, Gorgeous
• Kustomology, Wrigley’s, Dir. Nicolai Fuglsig, MJZ
• Magnet, Wrigley’s, Dir. Nicolai Fuglsig, MJZ
• Masterwork, Stella Artois, Dir. Matthijs Van Heijningen, MJZ
• Ouch, Barclays, Dir. Vince Squibb, Gorgeous
• Own...et Blowing, Ford Focus, Dir. Lenny Dorfman, MJZ
• The Race, Carling, Dir. Nicolai Fuglsig, MJZ

Contact

International Creative Management
Oxford House
76 Oxford Street
London
W1D 1BS

Tel: ++44 (0) 20 7636 6565
Fax: ++44 (0) 20 7323 0101

Features/TV: Sue Greenleaves :
suegreenleaves@icmlondon.co.uk

Commercials: Rachael Taylor :
rachaeltaylor@icmlondon.co.uk

Gary Williamson :
gary@gary-williamson.co.uk