Solid Air Crew Biographies

A design graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, May worked as a production designer and director at BBC Television, London. Resigning from the Corporation to pursue a freelance career, she then directed music videos and EPKs in the UK and internationally. In 1995, May founded Elemental Films to produce her own work. Her first produced script, The Beauty of the Common Tool, was short-listed for an Academy Award.
In 1997 May was awarded a Fellowship with the Nipkow Programm, Berlin, where she developed her screenplay, Ringing the True, becoming a finalist at the 2001 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Awards. Returning to the UK, May embarked on One Life Stand, the UK's first end-to-end digital feature, which played at over 20 international film festivals, garnering numerous prizes, including 4 BAFTA Awards. May’s achievements as a pioneer of digital filmmaking were recognized in 2000 when she was awarded a National Endowment Fellowship, and in 2003, when she was honored as a Pioneer to the Life of the Nation by HM Queen Elizabeth II for her contribution to British Cinema.

An award-winning filmmaker, Owen worked as a physicist and design engineer whilst building his experience as a director. In 1990 he staged the UK premiere of Vlad Dracula the Impaler as part of Glasgow’s European City of Culture year and, in 1991, scripted and directed his first film, The Scripture Killer, based on the infamous Bible John murders. His second film, Died of a Heart Attack While Under Questioning, was an ambitious work set in Algiers, and a powerful study of interrogation and terrorism. In 1996, Owen directed The Beauty of the Common Tool, subsequently winning Best Film at the 1997 Palm Springs International Short Film Festival and shortlisting for an Academy Award.
Moving to Berlin in 1996, Owen resumed his career in engineering whilst working with May on a documentary, Colentina, based on the extraordinary life story of his grandmother and incorporating rare historical footage restored by the National Film and Television Archive. He returned to Scotland in 1999 to work with May on One Life Stand as executive producer, winning, in 2000, the British Independent Film Award for Best Achievement in Production. In 2002 Owen secured inclusion of Elemental Films in the BT Vision 100 Index of the most visionary UK companies for its contribution to the development and promotion of Digital Cinema.

Bobby James Henry is a leading UK composer, arranger and producer. In a musical career spanning three decades, he has secured numerous recording and publishing deals with the world’s major companies including Sony, WEA, Polygram, Sire, A&M, Arista and SBK. He has also collaborated with producers Bob Clearmountain (Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Robbie Robertson), Hugh Padgham (Sting, Phil Collins) and Stephen Street (Pulp, Morrissey, Blur). He has also worked extensively in recording studios in New York, London and Paris, as well as touring with major acts including Prince, Sting, Dire Straits and Captain Beefheart.
In addition to his role as educational musicologist for Oxford University Press, during the 80s and 90s, Bobby composed, produced and arranged for leading artists, including Hue and Cry, The Bluebells, Love and Money and Jerry Burns. Notably in 1993, Bobby was nominated for the Ivor Novello Awards for his composition, Pale Red, and in 1997 he was commissioned by Scottish Ballet to compose for the dance production, Wings of Desire. Bobby’s film and TV work includes compositions for Calling Bible John (Channel 4 TV), Walking and Talking (US feature), Sex and Death (BBC TV) and the multi award-winning One Life Stand (UK feature).
Bobby currently has a publishing deal with Andrew King at Mute Song Ltd and is managed by Peter Jenner at Sincere Management Ltd.