Brett Halliday

Brett's mother Anne (Shephard) Halliday was a bookkeeper whose father was Irish and mother was of German descent. His father Laurence (laurie) Halliday, parents came from Formby, near Liverpool and were jazz musicians who ended in in South Africa. Laurie was a writer, karate instructor, and magician, activities he squeezed in between being a loving father and Financial director in a blanket manufacturing company in South Africa. Tragically Laurie died from a fall at 45yrs, when Brett was 13 years of age. As a child in KZN South Africa Brett was an enthusiastic artist who at an early age was writing and drawing his own "comic books" that later progressed to taking photographs of family and friends and compiling these into stories. Like his father Brett was involved in performing as a magician and an illusionist, he also dabbled in acting, was featured in RP magazines and featured on SA TV for the same. He worked as a model at Terry Scott's Model Management agency in Durban KZN and, as an exercise instructor, he was featured on SA TV's Bodybeat with Phil Joffe. Brett studies cinema voraciously, and has read the works of Robert McKee, Largos Egri, Syd Fields and many others as well as attending Jack Walzer's method acting workshops, and Dov Sieman's Filmmaking course in London. He has recently studies BBC's Maestro writing for television by Jed Mercurio. He attended the New York Film Academy's intensive hands on filmmakers course in LA writing, shooting, and editing four short films during this period. Since then, and while living in Ireland, the UK, and South Africa he has created a network in the industry. Brett has written several feature film spec scripts, and episodes for two exciting television series. Brett is also a highly qualified 6th degree second generation karate instructor and a former SA champion and international competitor and champion who captained a winning English shotokan karate team and was the coach of and competed for the Irish team that won silver at the Gichin Funokoshi world championship in Bath. With his partner Gillian O'Donoghue, he co penned their feature film, RARE BL0OD set in the beautiful KZN midlands. With a dynamic creative team and A list South African cast they shot and delivered Rare Blood. The film was delivered March 2020, premiered in the KZN Midlands South Africa, and was launched on Amazon. Brett and Gillian's production company, Dreamlands Film and Media has offices in South Africa and UK. Dreamlands has several feature film projects in various stages of development. They are also developing a high concept television series. Brett and Gillian are working with Austrian Producer David Wurawa on the exciting South African film The Man in the Mirror which, covid dependent, will commence principal photography mid 2021, a psychological drama The Wake set in 1970's Ireland, a Dark Portal a high end horror feature. Brett is the proud father of young adults who mean the world to him, but tragically he lost his talented up and coming composer musician son Cheyne Halliday in 2017. Cheyne's bitter sweet original, here it goes again features in Rare Blood.