Red Bus Movies Ltd
On the face of it, the decision to start a production company in the middle of a pandemic could only be described as madness.
Yet that is exactly what I did in March 2021 when, after 25 years as a professional writer, I decided that if I wasn't going to go for it now, I never would. So, after talking it over with my wife Tina, I took the plunge.
The reasoning however, was sound. For with the industry effectively stalled and so many projects at various stages of development -some of which were already sitting on production company desks waiting for decisions- going it alone seemed like the ideal way to effectively re-brand myself and take control of my work. Equally, as a veteran I had always been keen on the idea of doing something which would give back to the armed forces community. Not just through charitable support, but by providing genuine opportunities for veterans to work in the film and television industry both as cast and crew.
This seemed like the perfect way to do all that and so Red Bus Movies was born.
It worked almost immediately. A script called The Battle Of Stathie Manor that I'd written with my We Still Kill The Old Way co-writer, Gary Lawrence had already attracted interest from John Adams and Diane Shorthouse at Evolutionary Films and this gave it fresh imputus. So much so that with the support of the UK Global Screen Fund (a DCMS fund administered by the BFI) we were soon heading for production with our first project.
With The Battle Of Stathie Manor in Evolutionary Films safe hands, we've turned our attention to further projects including a feature film which is going to be something very special.
Exciting times.
Perhaps best known for penning the cult classic and internationally award winning feature, Green Street, Dougie Brimson has written numerous award winning features with more currently in development including The Battle For Stathie Manor (Evolutionary Film, UK).
In February 2023, his short, The Gentle Sex (starring Dame Joan Collins) was nominated for Best Screenplay at the Idyllwild Film Festival in California whilst he recently made his directorial debut with another short film, Jack & Jill. He directed his second short, Battle Cry, in March 2023. Both are currently enjoying success on the film festival circuit.
Aside from the film world, BAFTA member Dougie is a multi-million selling author with 17 books on his back list including non-fiction, fiction-thriller and fiction-comedy titles. All are available on Amazon
Bibliography - Directing
Battle Cry - Short - 2023
Jack & Jill - Short - 2023
Bibliography - Screenwriting
Battle Cry - Short - co-writer (dir: Dougie Brimson) 2023
Jack & Jill - Short - co-writer (dir: Dougie Brimson) 2023
We Still Kill The Old Way - Feature - lead writer 2014
Top Dog - Feature - sole writer (dir: Martin Kemp) 2014
Green Street - Feature - lead writer (dir: Lexi Alexander) 2005
It's a Casual Life - Short - sole writer (dir: Jon S Baird) 2003
Bibliography - Publishing
Fiction - Thrillers
Top Dog (Headline) 2001
The Crew (Headline) 1999
Fiction - Comedy
Wings of a Sparrow (Caffeine Nights Publishing) 2012
Billy's Log (Headline) 2000
Non-fiction
March of the Hooligans (Virgin USA) 2007
Rebellion (John Blake) 2006
Kicking Off (Headline) 2006
Eurotrashed (Headline) 2003
Barmy Army (Headline) 2000
Derby Days (Headline) 1998
Capital Punishment (Headline) 1997
England, My England (Headline) 1996
Everywhere We Go (Headline) 1996
Non-fiction - comedy
The Art of Fart (EBook Partnership) 2011
The Geezers' Guide to Football (Mainstream) 1998
Director of Development and executive producer.
Sonia Beldom has created series for superstars such as Victoria Wood, Robson Green, The Hairy Bikers and while Head of On Screen Talent at
Mentorn Media she was part of the team to bring Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington to SKY 1’s “An Idiot Abroad”.
In 2013 she set up the factual entertainment company, Babygrand Productions, bringing David Walliams to “Chitty Flies Again” for Channel 4 and developing series for Ray Winstone and Sheridan Smith.
In addition to dreaming up factual and drama TV ideas Sonia is an in-demand Executive Coach, specialising in communication and confidence skills for the creative industries around the world.
Ironically, Sonia is the only member of the team who can legally drive an actual red bus. For having fallen in love with driving big vehicles whilst working on her first original TV commission (Panic Mechanics - BBC1) she qualified to drive Routemaster buses and can often be seen driving one around London in her spare time.
Her affection for Routemasters led to the writing and publication of “Granny Franny’s Big Red Bus” to raise funds for the drivers and families affected by Covid. Encouraged by the reaction from children and parents, a second book followed with a third due for release Spring 2022.
Sonia can often be heard by her neighbours playing jazz piano and is the creator of soniasmum.com - a funny, uplifting and often emotional blog about growing up with a mentally ill mother.
TV shows - creator / casting Exec Producer
An Idiot Abroad, SKY1
Victoria’s Empire, BBC1
Panic Mechanics, BBC2
Hairy Bikers’ Mississippi Adventure, UKTV
Robson Green’s How the North Built Britain, ITV
John Sergeant On The Tourist Trail, ITV
Elizabeth Taylor: Auction of a Lifetime, Channel 4
The Road to Saigon, Channel 5
Celebrity eggheads, BBC2
Seven Deadly Sins of the Animal Kingdom, Discovery
