Derek Williams
Directing
Biography
Derek Williams (20 August 1929 – 2 August 2021) was a British documentary film director and writer who was active from the 1950s until 1990. His films received four British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs) and five Oscar nominations (four as director and writer and one as writer only) all in the short documentary classification. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, he was educated at Newcastle Royal Grammar School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. His first film, Hadrian's Wall, was made while he was at university and was self-financed. On the basis of this film he was able to enter the film industry as a trainee assistant for World Wide Films. His first commercial film, released in 1955, was Oil Harbour, Aden, made for the sponsor George Wimpey & Co who had the contract to build a port to service a nearby oil refinery being built by BP. Williams acted as cameraman as well as writer and director during the two year location filming. His first big break came in 1955 when World Wide Films was appointed by BP to film the British Trans-Antarctic Expedition, under Dr Vivian Fuchs, which BP was sponsoring. Williams became a member of the sixteen-person party the sailed to the Weddell Sea aboard Theron with the intention of establishing an advance base for the main party due to arrive the following year. During the outward journey the ship became frozen is sea ice and also had to depart more rapidly than originally intended, having deposited the shore party who were to stay through the Antarctic winter. The resulting film, Foothold on Antarctica, was released in 1956. It received a private viewing at Buckingham Palace and went on to receive an Oscar nomination. The film was also shown on a number of occasions as part of public events which included a talk from Sir Vivian Fuchs and which raised private donations towards the costs of the expedition.
Known For
The environmental measures taken by the oil industry at the Sullom Voe terminal in the Shetlands.
The Shetland Experience
A BAFTA award nominated documentary demonstrating the ways in which the oceans and seas are vital to man's survival on Earth, and the dangers which threaten their ecological systems
Planet Water
A BAFTA award nominated documentary looking at Alaska and it's future prospects now that oil has been discovered.
Alaska: The Great Land
English schoolboy and his Dutch pen friend chase a diamond smuggling gang in Holland.
Hunted in Holland
A BAFTA award winning documentary looking at the development of the BP Forties oil field in the North Sea.
Sea Area Forties
An absorbing record of the advance preparations for the historic first crossing of the Antarctic Continent by Dr. Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary.
Foothold on Antarctica
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo. He fails to meet the children who make friends with Jiminy, a Maltese boy, and go to the villa where they overhear two crooks threatening their father. The cooks fool the police to whom the children have gone. They escape and make their way finally to Gozo to see their father's colleague where they all captured. Just before the statue is handed over Jiminy arrives with an army of children who rout the crooks and drive them into the arms of the police. Based on the novel. By Jiminy by David Scott Daniel
By Jiminy
Six episodes relating to a thriller of a hunt after archaeological treasure in Malta, and the thwarting of crooks.
Treasure in Malta
A look at the work of Glasgow's Medical Officer of Health.
Health of a City
No description available.
There Was a Door
The construction of a pipeline from the Sahara to the Mediterranean Sea.
Algerian Pipeline
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo. He fails to meet the children who make friends with Jiminy, a Maltese boy, and go to the villa where they overhear two crooks threatening their father. The crooks fool the police to whom the children have gone. They escape and make their way finally to Gozo to see their father's colleague where they all captured. Just before the statue is handed over Jiminy arrives with an army of children who rout the crooks and drive them into the arms of the police.
At the Villa Rosa
Documenting the pollution of natural resources and the misuse of technology.
The Shadow of Progress
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo. He fails to meet the children who make friends with Jiminy, a Maltese boy, and go to the villa where they overhear two crooks threatening their father. The cooks fool the police to whom the children have gone. They escape and make their way finally to Gozo to see their father's colleague where they all captured. Just before the statue is handed over Jiminy arrives with an army of children who rout the crooks and drive them into the arms of the police. Based on the novel. By Jiminy by David Scott Daniel
Kidnapped
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo. He fails to meet the children who make friends with Jiminy, a Maltese boy, and go to the villa where they overhear two crooks threatening their father. The crooks fool the police to whom the children have gone. They escape and make their way finally to Gozo to see their father's colleague where they are all captured. Just before the statue is handed over Jiminy arrives with an army of children who rout the crooks and drive them into the arms of the police. Based on the novel 'By Jiminy' by David Scott Daniel.
Carnival
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo. He fails to meet the children who make friends with Jiminy, a Maltese boy, and go to the villa where they overhear two crooks threatening their father. The cooks fool the police to whom the children have gone. They escape and make their way finally to Gozo to see their father's colleague where they all captured. Just before the statue is handed over Jiminy arrives with an army of children who rout the crooks and drive them into the arms of the police. Based on the novel. By Jiminy by David Scott Daniel
Escape to Gozo
This travelogue tells the story of Turkey from 200BC, including the attack by the Greeks, Romans, the origination of the first seven religions, the Crusades, the creation of the Turkish State and the modern tourist industry. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.