CAREERS
INTERVIEW Nicola Foley
JOHN H I GG I NS Gaffer on Gravity, Children of Men, Skyfall, Sleepy Hollow, 1917, The Bourne Ultimatum and many more major motion pictures, John ‘Biggles’ Higgins is a lighting legend. We find out what makes him tick and how he got to where he is now CAREER STORIES
Definition: What was your route into becoming a gaffer, and how did it all start? John Higgins: I was an engineer on an oil rig in the North Sea for Shell, and I used to get a lot of downtime. There was a period where we were ahead of things so they told us to stay home, while getting paid. But after a week or two, I got bored. I saw an ad for technicians wanted for a film
studio – the Samuelson Group – decided to apply, and I got the job. Six months on I was called back to work, but decided to stay with the film business, which I’m so glad I did. The gig that gave me the bug was a music video with a Japanese director at little studio in Cricklewood, and it was amazing. From there, I got work on a TV series with some very nice people
who helped and taught me a lot, then was asked to be gaffer on some dramas for Channel 4. Things built from there and I got offered bigger jobs – it was a case of right place, right time. Def: What, for you, makes a good gaffer? JH: As much technical knowledge as you can acquire. You must have people
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