Meet David Penman | Film Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Penman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was originally born in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland, however my family moved when i was a baby and i grew up in the Kingdom of Fife, in Scotland, UK.

My background is quite varied, my parents split up when I was 4 years old and It really affected me mentally at the time, causing me to developed a stammer which I still have today due to the trauma I went through as a kid

After the split I moved to Reading, England, it was difficult to fit in at first because of my accent but I managed to make some new friends and was OK for a few years, untill I was about 8 or 9 where I had a tough time, mainly due to things going on at home involving my older step brother which I don’t feel comfortable disclosing at the moment. But It was a very tough time for me

When I was 18 I decided to join the Army but due to my speech, I was refused and told never to re-apply by the Army recruitment team.
Although this was a massive knock back, I didn’t let that get to me, instead I applied for the Royal Navy and was accepted, after completing my basic training at HMS Raleigh I moved on to HMS Sultan, to begin my Marine Engineering Mechanic training.

Between the ages of 18 and 28, was probably my most chaotic time so far in my life, this was when I sort of gave up, i started drinking quite heavily, going out with my mates getting into all sorts of trouble and just not caring about anything or the consequences, I would go out, drink, get into fights and that was my life for a long time untill 1 day I decided things had to change, if not for me, then for my kids, they don’t deserve to have a father like that so I knew the time had came to turn my life around once and for all.

In 2015 I decided I wanted to go to college, to learn something and have an actual career, rather then just dead-end jobs that lead no where, I mean, I have had careers as a chef, I was in the Navy, and I’m a pretty good driver so I could always take a job driving a van or something, but, if I’m honest, I never felt comfortable with these type of jobs, I always though there is something else for me that I would like to do and going to college again was about finding that something, I signed up for a media course with the intention of becoming a DJ, but soon changed my mind when I discovered I actually had more interest in the film making side of the course, I quickly forgot about becoming a DJ and decided, film making was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, I started to write my own script, not knowing what it’ll turn out like, but after receiving feeding from a lot of people, I discovered I actually have a talent for writing, today I have written at least 10 scripts, and have worte, directed and produced 3 of my own films, I have many more plans for even bigger things coming up, and i think some of my future plans might shock a few people who know me, people who didn’t believe in me, I’m determined to prove them all wrong, but that’s not my main motivation, my main motivation, is to provide for my family, not just my kids, but my whole family, and time will tell if I’m successful or not.

Boxing is something I’ve always loved, whether it’s watching or competing, I have trained in boxing since I was young, mainly on and off but most recently, (especially over the last 6 years), I’ve taken it more seriously and train quite a lot, I’ve competed in 2 amature bouts and also took up Muay Thai nearly 2 years ago which I also love doing,

I think in the last 10 years I’ve gone from having no hope in life, to being absolutely determined to make it in the film industry, I’m willing to travel to any country on the planet to work, and I have some very big plans coming up in the near future

Today I have 4 kids of my own and I couldn’t be prouder of them all, they are my absolute world, the 3 older boys, David 17, Bailey 14 and Devyn 10, and my little princess Scarlett, 3.

David is joining the police force which has made me really proud, he’s turned into a great kid and he makes me more proud every day by how he carries himself. Bailey is 14 and has ambitions of becoming an actor, he has starred in a few films to date and has done fantasticly well, Devyn is still only 10 so it’s a bit early to say what he wants to do and scarlett is the fuel that keeps me going, and makes me even more determined to succeed, because at the end of the day, they deserve the very best, and that’s what I’m going to try and give them.

My new Film that I’m currently writing is called VICTIM and is about domestic violence, where the girlfriend abuses her boyfriend, thus will be no less that 1 hour long and will be very graphic, so look out for it

Thanks for reading my story, obviously there is a lot more i can talk about, but I’ll save that for another time

David Penman

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart from a lot of other film makers, is the fact the way I write, is exactly how people actually talk in real life, I see a lot of shows or films, and just by watching them I can tell its fake, I know it’s fake because it’s a movie, but I like to feel like it’s real and some films don’t give me that vibe, because a lot of the time, people don’t speak the way you see them on movies, I feel I have a unique writing style and this is what makes me different from other people in my field

My proudest moment to date while working in the film industry is the night of my Premiere for my short film RAGE, which I wrote directed and produced, along with my business partner Gary Wales, to be up on stage with everyone there, some travelling from the other side of the country, just to see my film, was something I’ll never forget, I hope to have many more premieres that are even bigger, but time will tell

I am where I am today, because I am determined more that others to succeed, a lot of people work in this industry and give up after not really getting anywhere, I know this all to well as I thought about giving up in 2020 after a difficult period, before something happened, I literally woke up one day and I had changed, my motivation was back and I knew this was what i wanted to do, and there was nothing going to stop me this time, I went straight on my phone, contacted Gary and got the ball rolling to finally make RAGE, after initially planning on making it in 2018 and I’m so glad I did

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One place i enjoy that’s local is Loch Leven, I love going camping with friends and family and going out on the Loch on my boat, there isn’t really a lot to do where I’m from if I’m honest and I actually prefer the peace and quiet in the mountains than a noise city, I don’t really like going to cafes or restaurants die to my anxiety around people and I don’t drink anymore either, so I never to to pubs otlr that.

However If I could suggest a restaurant though, I have 2, pane vino and La Gondola, both Italian restaurants and my 2 favourite places to eat, food is amazing and service from the staff is always fantastic

If you like walking, there are a lot if nature trails around Fife with some stunning views

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shootout to my partner Carmen, and my mum Christine, sisters Gillian and Margaret (RIP), brothers Thomas, Craig and Andrew (RIP) and of course my kids, who without them, I might never have entered the film industry, because everything I’m doing is for them

Website: http://gawfilms.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dp_productions2015/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/DPProductionsScotland/

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCyUDkipIURTN0qx7GEJA5ng?noapp=1