Namaste

Every day at the moment seems to be filled to the brim, mostly with working on my own film Sleepless 'til Seattle of course, which recently launched a fundraising site (link on the right). Then there's the fun task of supporting my friend Pauline on her continuing world cycle. There are also a number of paid pieces of work now trickling in, which is of course very welcome.

Occasionally I am asked to give of my skills for free, which all depends on my available time and on the project itself. However, sometimes there's really not much to think about. One such event has presented itself in the last few weeks.

On the 21 June this year, for 4 days, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will once again visit Scotland and I am to be his official film director for the visit. A great prestigious honour.

This is not the first time I have been trusted with such a responsibility. Back in 2004 I led 3 camera crews throughout Edinburgh and Dunfermline during a previous visit. This time will prove to be no less engaging.

He will start off in Edinburgh, then on to Dundee and finally to Inverness. I will have a smaller crew this time but greater access, though last time having lunch in his company was access enough! It wasn't until the visit was over on that occasion, when people were speaking to me about it, that i realised what an incredible experience it had been. I was so focused on the job in hand I forgot I was in the presence of a leading world religious leader, admired by almost everyone on the planet!

If you'd like to find out more about his visit just follow this link: Dalai Lama Scotland.

The Dalai Lama's current home is in McLeod Ganj, just above Dharamsala in India and I visited there in spring of 2000. Little did I know when I saw him there, on my birthday as well, that I would one day be his film maker of choice for his future visits to Scotland.

Namaste, as they say in Scotland.

THE 2004 CREW