Julian Doyle joins Skyros-in-Cambodia

You might think directing a film ends with its release but ‘oh no!’ Publicity takes over your world. I was in the middle of this for my film ‘Chemical Wedding' and also caught up with the publicity for the New Monty Python documentary when I was rescued by a request from Skyros to help them out on their holiday in Cambodia. Film director Anna Campion had pulled out from teaching at the last minute. Could I help?





[Above: JULIAN DOYLE, BRUCE DICKINSON and SIMON CALLOW publicising their film, 'CHEMICAL WEDDING']

[Left: JULIAN DOYLE interviewed for MONTY PYTHON DOCUMENTARY]





So.... escape to the Jungle where I could imagine myself as Alan Quartermain showing how to shoot Elephants and Monkey’s – not with a gun but with a digital camera.

Keep your camera on automatic and wide angle, at the ready, then zoom in once you see your prey.



We tracked all day following the trail of elephant droppings finally out onto a grassy plane. Now I really felt like a scene from ‘King Solomon’s Mines’ as I brought up the rear of our snaking band. A few brief glimpses of wild game but as we returned to our landrovers – there were the monkeys waiting to scrounge off us by the road!



A few days later and I was Indian Jones in the TEMPLE OF DOOM – searching lost Temples hidden in the forests by huge waterfalls where massive trees whose roots snake round dark doorways. Now back to the cold of London and more interviews - it was all like a lovely dream that will stay with me.


Julian Doyle, one of the world's most versatile Film Makers, ran the Digital Photography and Film course for Skyros on it's overland tour in Cambodia this January, 2010. Find out more about the creative courses available in Greece this season at www.skyros.com.

Julian has written, directed, photographed, edited and created special Fx's in feature films all to the highest standards. He has also won awards for directing pop videos such as Kate Bush's 'CLOUDBUSTING' featuring Donald Sutherland and Iron Maiden's hit 'CAN I PLAY WITH MADNESS'. He is most famous for editing MONTY PYTHON film 'LIFE OF BRIAN' and shooting the Fx's for Terry Gilliam's 'TIMEBANDITS' and 'BRAZIL' which he also edited. He has just completed 'CHEMICAL WEDDING', an occult thriller starring Simon Callow.