Dan Comes in First for TV

Dan Winch has a smile on his face, and rightly so. He has just heard that Boy A, the hit TV drama filmed in the Northwest, has won a stack of awards at the International Dinard Television festival in France. As First Assistant Director on this critically acclaimed production, Dan has every right to celebrate.

“I’m really pleased that Boy A has done so well,” beams Dan, obviously delighted to have been part of something so well respected. “This has felt like quite a special piece to be involved with, especially due to the fact that it deals with real life experiences.”

Dan may only be 28, but his CV shows a lengthy career full of TV and film successes. As well as BAFTA-nominated Boy A, he has worked on countless productions including The Second Coming, The Mark of Cain, See No Evil, The Descent, House of Saddam, Poppy Shakespeare and the upcoming Unforgiven for ITV1.

And now Dan, from Central Manchester, can add one more award to his CV. He has been named Crew of the Month for November by Northwest Vision and Media, which works on behalf of the digital and creative industries in the Northwest to grow a world-class digital and creative economy within the region.

Originally, theatre was Dan’s first calling, and while studying for his diploma at the Bristol Old Vic in Theatre Stage Management he spent every spare moment building his experience in backstage skills. He cites a love for resolving people problems as the first sign of his future career direction, saying: “I loved the interaction with people, and working with them to solve issues is something I’ve always enjoyed.”

After cutting his teeth as a Sound Assistant on renowned musicals Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and the 10th Anniversary production of Miss Saigon, Dan’s career behind the camera really took off when he branched out to work on a low budget short film in Bristol. Soon after this he rejected an offer of long-term work in West End theatre for the call of TV production.

According to Dan, the crossover in skills between theatre and TV production has given him strength in his position as a First Assistant Director (AD). He explains: “I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work closely with actors and actresses in a theatre environment. It taught me a great deal of the importance in creating an atmosphere which enables a cast to perform at their best.”

Moving to the Northwest for work on comedy drama Ted and Alice, Dan found that life in Manchester suited him. “There was something about the environment up here, the filming community and atmosphere that I took a liking to. It felt a little less cutthroat than London, and it was a lot less of a struggle to have a life outside of work,” he says.

“Every job I’ve had has been so different, and I’m still learning so much from every experience. That’s the mentality I followed to get up the ladder, and because of that I was fortunate to have worked with many different producers, line producers and other Assistant Directors in a relatively short span of time,” says Dan of his steady climb to success.

“When I was Third or Second AD I was literally going from one production to the next, for a good six years. During this period I was very lucky to have learnt from some fantastic colleagues and friends. It was always impressed upon me that in this freelance world you are only as good as your last job. I’m a strong believer in loyalty to those who have employed me and to those I have helped employ,” he says.

ITV’s The New Worst Witch in 2004 was Dan’s first job as First AD, after his work as Second AD for Craig Cash comedy Early Doors, Second Second AD for Jude Law-starrer Alfie and as Third AD for The Second Coming, featuring Christopher Ecclestone.

In the day-to-day role of First AD, Dan considers a calm demeanour essential. He explains: “Creating a positive atmosphere and high spirits on set can have an immense impact towards achieving a shoot day. It is also important for a First AD to recognise when the mood of a set needs to be geared towards a more sensitive scene.

“Despite everyone’s best efforts, things don’t always go according to plan and having a plan B is vital. The most effective way I have found of getting a crew and production through more challenging situations is ensuring everyone feels part of the plan,” says Dan.

Dan’s glowing reputation within the filming community means that he is now in constant demand, after years of hard work. “I will always try and go for projects I am interested in, that I can learn from, and also that I feel I can bring something to,” says Dan, of his move away from the mix of different genres of programmes he started out working on, to his being involved more recently in some of TV’s most hard-hitting drama.

Dan has no current desire to make the leap to Directing in the future. “I enjoy the logistics too much and think I would always find it difficult to remove myself enough from the many logistical factors in order to concentrate on performances.

“Keeping my eye on the overall picture of a film or TV shoot, and the many organisational pressures which go with this, are what I have a passion for. Producing is certainly an area which interests me greatly but I certainly have no wish to move on from Assistant Directing at the moment,” he says.

With BAFTA awards for See No Evil and The Mark of Cain behind him, as well as Boy A’s recent triumphs, Dan is clearly on a roll. And if his track record is anything to go by, Dan can look forward to many more awards in his future.