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The academic team at Central Film School comprises industry professionals who bring a wealth of experience in filmmaking, screenwriting, acting, and production.
David oversees the Academic Programme at the Central Film School. David brings together a broad spectrum of skills and expertise to his professional practice as an educator, director of photography and director. He has shot sequences for the 2012 Olympic Games and installations at Tate Modern and on cinema, broadcast and online platforms in the UK, and internationally. As a director, David has made over 60 commercials for brands including: 21st Century Fox, New Line Cinema, Disney, T Mobile, Virgin, KFC, TOMY and McDonalds.
Sabina is responsible for production and resourcing in the school both across the academic and operational provision. Sabina was a Production Designer for 10 years working with all the major broadcasters. She produced the feature “Summer Scars which was nominated for Best Fmm at th 2008 Baftas Cymru Awards. She has also written, produced, directed and sold several award-winning short films. Sabina is a vital link between the Central Film School and the Industry network.
David oversees the Academic Programme at the Central Film School. David brings together a broad spectrum of skills and expertise to his professional practice as an educator, director of photography and director. He has shot sequences for the 2012 Olympic Games and installations at Tate Modern and on cinema, broadcast and online platforms in the UK, and internationally. As a director, David has made over 60 commercials for brands including: 21st Century Fox, New Line Cinema, Disney, T Mobile, Virgin, KFC, TOMY and McDonalds.
Sabina is responsible for production and resourcing in the school both across the academic and operational provision. Sabina was a Production Designer for 10 years working with all the major broadcasters. She produced the feature “Summer Scars which was nominated for Best Film at the 2008 Baftas Cymru Awards. She has also written, produced, directed and sold several award-winning short films. Sabina is a vital link between the Central Film School and the Industry network.
Gladys San Juan oversees the BA Programmes providing suort to students throughout their studies and filmmaking projects, and providing support to tutors. Gladys extensive filmmaking experienc include content-develpment work on film sets. She co-produced an international award winning fan film “The Hunt for Gollum”,and went on to work on films including Starwars Episode 7. She has recently made her directoral debut on the completed film “Elephant”.
Dr. Marc Coker oversees the the MA programmes. He is a Senior Lecturer, Producer and Cameraman with strong practical experience across Higher Education and commercial organisations. He has recently completed a Doctorate in Fine Art, focusing on the combined mediums of analogue and digital film. In his career, he has produced a total of twenty-three completed stand alone films.
Gladys San Juan oversees the BA Programmes, providing support to students throughout their studies and filmmaking projects. Gladys extensive filmmaking experience includes content-development work on film sets. She co-produced an international award-winning fan film “The Hunt for Gollum”, and has worked on several films including ‘The Berberian Sound Studio’ and Star Wars episode 7. She has recently made her directorial debut on the completed film “Elephant”.
Dr. Marc Coker oversees the the MA programmes. He is a Senior Lecturer, Producer and Cameraman with strong practical experience across Higher Education and commercial organisations. He has recently completed a Doctorate in Fine Art, focusing on the combined mediums of analogue and digital film. In his career, he has produced a total of twenty-three completed stand alone films.
Dr Mark de Valk received his PHD in Film Practice from Oxford Brookes University. Mark’s experience in filmmaking production includes a strong background in social justice storytelling via documentary and experimental forms; he is a continuing indie-practitioner currently developing and working with ‘essay film’ and ‘expanded cinema’ techniques. His films have screened at a number of key international film festivals. Mark is also co-author of The Film Handbook, which examines and advocates how theory can be creatively employed to underpin and enrich personal film practice. Areas of expertise include, film aesthetics, mise-en-scene, specialist roles: directing & producing, cinematography, research & scriptwriting in drama, documentary and experimental forms.
