see beyond the horizon with crow's nest films
Carney James Turner
Loved Photography at school. In fact, his first project was spattering the exposure of Magpie Mine, near Buxton with developer fluid and after that there was no stopping him.
Went to Pakistan and Afghanistan in 1988 aged 16 with a Minolta 7000 SLR. Used the shots from that to get a place on the TV and Broadcasting course run by Jeremy Barr at Ravensbourne Film College. Carney learned a lot from him and after graduating he started at MTV (RIP) in Camden. New horizons were beckoning and soon he moved to Orbit Television in Rome which was a wonderful place to live and work for a year. Then back to CITV in foggy, rainy Birmingham – Piazza Narrvona to Ladywood well….. that took a bit of adjusting to. But after that came many years with MTV productions Europe. After countless tours with DJ’s and bands in some truly unforgettable settings – He says he will never forget the happiness of the Chinese people during Paul Oakenfold’s set on the Great Wall of China – over the moon yes, at the excitement of the very first dance event allowed by the authorities, but as the rain fell in sheets upon them, they celebrated the assured success of their rice harvest. A night he will never forget, particularly as the only camera remaining functional during the deluge, was the Nizo super 8.
But still there was something nagging at him – He couldn’t feel really settled in a corporate environment. Tried acting in features but was shocking and Ridley Scott directed me out of a scene with Russell Crowe because my limping was too silly. So began and ended my career on the other side of the lens.
A true documentarian, Carney loves to find treasure – the heart of the story, the source of light in our eyes.
Carney has always been a keen chef and really enjoyed the cookery shows he’s directed, filmed and edited for some time now. All in all, it’s a fantastic time to be involved in this creative industry with the amazing diversity of the work, coupled with the fantastic advancements in equipment.
He is also a proud operational member of Buxton Mountain Rescue Team, a qualified Remote Rescue Medical Technician and a DEFRA Mod 3 Swift Water Rescue Technician to boot. Carney is also the Accountable Manager for BMRT’s drone team.
Fleur Willcox-Jones
Fleur is Head of Production at Crows Nest Films, adroit and quick-witted she’s up for adventure.
Fleur grabbed a BA (Hons) in French Studies with a specialism in French Film and Theatre from the University of Birmingham including an enlightening year at Université Lumière in Lyon, France. After graduation she flirted with internet startup LVMH before landing a temp job at HIT Entertainment, where she galvanised her accounting skills. Keen to accessorise with more than a calculator she started eyeing up the rest of the media industry. Like a freshly released powder monkey she ran into the warm arms of Discovery Home & Leisure, aka, the best channel ever on British television. Many happy years of hopping around Discovery Channel ensued and a graduation from Channel Executive up through the ranks sprung her out of the Cannes bunker and off to the glamorous world of programme development and production. The US beckoned, the Costa Del Sol called and many rich concepts and friendships were nurtured at The Wolsely, on broken down trains and snowy beaches. Until one day, in Bear Grylls’ kitchen, Fleur was headhunted by Carney James Turner.
Fleur has nearly 3 decades of experience in media productions around the globe, holds an Emergency First Aid at Work FAA Level 3 qualification and is a licensed chaperone. She’s also an offline editor in Avid Media Composer and experienced in crafting subtitles that enhance accessibility and audience engagement. She is also the Accountable Manager for our drone team and a drone pilot herself. A battle-scarred crew member since 2009 Fleur is occasionally seconded to networks and creative agencies in London, where she delights in visiting Mary Poppins-style before alighting back to the Peaks.
Not content with overseeing our motley crew Fleur has been a Call-Out Officer for Buxton Mountain Rescue Team for 10 years. This summer she will be running Manchester 10K to raise funds for a new stretcher. If you want to sponsor her, you can do that here.
Richard Hitchcock-Wynne
Creative, hardworking and ready for any challenge, Richard has worked on a diverse variety productions from documentary to drama, food to sport, news to commercials.
Shooting on most formats, and in a multitude of styles, Richard prides himself on his versatility and ability to rise to any challenge and deliver in every project.
Richard has shot on location around the World; city shanty towns to inaccessible peaks in the Alps. He loves the challenge of shooting on location and creating something beautiful despite the adversity of the environment.
