Alan Birkinshaw, FRGS (born 15 June 1944) is a British film director, writer, and television and film producer. The son of two physicians, Birkinshaw always wanted to be an actor, but at 17, having failed his audition at LAMDA, he decided that if he couldn't act it, he'd do it for real. He travelled to Australia, and after a few months working as a jackaroo in the Australian outback, he became a horse breaker and rodeo rider. Returning to England, he joined the camera department of Lew Grade's Associated TeleVision on his 20th birthday. He worked his way up to directing, firstly in television and then via the world of commercials, into television movies and feature films. Early career After leaving ATV, Birkinshaw worked as a freelance television cameraman. Such was the demand, he was often working seven days a week – in the television studios during the week and on outside broadcasts at the weekend. He could be working with Billy Fury, Diana Dors and Orson Welles one day, and then go on to cover the Wales - Scotland Football Match at Cardiff the next (that was the weekend of the Aberfan Pit Disaster.) He shot the first faltering steps on dry land of the first Round the World solo yachtsman, Francis Chichester, and recorded the visit of American President Richard Nixon to Downing Street. At age 22 he directed and produced his first television drama, A Nice Dream While It Lasted, written by his sister, renowned author Fay Weldon. At 24 Birkinshaw was directing television programs for Westward Television and then London Weekend Television, including quiz shows, farming programs, live television news shows and drama. 1970s In the early 70's, Birkinshaw directed several promotional films for the Central Office of Information, extolling the virtues of British Steel and other home-grown British products. A safety film was made for the Royal Navy on How to get out of a helicopter when it’s crashed into the sea and turned upside down, for which Birkinshaw had to undergo an Aircrew Underwater Escape Training course at the Royal Navy Survival School. A female journalist reviewing the film in Ireland, was driving home after the screening, when she lost control of her car which ended upside down in a fast flowing river. Following the instructions in the film she had just seen, she was able to escape with her life. Birkinshaw directed a