Steve is a lecturer, actor and director with over twenty years’ experience in screen acting, theatre, and recorded media. He has taught on a range of Conservatoire, Higher and Further education courses. He has directed classical and contemporary texts, pop promos, short films and TV commercials and worked on a wide range of production sizes; from small scale studio theatre pieces to car commercials in Dubai. Steve completed his vocational studies in 1992 at East 15 Acting School; in addition he has an MA in Actor Training and Coaching from Central School of Speech and Drama.
Will Thacker is a screenwriter, author and playwright. He is the co-writer of the feature film England Is Mine, released worldwide from 2017-2019. Will has won awards for his screenwriting including Best Short Film at the Shanghai Film Festival 2014. He is the author of two novels, Charm Offensive (2014) and Lingua Franca (2016), both published by Legend Press. Will’s first play The Bot (2024) has been performed in London, Liverpool and Sydney, and won ‘Best Comedic Support’ at the Liverpool Fringe. For more than 15 years, Will’s commercial work has included speechwriting, ghostwriting and copywriting, as well as script consultancy. Will has a BA in English Literature with Creative Writing from Lancaster University and a Creative Writing MA from the University of Manchester’s Centre for New Writing.
Ben Gibson is a producer, academic and consultant. He’s recently worked with Ecole Louis Lumiere, Paris and Studios La Victorine, Nice and on projects with Raoul Peck (Director of, I Am Not Your Negro). Ben was director of the Berlin FIlm School DFFB from 2016 to 2020, and Director of London Film School from 2000 to 2014. From the late 80s to 2000, as independent producer and Head of Production at the British Film Institute, Ben’s credits include Terence Davies’ The Long Day Closes, Derek Jarman’s Wittgenstein, John Maybury’s Love is the Devil, Carine Adler’s Under the Skin and Jasmin Dizdar’s Beautiful People, plus many other UK features and shorts by directors including Patrick Keiller, Gurinder Chadha, Lynne Ramsay, Richard Kwietniowski and Andrew Kotting. From 1981 to 1987 he co-managed The Other Cinema/Metro Pictures, operating London’s Metro Cinema. He’s also been on-stage host for the Berlinale, a dramaturg, a theatre director, a repertory film programmer, a film critic and a journalist.
Jen is an accomplished filmmaker with a career spanning the UK and US. She studied film at Columbia University and there began producing award winning shorts that have screened at festivals from Sundance to Berlin. This work earned her a Student Academy Award and shortly after she went on to complete an M.A. at USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program. Jen returned to the UK and co-founded the special effects company 13 Finger Fx, going on to produce cult features such as The Borderlands and Prevenge. Jen regularly consults for distributors and leads workshops worldwide. She has acted as a jury member for festivals and film academies around the world including BAFTA and AMPAS. Her recent short, Wolf Whistle, was directed with an all-AFAB crew and is currently touring festivals. Jen also recently participated in Werner Herzog’s Film Accelerator, directing a short under the acclaimed auteur’s mentorship. She is currently in development on several projects, including an adaptation of The Yellow Wallpaper.
Robin Emilien is an experienced Photographer and Filmmaker, specialising in editorial and commercial work across fashion, music, and corporate sectors. He has collaborated with clients including Vogue, Elle, GAP, BBC, Firestone, Marks & Spencer, J.P. Morgan, LiveNation, and Unilever, contributing to award-winning campaigns for brands such as East-Pak and Lee Jeans. A passionate educator, Robin has taught photography and cinematography at GCSE, BA, and MA levels, sharing industry insight to inspire the next generation of creative professionals. He champions visual storytelling as a tool for self-expression, confidence, and social change. His commitment to social impact includes work with Médecins Sans Frontières, Action for Racial Equality, and The Amos Bursary – a charity co-founded by Baroness Valerie Amos supporting talented young people from underrepresented backgrounds. Robin has produced films and photography highlighting their journeys and is developing a documentary on the Bursary’s origins and impact. Through teaching and creative work, he fosters mentorship, skill development, and inclusivity, empowering students to grow through photography and filmmaking.
