filmmakers

BRETT SULLIVAN - DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

Brett Sullivan was born in Sydney, Australia, 1971. He graduated from the University of Technology in Sydney with a BA in Communications after being banned from the television studio for making too many pop promos.

He was one of the early adopters of computer graphics writing a book on the subject at age 19 and subsequently lecturing on emerging technologies at NSW University, Sydney University and Australian Film Television Radio School. As a technician Brett freelanced in motion graphics before founding a studio in 1995 with Julian Chow, later to be called Steam Motion & Sound. Steam is now a successful commercials production company in Sydney and London.

In 2005 Brett swapped Sydney for Soho, relocating to London to expand Steam's commercial production business as Creative Director. He has directed and produced hundreds of international commercials for major brands and entertainment companies. Special When Lit is his debut feature length film.

Brett is an accomplished musician and provides the original score to Special When Lit. He lives with his wife and four children in South London and still has his original Star Wars action figures from 1977.

CLAYTON JACOBSEN - PRODUCER

Clayton trained as a graphic artist with pens and pencils when they were still fashionable, before transferring to digital with the advent of desktop publishing in the early nineties.

A move into account management with advertising agency George Patterson Bates Dorland and then commercial TV production culminated in the opening of his own full service agency Digital Empire, encompassing print, post and digital. In this time he produced several tv documentaries and DVD releases.

Digital Empire merged with award winning studio Steam Motion and Sound in 2003 with Clayton relocating to London to open the UK office of Steam. He and partner Brett Sullivan lead the creative team producing commercials for entertainment and corporate clients.

Clayton dreams of one day having his own pinball arcade or joining the SAS.

EMILY RICKARD - LINE PRODUCER

With dreams of becoming a journalist, Emily Rickard studied politics and Broadcast Journalism at the University in Sydney, Australia, before realizing that what she really was interested in was telling stories. Spending nine years working in the Australian film industry as an Assistant Director of feature films and television drama, Emily honed her skills in the art of storytelling, and decided to take herself to London where her love of pinball was discovered. Researching and interviewing the colourful characters in Special When Lit has cemented her love of the game, and her love of telling a good character led story.