Robert is a film director and lead writer in a collaborative process. He also takes a leading role in the development of projects. Together with Producer Helen Trew they have established OurLand Productions and are particularly interested in socially engaged film, often in development contexts.

THE CHILDREN’S MARCH, with development support from Creative Scotland, writer Ghazi Hussein, Filmmaker Ian Dodds, and Robert developed the project on the Turkish/Syrian border with the support of Okan Yahşi and the Blue Crescent.

His first feature TROUBLE SLEEPING , supported by Scottish Screen, BBC and the European Union premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival ‘08, screened on BBC2 and won “Best New Work” at the BAFTA New Talent Awards and four Best Film awards at international festivals. It was chosen as the opening film for Amnesty International’s Anniversary Festival of Human Rights in Delhi, India.

THE HAPPY LANDS , Robert’s second full-length feature drama, premiered at The Glasgow Film Festival ’12, supported by Creative Scotland and  BBC Scotland it was distributed by Soda Pictures, Picturehouse and Distrify. Joki Wallace was nominated for an acting  BAFTA and it received “Best Film” at New York’s Labor Film Festival. It was ranked number 4 by the Huffingdon Posts Best Film of 2013 (beating “Django” into fifth place).

FREEZE  Eleven young carers from the Scottish Borders created a story that portrays the life of a young carer coping with an alcohol dependant mother. Kelly Parish was nominated BAFTA New Talent Best Actor.  Freeze was produced by VOMO, in partnership with the Princes Royal Trust Borders Young Carers Project as part of Creative Identities, funded by the Scottish Government’s Cashback For Communities initiative.