Ian was the first director of colour in South Africa to open an independent film production company. A leading commercials director based in LA and South Africa, Ian heads Giant Films a commercial and feature film production company focusing on expanding the pool of diversity talent.
Ian's feature project Four Corners, was the South African Official Submission for Best Foreign Film at the 86th Academy Awards, was awarded both Best International Feature and Best Feature (USA) at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, won Best Film at the 2014 Niagara Integrated Film Festival; won 6 Golden Horn SAFTA Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor, was Best International Film nominee at the 2014 IPA awards and was Best Film Runner-up at Giffoni in Italy in 2015.
His debut feature Forgiveness won the Best South African Film Award and the Best African Film Award was a Golden Leopard nominee at the 2004 Locarno Film Festival and was a winner in the same year of the Locarno Youth Jury Best Film Award as well as Ian being a recipient of the Human Rights Award at the 57th Locarno International Film.
Ian is a multiple award-winning Commercials Director and has collaborated with celebrity talent as diverse as human rights icon and activist Nelson Mandela and Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, celebrities such as Charlize Theron, Cristiano Ronaldo, Alek Wek, Haile Gebresellasie, and Hudson River aviation hero Chesley Sullenberger. Ian is currently preparing to direct a theatrical two-hander Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle by celebrated British playwright Simon Stephens.
Ian directed Splinter Unit for the Cinemax pilot episode of the Bruce Lee inspired TV Series Warrior. Ian is concept originator and development partner with 2018 Academy Award nominee Joslyn Barnes and Spier producer Michael Auret on the historic gangland TV Series Sabela Gold. Ian is also in development on several other features and TV projects, most notably Anne Frank & Me written by Gabe Gabriel and Matthew Weiss based on the play and novel of the same name by Cherie Bennett, to be filmed in 2020 in the Netherlands with Jerry Leider, Don Schneider, Michael Robinson, Hubert Toint and Emjay Rechsteiner producing.
Ian is a Directors Guild member as well as being a participant in the Directors Guild of America Diversity program. Ian is represented in the USA by Paul Canterna (Seven Summits Management) and Justin Silvera (Silvera Management).
Ian is available for commercial, feature film and TV Series work.