Richard has also worked on successful pitches to clients such as Swatch, The Royal Marines, Penhaligon’s and No Fear, and been a creative part of channel Launches including Food Network UK and The CBS Channels.
João Valle
Sound recordist João’s inimitable smile (and incredible talent) has opened doors for him at every major network in the UK and USA. Since arriving from Rio, he’s made his name in feature films, commercials, documentaries and reality TV, all whilst still trying to perfect his King’s English! (If you’ve ever detected a wee twang, you’d be right in guessing that this Brazilian jock is of Scottish heritage no less!) Promoted from sound assistant to recordist, engineer, supervisor and sound guarantee… his face is extremely well known, so it’s hard to understand how he was once mistaken for a young male escort on Copacabana beach…
Jenny Stock
Finalist for 2014 Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Jenny is a shooting Producer/Director, a lass who loves jumping into crazy situations with a camera on her shoulder.
She has filmed extensively with the police, behind the scenes on drama, on formatted shows and on many Obs Docs. Jenny has worked for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky, Sky Atlantic and others. She has shot in many countries including Japan, America, Australia, Norway, Canada and Mexico. She loves to dive and combines this passion with filming.
Chris Smith
Chris Smith is a lighting cameraman and director with over 15 years experience in television and corporate video production. Equally at home on location or in the studio, he has worked on a diverse range of programmes from drama to documentaries. Chris is very used to working with a wide range of formats, from pinhole cameras to HD, and can deliver superb timelapse, aerial and underwater shots.
Chris is well decorated with a Press Accreditation, 10 year British Passport, ‘I’ visa for US, Full clean UK Driver’s Licence, Qualified advanced scuba diver and DBS check.
Edward Henderson
With a career spanning over 20 years, Edward Henderson is an experienced lifestyle photographer and filmmaker, renowned for capturing compelling stories through stunning visuals. Having worked with clients such as Penhaligons, Finisterre, Pol Roger, Chivas, Mens Health, The Field, Travel Channel and The Extreme Sports Channel, Edward has brought a diverse range of projects to life—from cinematic films to high-end branded content. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, Edward Henderson continues to push his creativity in the world of visual media.
When not behind the lens Edward looks after a small holding and holiday cottages in North Devon with his wife and two lunatic boys.
After the cows, pigs, chickens, goats and two wayward peacocks have been tended to, there’s a good chance you’ll find Ed bobbing around in the surf or riding his bicycles.
Frances Hitchcock-Wynne
Hair and Makeup artist who studied at CBM Academy. Punctual, reliable and passionate. Frances has experience in Film, TV, Fashion and Theatre. For examples of Fran’s work please visit her site.
Dan Harrison
Dan is a very sound man.25 years in TV, 14 years in music, all major broadcasters, George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, Masterchef, James May. He even has his own IMDB page for shows he’s appeared in! Not that he is always getting in shot but he’s certainly not camera shy.
Matt Hickinbottom
Matt Hickinbottom began his Film and TV career almost 20 years ago, writing music mainly for Children’s Television; including CITV and Disney.
Now, running his own small production company, Matt works as a producer/ director as well as an accomplished director of photography. As well as many short film awards, Matt was also nominated for a promax award in New York a few years ago for his original vision for a TV promo for SONY Television. Matt is always ready to set sail on new adventures with the Captain and the crew at Crows Nest Films!
Malcolm Targett
Malcolm is a DOP and Lighting Cameraman with 15+ years behind the lens, fuelled by curiosity, pounding electronica and a love for great storytelling. From broadcast to commercials, corporate films to cinematic streaming content, he’s lit, shot and shaped a huge range of projects.
Malcolm kicked off his career in 2008 shooting light-entertainment and celebrity TV, and things ramped up quickly. Today, his work appears across all major UK broadcasters and global platforms including Disney Channel, Sky, MTV, Discovery, Universal, Amazon and Netflix — alongside polished online content and high-end brand films.
Malcolm has an A2 CofC qualification for professional drone work. His toolkit includes a serious arsenal of cinema-grade equipment and lighting, plus solid relationships with leading hire houses when extra firepower is needed.
You can see his website here.