About Us
Maniac Films has been making great video content since 2002 . We are a small team of talented individuals well versed in all aspects of Video Production and Post production including Visual Effects. We also run a competitive Camera Equipment Hire and DVD/Blu-ray/ DCP production service. For larger Live event projects we draw from a pool of talented & trusted professionals to bring in extra hands when needed.
Meet some of the Maniac core team:
Mark Brindle
Mark is self-taught in camera work and post production and wrote the best selling Digital Filmmakers Handbook (Quercus 2013). Mark remains a computer geek and is adamant this is necessary for post production work!
Mark has planned, produced, directed, filmed, edited and/or colour graded a range of productions from extreme sports events, business promotional films, TV & Cinema adverts, short and feature length films, training films, music videos, stop frame & 2D animation, personal films, documentaries, interactive learning DVDs and experimental films.
Mark has won several IOV and Media Innovation Awards for films and DVDs through the South West media innovation network. He has an BENG Hons Engineering degree in Electronic Computer Systems from Salford University and was a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) in a previous lifetime. Mark is a STEM ambassador who regularly offers work experience and gives careers talks to local students.
Mark has worked for many Blue-chip companies on high technology IT projects across the world and now for major brands in video production and disc authoring. He loves technical challenges, learning new techniques and finding the best equipment. He is a keen Windsurfer, Surfer and Snowboarder and loves Science Fiction.
Mark generally works in the following roles: Director of Photography, Camera Operator, Lighting cameraman, Vision Mixer, focus puller, jib operator, video editor, visual effects producer, VFX artist, colour grader and DVD & Blu-ray authorer, DiT, VT/Playback Operator, but will also work on his own as director/lighting/sound/camera if required.
Stuart Gaunt
Stu Gaunt joined Maniac Films full time in 2008 after being involved on a number of filming projects as a freelancer. Stu's work has been nominated for a Media Innovation Award through the South West Media Innovation network.
Stu has been a skateboarder for over 30 years and first started using a video camera when he injured himself one summer and couldn’t skate – so he filmed his friends instead. This led to him taking a college course and making a number of local skate films, then progressing into work for local festivals and theatre groups which he continues to do today.
A lover of photography, Stu not only works in the digital medium but also owns a large collection of vintage film cameras dating back to the 1950’s.
Stu has worked on a number of feature drama productions as jib & dolly grip, sound recordist, photographer, visual effects and rotoscoping artist. He generally works as sound mixer/recordist/boom operator as well as camera operator, gimbal operator, lighting grip and manages the equipment rental at Maniac Films. He also does a lot of DVD & Blu-ray authoring and photography too.