David Williams (he/him)

Director

David has a long and varied career as a chief executive, trustee, and consultant.

Previous roles have included General Manager of Theatre Royal Stratford East, Joint Chief Executive of Scottish Ballet, Glasgow Chief Executive of the King’s Theatre and Theatre Royal for Ambassador Theatre Group.

As a consultant, David’s clients have included the Beacon Arts Centre, Gaiety Theatre Ayr, Scottish Recovery Consortium, The Crichton Trust, Sharjah Theatres Group, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation and CREATE Paisley.

David is a trustee on three charity boards: Boots and Beards, Changing the Chemistry, and the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland.

David has also recently become a (very proud) grandfather.

Favourite film: Some Like it Hot / La Grande Illusion

Nancy Holt (she/her)

Administrator

In 2022, Nancy moved to Glasgow to pursue a Master’s in Film Curation at the University of Glasgow with academic interests in film festivals and research specialising in queer film festivals in the UK.

Through this interest, Nancy has worked in several different capacities for film festivals such as Edinburgh International Film Festival and Glasgow Short Film Festival. She is currently on the programming team for Glasgow Short’s International competition.

Alongside short film, Nancy is passionate about queer and sapphic cinema. When away from the screen, she enjoys being in nature, whether that’s camping, swimming, hiking or biking.

Favourite Film: Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Carol Brown (she/her)

Deputy Director

Carol has been working with GMAC Film in various capacities over the past five years but became a full-time member of the team in 2021. As Deputy Director, Carol focuses on building and maintaining partnerships with the screen industry, HEI, and funders. Carol is also a Visiting Lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she teaches film production and professional development.

Prior to starting with GMAC, Carol worked in Film and Television both in the UK and the USA. She is a two-time BAFTA LA scholar and Dewar Arts Awardee with an M.F.A in Producing for Film, Television, and New Media from the University of Southern California.

Carol recently welcomed her first child and is loving motherhood. When not in the GMAC office, Carol is probably out walking her two energetic Dalmatians or trying to finish writing her first novel.

Her favourite film is Little Miss Sunshine but has also developed a huge appreciation for the children’s animated show Bluey.

Sophie Jones (she/her)

External Affairs Manager

Sophie’s relationship with film began the moment she saw Spirited Away as a nine-year-old girl.

Before coming to GMAC, she worked as a photographer in the Poconos Mountains, and as a Production Assistant for an immersive film and theatre company in London. With a first class degree in English Literature & Film and a Masters in Film, her appreciation of literature and film runs deep.

In her current phase of life she uses the written word and photography to explore the human experience, neurodivergence, and the menstrual cycle. Outside of work, Sophie loves swimming in the sea, baking and reading.

One of her favourite films: Midsommar by Ari Aster

Aiesha Marr (she/her)

Outreach Manager

Aiesha is our outreach co-ordinator at GMAC Film, she loves connecting with different communities within and outside of Glasgow.

Aiesha’s background is in community theatre, youth work and community development. She is currently halfway through training to become a counsellor.

She has interests in art, music, meditation and self-development work. Aiesha loves anything outdoorsy. Particularly camping and swimming in lochs in all weathers!

Aiesha’s core values are based around being truthful, genuine and empathic. She feels that it is extremely important to be authentic to who you are and what you believe in.

Favourite film: Leon: The Professional

Gary J Hewitt (he/him)

Film Engagement Manager

Gary Hewitt is a Screenwriter and Director. His career took off with the release of his debut feature film Cleek in 2018, captivating audiences throughout its festival run. Garnering significant recognition, Cleek was distributed on Amazon Prime and DVD by Shami Media Group in 2019. Gary went on to direct the award-winning short film Mia, which received critical acclaim and secured distribution through Meridian Releasing. Mia won Best British Film, Best Film, and the IAC Diamond Award at the BIAFF. Remarkably, Gary stands as the sole filmmaker to have triumphed in all three categories at the festival and furthermore, his most recent short film, DIG, has achieved the identical trifecta of accolades this year.

Gary is currently engrossed in the production of his second feature film, The Defender, scheduled for a late 2023 release. Additionally, he is actively in the development of two other feature screenplays. It is worth noting that Gary’s professional journey encompasses his previous role as a Casting Assistant, where he lent his expertise to commercials and shows aired on the esteemed platforms of BBC and Comedy Central.

Favourite film: Silence of the Lambs

Anthony Chalmers (he/him)

Youth & Education Programme Manager

Anthony is an independent filmmaker based in Scotland. Anthony has self-produced a number of short films including Rupture, Dolce and Entanglement. He recently produced a series of comedy ads for local brand Lucky Jocks.

As an educator, Anthony created a local youth community project, to give young people a voice through filmmaking. He now works as Youth & Education Manager of GMAC Film, responsible for planning, delivery and evaluation of projects that work with underrepresented young people.

Anthony is co-writing his first feature project, Comfort Food, with writer/director Shaun Hughes.

Favourite Film: Jaws

Aga Młyńczak (she/they)

Youth Programme Officer

Aga joined GMAC Film in September 2024 as Youth Programme Officer. Originally from Wrocław, Poland, Aga is a multi-media artist and curator with a strong focus on inclusivity and accessibility in the arts. She has exhibited internationally and led diverse, community-driven projects. Prior to joining GMAC, Aga became a co-director 16NSt, a Glasgow-based collective prioritising underrepresented voices in the arts, with a particular focus on the LGBTQIA+ community. With a background in participatory art and a passion for supporting young people, Aga is committed to creating meaningful opportunities for emerging filmmakers.

In her artistic practice, Aga explores the intersections of language, space, and sound, and collaborates on interdisciplinary, creative projects across Europe. She is currently researching transnational queer placemaking within film and photography.

Aga’s favourite film is Cabaret (1972)

Ana Songel (she/her)

Filmmakers Programme Manager

Ana is our Filmmakers Programme Manager for our micro-budget commissioning scheme, Little Pictures. Three years ago Ana was selected by Little Pictures to make her first commissioned stop motion short film I Miss Hugs, which has recently screened in BAFTA and Oscar-qualifying film festivals.

Ana joined the GMAC family in 2022 and she is thrilled to be able to work on the programme that helped her kickstart her filmmaking career and be able to inspire other emerging filmmakers to pursue their dreams. Ana also works as a freelance animator and is shooting her next stop motion film called Beatless (working title), through the Screen Scotland-funded scheme Sharp Shorts.

Apart from film, Ana’s passions include nature, water sports, reading and cooking.

Favourite films: Spirited Away and Amelie

Niall Morison MacRae (he/him)

Filmmakers Programme Assistant

Niall supports the overall process of Little Pictures as our Filmmakers Programme Assistant. As a filmmaker who’s been involved in a handful of Little Pictures films and received support from GMAC over the years, he is now excited to be aiding in the development of our up-and-coming filmmakers and amplifying their unique voices as they take their next steps into film.

Hailing from the Outer Hebrides, Niall is a Scottish-Thai filmmaker whose unique island upbringing shapes his distinctive worldview. His passion for filmmaking and diverse storytelling has led to numerous collaborations, spanning both fiction and documentary. His most recent film, the short documentary “And So It Was,” received a UK Royal Television Society student award nomination for Best Factual and premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival. It’s continued success on the festival circuit has pushed it into being both BAFTA and BIFA qualifying. Niall’s upcoming project, “The Last Trip,” is currently in production, backed by We Are Here Scotland.

Favourite film: Under The Skin