Derek Williams Trailers
Foothold on Antarctica Trailer
Derek Williams (20 August 1929 – 2 August 2021) was a British documentary film director and writer who was active from the 1950s until 1990. His films received four British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs) and five Oscar nominations (four as director and writer and one as writer only) all in the short documentary classification.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, he was educated at Newcastle Royal Grammar School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
His first film, Hadrian's Wall, was made while he was at university and was self-financed. On the basis of this film he was able to enter the film industry as a trainee assistant for World Wide Films. His first commercial film, released in 1955, was Oil Harbour, Aden, made for the sponsor George Wimpey & Co who had the contract to build a port to service a nearby oil refinery being built by BP. Williams acted as cameraman as well as writer and director during the two year location filming.
His first big break came in 1955 when World Wide Films was appointed by BP to film the British Trans-Antarctic Expedition, under Dr Vivian Fuchs, which BP was sponsoring. Williams became a member of the sixteen-person party the sailed to the Weddell Sea aboard Theron with the intention of establishing an advance base for the main party due to arrive the following year. During the outward journey the ship became frozen is sea ice and also had to depart more rapidly than originally intended, having deposited the shore party who were to stay through the Antarctic winter. The resulting film, Foothold on Antarctica, was released in 1956. It received a private viewing at Buckingham Palace and went on to receive an Oscar nomination. The film was also shown on a number of occasions as part of public events which included a talk from Sir Vivian Fuchs and which raised private donations towards the costs of the expedition.
Most Popular Derek Williams Trailers
Total trailers found: 17
01 January 1971
A BAFTA award nominated documentary looking at Alaska and it's future prospects now that oil has been discovered.
01 May 1961
English schoolboy and his Dutch pen friend chase a diamond smuggling gang in Holland.
01 January 1977
The environmental measures taken by the oil industry at the Sullom Voe terminal in the Shetlands.
01 January 1963
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo.
01 January 1975
A BAFTA award winning documentary looking at the development of the BP Forties oil field in the North Sea.
01 January 1963
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo.
01 January 1963
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo.
01 January 1965
A look at the work of Glasgow's Medical Officer of Health.
01 January 1963
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo.
01 January 1964
Tom and Sukie arrive in Malta to spend the holidays with their father, an archaeologist digging for a legendary golden statue of Calypso on the island of Gozo.
01 January 1979
A BAFTA award nominated documentary demonstrating the ways in which the oceans and seas are vital tos
01 January 1957
An absorbing record of the advance preparations for the historic first crossing of the Antarctic Continent by Dr.
01 July 1963
Six episodes relating to a thriller of a hunt after archaeological treasure in Malta, and the thwarting of crooks.
01 January 1967
The construction of a pipeline from the Sahara to the Mediterranean Sea.
01 January 1965
This travelogue tells the story of Turkey from 200BC, including the attack by the Greeks, Romans, the origination of the first seven religions, the Crusades, the creation of the Turkish State and the modern tourist industry.
02 January 1970
Documenting the pollution of natural resources and the misuse of technology.
