RYAN BLACKWOOD BIO

 

Ryan is a UK based camera operator and drone pilot who offers a love of documentary filmmaking and the natural world.

Ryan has 20 years experience producing films, and over 10 years experience as a a camera operator. His broadcast clients include National Geographic, HBO, BBC, ITN and Channel 4. His commercial clients include Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, Amazon, Fifa, BMW, Starbucks, Visa and Boeing.

His work had taken him to Vietnam, Singapore, Germany, Poland and Egypt – and  every corner of Scotland! As a producer he has received one nomination and one win from BAFTA Scotland New Talent.

Ryan loves the thrill of filming, often in challenging places, to produce the best images possible. Ryan graduated from the Screen Academy Scotland with a first-class honours in 2007 has been making films since he was 16 years old. 

 


Mitch Turnbull

Mitch Turnbull

Director / Producer / Plimsoll Productions

Ryan was super conscientious and worked beyond his brief whilst filming with me on a British wildlife series for Channel 5. I would highly recommend him.

RYAN BLACKWOOD BIO

___2023___

‘Ken Loach: The Art of Activism’ documentary 60′ Dir: Pierre Chassagnieux – 2nd camera

‘Reforesting the Highlands’ (Spiegel TV) 30′  Dir: Daniel Hissen – DoP

‘The One Show drone feature’ (BBC) – Drone Operator

Octopus Energy, Whisper TV, Omaze, ITN drama behind the scenes, Syngenta, People’s Postcode Lottery, First Look TV, KFC, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Getty Images, Speakeasy Films, Josh Louder, UX Scotland, Liontrust, Alternatives, Jonnie Walker (Diageo), Fort Douglas, BMW, UK Divest, UK Government, TAC Holdings, Bet 365, Peatland ACTION Project, Women’s 10k race Glasgow, EIFF Trailer, Go Fiber, DEC appeal, Pukka Films

___2022___

National Geographic / Windfall Films ‘Europe from Above’ – Scotland Episode

Robson and Jim’s Fly Fishing Adventure (ITV)

Grand Designs: The Street

The Great Game (dir: Magnus Wake)

The secrets of Big Data (directed by Kristian Jebsen)

John Dewars, Ardbeg, The council of Whiskey Masters, Weir Group (for MTP), Bloomberg Philanthropies (COP 27), Artemis, Specsavers, ‘The Death of the Queen’ arteus, Imperial Brands, ITN business films, NFU Mutual, Quadmark, Smart Energy UK, Stagecast Edinburgh Int’l Festival, Edinburgh Unlocked series 2, – episode 1-3, Aldi, Glenmorangie, aberdeen conference, Bright Bus Tours, (Signal Films), NHS, Celtic FC, Shell, MediaZoo, drone for german TV show, Scottish Water, Homestore and More advert, napier university, Betabugs (Mediazoo),

___2021___

Scottish Smallholders Festival, George Heriots School, UK government films for COP, Solariskit, Remode Collective, Indienature, Glenfiddich, MacCallan (Tanami), Nestle Scotland V Tonga, The f Word Media Company,

___2020___

Covid and stuff

___2019___

I Filmed a mini-doc with People’s Postcode Lottery and a film for Boroughmuir Rugby Club. I shot my first film with the RSPB and began shooting and editing a series of films for the UK Government. I expanded my news clients to include Al Jazeera and several Russian TV channels. Shot my first Tex X series and.

Filmed for BBC2, ITN and HBO’s Succession . Traveled around the country with People’s Postcode Lottery and Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Filmed the Edinbrugh Festival with Oxford University press. Other TV credits include ‘Real Prime Suspect’ and became a recurring operator with ITV signpost.

___2018___

2018  began filming for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay – live filming at the stroke of midnight and it’s been busy since. Continuing work with Channel 4 News and ITN, HM Government and the Yesterday Channel, FinPix and KFC, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and a number of Scotland’s leading Universities.

___2017___

In January 2017 I published my first wildlife camera operator showreel, I also filmed Pine Martens for Channel 5’s ‘Wild Britain’ series. Other broadcast credits include an ITN documentary about Prince Charles.

___2016___

This year I filmed and edited 11 films for Visit Scotland, TV spots for the BBC and PBS as well as a series for the British Council. I was also invited back to edit the Edinburgh Film festival trailer (a favourite editing job of mine), I completed a course documentary filmmaking course at the NFTS and on November 30th our baby girl, Robyn was born. I officially left Butterfly Films, our sister company to focus on freelance work.

___2015___

I shot nearly a dozen travel films for Visit Britain across Scotland, England and Wales. Other clients included the Smithsonian Chanel, Tesco bank, Thompson Reuters, Prostate Cancer UK, Ladbrokes, Scottish Widows and Royal London.

___2014___

Jen and I became proud parents to our son Oliver and I returned to working as a full-time freelance camera operator shooting for the likes of Channel 4, CBBC, Heineken, Adobe, Police Scotland, Edinburgh Council and Standard Life. Butterfly Films, our sister company, was again award-nominated.

___2013___

As Broadcast Services Coordinator for Metro Ecosse I managed their broadcast facilities and shot and edited for larger corporate clients such as RBS, Experian, Deloitte, DC Thompson and Belhaven Brewery.

___2012___

I set up Butterfly Films and within our first year of business we were nominated for a VOWS Award and working for Edinburgh University, Panda Liquorice, Kumho Tyres and The Royal Yacht Britannia.

___2011___

I produced short film ‘Lu na. tic’ directed by Daniel Gough and I also worked as the Digital Content Producer for the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

___2010___

I established oooi with two other creatives as a start-up ad digital agency producing in-house films, web and graphics. The business ran for 18 months and we worked with clients such as 241 Media, ERM CVS, Sofas in Stock and Meridian Productivity.

___2009___

I produced ECA film ‘Entwined’ which won BAFTA New Talent award. I joined the BBC Talent pool and worked on TV shows such as ‘Raven’ and ‘The Adventure Show’ in the production department.

___2008___

My graduation film ‘Seaside’ was nominated for a BAFTA New Talent award and screened at various international film festivals. I also produced ‘Hollow Bones’ which was nominated for the Jim Poole Award.

___2007___

I graduated with a first class honours degree in ‘Photography & Film’ from the Skillset Screen Academy.

___2005___

I programmed and managed Silver Screen Shorts for three years, an annual film festival which featured work from new filmmakers around the world.

___2004___
Began studying at Napier university’s Photography & Film’ programme.

___2003___

I studied ‘Film & TV’ Degree Foundation course at Stevenson College.

___2002___

I filmed and edited ‘Sabrina’s Bollywood‘ a Scottish Kids Are Making Movies production. The film went onto win a First Light ‘Best documentary award’. I also filmed and edited ‘One Point of View’ a 25 minute fiction film.

___2001___

Aged 16 I created my first proper short film with two friends and an SVHS camera.