Mick Child
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Mick Child is a British filmmaker best known for his historical documentaries. A writer, director, and producer, Mick made a bold career shift at the age of 52, leaving behind a long career in the railway industry to pursue filmmaking alongside his son, George.
Before turning to film, Mick explored storytelling through amateur novel writing, drawing inspiration from his life experiences. His passion for the arts first emerged during his school years when a teacher encouraged him to audition for the National Youth Theatre- though Mick's interests lay more in the technical aspects of theatre rather than acting.
After leaving school at 17 with limited qualifications, Mick worked a variety of jobs before joining British Rail in 1987. In 1991, he pursued further education in Heavy Electrical Engineering while also indulging his love for music-teaching piano to a friend so that they may start a band, learning drums, and playing in various bands. Throughout his life, photography and filmmaking remained a personal passion, which he later shared with his son through amateur YouTube travel related projects.
In 2013, Mick began volunteering at Rushmoor School in Bedford, where he and teacher helped students produce a railway safety film that won a national competition and earned the school £500 in camera equipment. Encouraged by this success, Mick decided to retire early in 2017 to focus on photography and filmmaking full-time, officially launching his career in 2020 with George by his side.
His first serious documentary, The Brock of Clachtoll (2018), was followed by Volunteering on the Line, both presented by colleague. The latter was a finalist at the Wales International Film Festival. Mick then ventured into the genre of drama with Villa the Volcano, starring Em-J Smith and Dane Foxx, which screened at Brighton Rocks International Film Festival. Other notable works include Isabel of Amerton, Working from Home, and The Baby Killers, the latter of which premiered as the opening film of Tees Valley International Film Festival in November 2024 to a full house. It later played to a sold-out audience at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in March 2025.
Mick resides in York, United Kingdom, with his wife. He has four children, a grandchild, and his beloved Cocker Spaniel, Islay, AKA Dogface.
Before turning to film, Mick explored storytelling through amateur novel writing, drawing inspiration from his life experiences. His passion for the arts first emerged during his school years when a teacher encouraged him to audition for the National Youth Theatre- though Mick's interests lay more in the technical aspects of theatre rather than acting.
After leaving school at 17 with limited qualifications, Mick worked a variety of jobs before joining British Rail in 1987. In 1991, he pursued further education in Heavy Electrical Engineering while also indulging his love for music-teaching piano to a friend so that they may start a band, learning drums, and playing in various bands. Throughout his life, photography and filmmaking remained a personal passion, which he later shared with his son through amateur YouTube travel related projects.
In 2013, Mick began volunteering at Rushmoor School in Bedford, where he and teacher helped students produce a railway safety film that won a national competition and earned the school £500 in camera equipment. Encouraged by this success, Mick decided to retire early in 2017 to focus on photography and filmmaking full-time, officially launching his career in 2020 with George by his side.
His first serious documentary, The Brock of Clachtoll (2018), was followed by Volunteering on the Line, both presented by colleague. The latter was a finalist at the Wales International Film Festival. Mick then ventured into the genre of drama with Villa the Volcano, starring Em-J Smith and Dane Foxx, which screened at Brighton Rocks International Film Festival. Other notable works include Isabel of Amerton, Working from Home, and The Baby Killers, the latter of which premiered as the opening film of Tees Valley International Film Festival in November 2024 to a full house. It later played to a sold-out audience at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in March 2025.
Mick resides in York, United Kingdom, with his wife. He has four children, a grandchild, and his beloved Cocker Spaniel, Islay, AKA Dogface.
