Primus Films Ltd UK 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 TikTok allow (minimum 20 mins up to an hour) and by inviting sponsorship funding and benefactors into the mix, writer and creative director Ian Francis hopes to include a film season of short works by other writers and directors in his local community Southwark in London , 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 Huangpu River. in his role as production stage manager for the Live Expo Opening Ceremony in Shanghai.
He has for many years 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,' ‘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 films were produced at the British Film Institute's production department where he was introduced to Terence Davies who, after an hilarious interview 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 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 Oscar Winner for hair and make up design on Peter Jackson’s ’Lord of The Rings’ trilogy: the brilliant and quite divine 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 un-imaginative” she would rant in a comical 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, Covent Garden where small 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 supremely talented Cath Pater -Lancucki and “Experimental Design” Director and Academy Award Nominee Alex McDowell who went on to greatness as production designer for Steven Spielberg, David Fincher and Tim Burton to name but a few.
“We didn’t really think about it at the time” Ian says with a smile “But looking back now I think we probably produced some of the most creative and memorable music videos ever made, and it was Sarah that was the driving force behind it all, that tireless energy she has and always with that magical sense of humour somehow bringing out the best in you”
The videos of course speak for themselves and include Bananarama's ‘Venus’ the award winning 'Close To Me' by the Cure and 'Life's What You Make It’ by Talk Talk, followed swiftly by Iggy Pop, Queen, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash, De Gamma and The Eurythmics, Great stuff!”.
There then followed nearly 16 years as a freelancer for the BBC and one of Ian’s favourite annual sojourns was looking after the inimitable Terry Wogan on ‘Proms In The Park’ The annual bash of summer classical madness at London's prestigious Hyde Park.
Now dividing his time between corporate and live events in-between writing his regular short stories online for medium.com and its sister publication 'Illumination’. Ian goes to to Abu Dhabi and Dubai where he can on occasions be found creating the odd spectacular live event for the military and air force. These include the prestigious exhibition and Royal calendar events IDEX and ISNR
Ians passion is communication, and writing is his deepest love. During the covid lock-down's it kept him busy ( and sane) as any other work was completely decimated due to the strict policy on the banning of large crowds, which meant no theatres, studios or arenas were open to the public
Ian took to his writing and a short horror story 'Lightning Hands’.
Realising that the story was so relevant to the threat of global warming today, he then 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 was almost doomed when several projects were shelved due to Covid, but not to be deterred, 'Metaphor' is now the company’s first film which is also Ian's directorial debut, and this ladies and gentlemen is very much where the magic really begins.
